PHILIPSBURG:--- During a reception at Bamboo House Mark Mingo and Vision for SXM Team accepted the nomination to run on the UPP list in the upcoming parliament elections.
He will be number 4 on the list.
Present at the event were members of UPP Party, Leader MP Rolando Brison, President of Parliament Mr. Sidarth Bijlani, Minister of TEATT Arthur Lambriex, Minister of VSA Omar Ottley, and UPP Board members. CEO of the Port Alexander Gumbs and Ceo of the Airport Brian Mingo was also at the event on Thursday evening. MP William Marlin and former Minister Of TEATT Roger Lawrence also was in attendance.
For the last 4 months, Mark Mingo has been preparing for this evening to make a choice of which political platform and political party would best fit with his ideas and political ideology. But most important for him was which Political Platform gives him the best access to carry out his ideas and which team would be the best fit to achieve these ideas into action.
February 2nd is a special day for him and his family as it is his father’s (Frank Mingo) birthday, a former businessman and known politician. A former Minister of Finance of the Netherlands Antilles and having to also deal with tough financial decisions for the islands. Mark is no stranger to politics; his grandfather was involved in Politics on the French side. It's rather two-sided because he is very experienced, and he is also a newcomer to the Political Arena.
Mark Mingo accepted the nomination to run with the UPP Party in the presence of his mom Hetty Gatsonides and other family members. It was a special day for him and his family as he continues their legacy in Politics. Many of his supporters expected him to choose another party however the following points will explain why he chose or rather remained with the UPP party.
His dad (Frank Mingo) was a DP member and changed to UPP party in 2010 because there was a change towards a more innovative and younger generation of leaders “UP NEXT”. Frank Mingo who passed away in 2015 was a UP Member and to date, Mark Mingo is also a UPP member.
One of the most important persons in his life who contributed to his choice to stay and go with the younger generation was actually his 17-year-old daughter, Anais Mingo born on SXM a Generation Z, who is studying Industrial Engineering in the Netherlands.
In his closing speech, Mingo stated, I know the leader of the UP Party for several years already as Director of tourism MP Rolando Brison. One thing I realized, he did not shy away from my crazy ideas nor countered me with his ideas, rather, thinking how the idea can become a reality. In life and in business, this is key no matter how strange, odd, or different, once your heart is in the right place. That’s exactly what UP party is about and MP. Brison reflects that. The UP party spirit is much alive and I am dedicated to rebuilding the party better than before
"In closing, I am happy I can finally share with my supporters and St.Maarten that I have chosen to stay and remain with the UP party. “Home is where the heart is” to quote the famous saying, and in all homes across this island, there are disagreements, and sometimes families separate. Politics is no exception. It is easy to walk away when things get tough but it is important to try your best to make things work.
