SXMElections.com

Upp Launch ‘Up Party Sxm’ App For Apple & Android Smartphones

PHILIPSBURG—The United People’s Party UPP made political history on St. Maarten today, Monday launching its “powerful interactive APP, named UP Party SXM.” It is by far one of the most aggressive marketing strategy for a political campaign to date for this or any election on St. Maarten or the Caribbean region.

UP Party app named “UP Party SXM” shows a photo of the party’s 23 candidates along with eight of the services you can access once you download the app.

Before the app was officially launched, buzz news about its imminent arrival on the election scene as an innovative use of technology had already started to boost voter interest in the UP Party, as many rushed to their App stores to download before the launch date.

The free app, now offers easy access to the party’s political platform rather than having to surf through dozens of websites before getting the correct information and updates Read more

Maria Buncamper Molanus On Working With Usp

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - “There is no fundamental difference between the Democratic Party, the United People’s Party and the United St. Maarten Party as far as their ideology is concerned” stated former Minister of VSA, the number five candidate on the slate of the USP, Maria Buncamper Molanus Read more

Up Show Unity At Team Building Event

PHILIPSBURG – As part of the United People’s (UP) Party’s groundwork to deliver a stable government to the people of St. Maarten, after more than five years of instability, 23 UP candidates contesting the September 26 Parliamentary elections held a team building session in Simpson Bay, Sunday, August 14.

The party issued a press release following the event, stating that the team building event was a huge success. It was a “common purpose” exercise geared towards improved productivity, motivation and establishing a closer bond, especially with the new members of the UP family.

Member of Parliament (MP) Leona Marlin-Romeo said after Sunday’s event “today was one of the best political team activity I ever had.” She encouraged her colleague candidates on the UP slate to continue this momentum Read more

Record-Breaking 19 Dump Fires For The Year So Far

PHILIPSBURG – In a reaction to accusations made by the contractor who manages the dump, hinting that the UP party is responsible for creating fires there, Member of Parliament (MP) Frankie Meyers stated: “It is unbelievable that when a National Alliance supporter/former candidate wins the bid for a multi-million dollar contract and manages to mess it up, the contractor still finds ways to accuse the UP party of setting the dump ablaze Read more

PHILIPSBURG: --- Of the five political parties that had to secure 146 signatures at the Census Office on Tuesday to qualify their list to contest the September 2016 Parliamentary elections. The St. Maarten Christian Party (SMCP) surpassed the amount by 1:00pm on Tuesday. The leader of the SMCP Wycliffe Smith told SMN News that at 1:30pm his party got 165 signatures and people were still in the line and some more on their way to endorse his party Read more

Nine Political Parties Postulate For September Elections

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – On Monday, August 8th postulation day, nine (9) political parties postulated to contest the September 26th parliamentary election.

The parties are the

United People’s Party (UP) 23, Helping our People Excel (HOPE) 3, St. Maarten Christian Party (SMCP) 9, One St Read more

Hope leader became emotional as she made a statement.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Of the nine political parties that submitted their list to the voting bureau on Monday, only three of them handed in a list with a full slate of 23 candidates. They are the United Peoples Party (UPP), United St. Maarten’s People Party (USP), and the National Alliance (NA).
St Read more

Up Board And Leader Extend Condolences To The Family And Friends Of Alexander Marlin

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – The United People's Party (UP) Board and Leader of the UP Party Member of Parliament Theodore Heyliger extend condolences to the family and friends of Alexander Marlin, and to the families of Julian Rollocks and Member of Parliament Leona Marlin-Romeo.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family members during this very difficult time Read more

Usp Introduces Four New Candidates

St. Maarten News —The United St. Maarten Party (USP) has added four more candidates to the party to contest the upcoming elections that are slated for September 26, 2016 and was introduced to the public at the party headquarters on Friday. The new candidates, some of whom have worked for government for a number of years, felt that the time is now for them to play their part and serve the people of the island.

Party leader Frans Richardson said that the USP “is not only about putting people on the list but also guiding them in the way that the Parliament of St Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- A message of hope permeated the air as DP and UPP family and friends commemorated the birthday of the late Dr. A. Claude Wathey, co-founder of the DP.

The annual wreath laying at the statue of the late Dr Read more

What Would Claude Have Said About Sint Maarten Today?

United People’s Party (UP) Leader and Member of Parliament (MP) Theodore Heyliger on the occasion of the birthday of his grandfather Dr. A. C. “Claude” Wathey’s wreath laying ceremony asked the question what his grandfather would say about Sint Maarten today if he was around.

The ceremony took place at the statue of Dr Read more

PHILIPSBURG: --- The United Saint Maarten Peoples Party (USP) presented another four candidates on Thursday that will be contesting the September 26th 2016 elections. Those that were presented are Benjamin Kelly, Martin Wilson, Shenelle Brownville, and Raphael Brooks.
At the launching on Thursday President of the USP introduced the four candidates, two of which ran on the United Peoples Party slate in 2010, they are Kelly Benjamin and Shenelle Brownville.
Benjamin said he has a lot to offer and to help move St Read more

“Back And Forth Bickering Between Na And Upp Over Gebe, But No Solution In Sight!”

PHILIPSBURG – It is the people of St. Maarten who are continuing to suffer while the heated debate over who is most responsible for the current GEBE woes continues between the National Alliance (NA) and the United Peoples Party (UPP), noted leader of the One St. Maarten People Party (OSPP) Lenny Priest, who opined that workable solutions are what the country needs and not “high school antics from elected officials.”

Priest was reacting to recent media statements on the situation at GEBE from the board of NA who alleged “it seems every time that government or government-owned companies needs to make a significant purchase some family or friend is involved in some way or the other,” and to statements by the UPP alleging that it was the NA who stopped the purchase of the engine needed by GEBE.

“This constant back and forth between the largest political parties over what has happened at GEBE under their tenure with accusations of nepotism and the like levied against each other is in no way a solution to the problem Read more

Up Mp Franklin Meyers Blasts Gov’T On Gebe

St. Maarten News—United People’s Party (UP) member of Parliament Franklin Meyers blasted the government for what he terms a mismanagement of power company GEBE in light of the latest string of power outages on the island. “This is unbelievable! The mismanagement of GEBE goes beyond party politics Read more

Consumer’S Right To Know Thrown Out By New Nv Gebe Board. Transparency Becomes A Vail Of Secrecy

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten -  United People’s Party (UP) Leader and Member of Parliament (MP) Theodore Heyliger says that reports on the purchasing of new generators for NV GEBE have been on the table awaiting a decision. 

The policy of the current Government and which is being pursued by the new Board is to give Government Naf.30 million from NV GEBE reserves to spend for the elections and have the company contract a loan to purchase a new generator.

“All studies were done so it was mainly to execute, and now the new board is trying to play the blame game with no foresight for the company. 

It was a National Alliance led coalition motion last year that stalled any decision-making on the purchasing of a new generator when the UP-led coalition was in Government, which left the country sitting and waiting in the dark, which continued up until last week Monday.

“The only thing that the new chairman of the NV GEBE board said since he was appointed was that NV GEBE should pay dividend to the Government.  I warned since last year about the failure to prepare with the acquisition of a new generator for the power plant Read more

14 Political Parties Registered To Contest September 26Th Elections

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Some 14 political parties, including the Democratic Party, the United People’s Party, the United St. Maarten Party and the National Alliance have registered at the Electoral Council as political organizations to contest the scheduled September 26th parliamentary elections.

Initially, there were some 15 parties to contest the elections; however, one party opted to drop out Read more

Franklin Meyers (Up): “Coalition Left Mp Lake Totally Out In The Cold”

St. Maarten News – Member of Parliament Maurice Lake and his appointed Vromi-Minister Angel Meyers were left totally out in the cold yesterday afternoon when the majority of Lake’s coalition members failed to show up for a parliament meeting to pass a law brought by the MP’s minister, United People’s party deputy leader MP Franklin Meyers said in a press statement.

“This is a very clear case of actions speak louder than words and the action in this case is a resounding vote of no confidence in MP Lake’s minister and a total lack of support for the MP himself Read more

Gracita Arrindell Leads Ppa In Elections

~ Has orange become  the new green? ~

Source: Today Newspaper

GREAT BAY – “Lack of leadership, not sticking to commitments and turning their back on the people of St. Maarten,” said Gracita Arrindell yesterday about her reasons for leaving the United People’s Party and returning to the revived People’s Progressive Alliance (PPA) as its leader for the September 26 parliamentary elections Read more

One Year After Appeal No New Date For Vote Buying Trial

St. Maarten News – While the parliament engaged this week in a rather senseless second round of debate about – mostly – the term vote buying, the election fraud case that rocked St. Maarten in 2014 and led to accusations of class justice has seemingly come to a complete standstill.

In August 2014, the Court in First Instance ruled that the prosecutor’s office had called upon itself “the semblance of class justice” by prosecuting four police officers and a representative of the United People’s party for selling and buying votes ahead of the 2010 parliamentary elections, while UP-leader Theo Heyliger was not dragged into court Read more

Up Welcomes Ppa To Political Process For September 2016 Parliamentary Elections

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – The United People's Party (UP) Board President Sylvia Meyers, would like to congratulate the People’s Progressive Alliance (PPA) Drs. Gracita Arrindell for joining the political process in order to participate in the September 2016 parliamentary elections.

Meyers added that Arrindell was a member of the UP and ran with the party twice as the #2 candidate on the party slate, and on both occasions the former Member of Parliament lacked in votes to justify the position that she was given such as the first President of the Parliament of Sint Maarten.

“This is not a lack of leadership as brought forward by Arrindell during her press conference that the UP is lacking, far from it, it was about putting the best people in the top positions to run our country.  The UP is about opportunity for the people along with the improvement in the quality of life of all the people, and not just a few. 

“The unfortunate insinuations and mudslinging by the PPA lacks any substance.  The UP Party leader Member of Parliament Theo Heyliger, has displayed leadership throughout his political career, and with the most recent being, putting together a two-thirds majority in parliament of 10-seats in order to provide a stable government for the people of the country to prosper.

“However unfortunately, there were those who decided to take another path and the 10-seat two-thirds majority became history.  The UP Party remains committed to the people of the country, and the people are well aware of who turned their backs on them and Sint Maarten, and will decide their fate at the September polls Read more

Rationale For Elections Falls Apart As Kingdom Council Opposes To The Changes In Electoral Reform Proposed By St. Maarten.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Kingdom Council of Ministers expresses serious doubt over “ship jumping” solution proposed by St. Maarten. The law of “unintended consequences” raises its ugly head as the Kingdom Council gave a negative advice on the changes to be made in the country’s constitution which would have addressed the so-called ship jumping.

The Kingdom Council of Ministers has informed the Prime Minister of St. Maarten that their proposed changes to the constitution to stop ship jumping will not work since it will hinge on democracy within parliament.

They pointed out that if an MP jumps ship the remaining members might not be able to form a majority, while no new ministers could be appointed since the member who jumped ship is not allowed to nominate a minister Read more

Gracita Arrindell Leads Ppa In Elections: Has Orange Become The New Green?

St. Maarten News – “Lack of leadership, not sticking to commitments and turning their back on the people of St. Maarten,” said Gracita Arrindell yesterday about her reasons for leaving the United People’s Party and returning to the revived People’s Progressive Alliance (PPA) as its leader for the September 26 parliamentary elections Read more

Theo Heyliger Criticizes Government For Repeated Power Outages

Some Gebe generators are in a bad condition. Photo Today / Hilbert Haar

St. Maarten News – The seemingly extensive mechanical and other problems faced by the Gebe power plant are taking a toll on the economy and putting additional stress on residents, United People’s party leader MP Theo Heyliger said in a press statement.

“Residents and businesses have had to deal with frequent power outages for going on two weeks and there has been no clear indication from government about what is going on Read more

Mp Frans Richardson Sounds The Alarm: Social Media Messages: Kill The Prime Minister

St. Maarten News – Messages on social media suggest killing the prime minister, members of parliament and their corrupted friends, MP Frans Richardson said during a meeting of parliament about vote buying. While Richardson considered there threats far more important than the issue of vote buying, no other MP even reacted to his statement.

“I am going to protect myself and my family,” Richardson said Read more