U.D.P. denies reports that it’s hiring U.S. consultants

In related political developments, News Five has learned that the United Democratic Party has entered into negotiations with a U.S. consulting firm to provide advice for the remainder of the election campaign. It is believed that party officials met last week in Belize City with Jennifer Laslow of Laslow and Associates, a North Carolina based company which has reportedly provided services to several political parties in Latin America and the Caribbean. This morning News Five’s Stewart Krohn called Laslow at her office in Durham, North Carolina. When asked if she had been in negotiations with the U.D.P. she said that she “could not confirm anything at this time”… but that “perhaps in a few days” she would be able to provide more information. When asked what other political parties around the region her company had worked for she also declined to answer, saying that at this moment publicity would not be helpful. In an effort to obtain the details that Ms. Laslow was unwilling to provide we called U.D.P. Secretary General Kenworth Tillett. Tillett said that in any election campaign all kinds of foreign consultants emerge from the woodwork looking for employment. While he told us that he was introduced to Ms. Laslow at no time did she make a specific offer of services or, as far as he knows, did anyone from his party engage in any negotiations with her. Tillett added that the Belize electoral situation is unique and there was no need for any outsiders to advise the U.D.P. on how to run a campaign. While the use of U.S. political consultants has become common in the larger and richer nations of the Americas, Belize — as far as we know — has so far managed to get by without them.