BUSH ROAD:--- Members of the United People's Party (UPP) met Tuesday night on Bush Road at the Meyers property where they had serious discussions as to which of the UP MPs will surrender their seat to the party leader Theodore Heyliger.
It should be noted that Heyliger won all six of the seats his party has in Parliament since none of the other members of the UP pary secured enough votes to elect themselves. Even though the UP MPs did not elect themselves, they refused to surrender their seat to the leader of the party who got the votes necessary to place them in office. SMN News learnt through a reliable source that the UP leader is peeved at the behavior of his MPs because it shows immaturity, especially since the leader of the National Alliance William Marlin got back his seat in Parliament when the SWW-2 cabinet fell. The source said former MP and Chairman of Parliament Rodolphe Samuel showed maturity and respect when he surrendered his seat and gave it back to the party leader.
During the 2010 election Theodore Heyliger secured 2967 votes while Gracita Arrindell got 336 votes. Arrindell was the second highest vote getter on the UP list. Candidates that postulated themselves needed to secure 770 votes in order for them to be elected.
The source further stated that the discussion on Tuesday night was very intense and heated because the UP leader made clear that if one of the MPs does not surrender their seat now for him to get into Parliament then he will not put them on his list for the 2014 election. The source said the party members asked MP Ruth Douglass to surrender her seat since she got the least amount of votes (84) in total. SMN News learnt that MP Douglass refused to give up her seat for anyone. However, MP Johan Janchi Leonard suggested that he would surrender his seat if the UP leader guaranteed him the position of Minister of Justice if they are elected in 2014. MP Leonard secured 111 votes on the UP list last election. While Leonard ran in several elections before, once on his own party and once with Gracita Arrindell on the PPA slate, this is the first time Leonard got so little votes but still managed to get into Parliament.
SMN News further learnt that the UP MPs were given 48 hours to say exactly what they will do and which of them will surrender their seat to the party leader who won all six seats the party has in parliament.
It should also be noted that while the MPs were given 48 hours to respond and give the UP board a definite answer, ten MPs left the island on Wednesday to attend Parlatino meetings in Mexico.
SMN News is following these developments closely and will bring you more information as it becomes available.
