Did Lord Ashcroft Meet with Francis Fonseca about Campaign Financing?
Francis Fonseca
At the press conference today, the P.U.P. leader was also quizzed about campaign financing and if any was forth coming from Lord Michael Ashcroft. According to Fonseca, there is none and his approach is to the P.U.P. from contributions from ordinary folks. Fonseca also said that the nationalized company, B.T.L., will remain as a public entity majority owned by the state and people of Belize.
Reporter
“We are told, our information is that Lord Michael Ashcroft visited the country two weeks ago and that he had an audience with you, some sort dinner at the Radisson. Can we discuss that particular information? Is the information correct? What is the situation and is Mr. Ashcroft offering any sort of financial support for your party going forward?”
Francis Fonseca, Party Leader, P.U.P.
“None at all, none at all. No. I have no difficulty at all speaking to Mr. Ashcroft, he’s an investor in Belize and I have no difficulty talking to him at all. But he has not, certainly since I became the leader of the People’s United Party, has not offered any support, financial support to the People’s United Party and has not expressed any interest in offering any financial support to the party. That is the position.”
Reporter
“Will at any point if the topic comes up again in the future, I know you can’t speak to [the future] but what‘s the position going to be, is it similar or as firm as you are now that he hasn‘t offered any kind of financial commitments. Will you accept if he ever does put that offer to you?”
Francis Fonseca
“Please. My position is very clear on the, and I have made this very clear from the day I became the leader of the party. My approach to running the People’s United Party and this is why your boss Mr. Jules often declares that the P.U.P. is broke. My approach to running and financing the People’s United Party has been a fairly grassroots approach to running the party, meaning small contributions from Belizean citizens who are contributing whether they are businesspeople or private citizens. That is how we approach and that is how I intend to continue to run the People’s United Party. It has been very successful thus far. It has allowed us to grow and develop the party and I have every reason to believe that it will continue along that path. But let me make it very clear since you brought up Mr. Ashcroft, I have made it very clear and I repeat this position that when it comes to the public utilities because I know this is where the question is leading. When it comes to B.T.L. in particular, B.T.L., under a People’s United Party government, under my leadership, B.T.L. will remain a public entity majority owned by the state and people of Belize. There is absolutely no compromise on that issue, no change in that position. That remains the position of the People’s United Party.”
