PHILIPSBURG:--- There is trouble in the UP camp as the founder of the United Peoples Party Theodore Heyliger is going back on his word where he agreed that incoming leader Rolando Brison will not have to put Stuart Johnson on the slate to contest the January 9th elections.
SMN News understands that during the negotiations Heyliger agreed with Brison and his team not to have the TEATT Minister on the slate because as MP Rolando Brison highlighted all the failures of the sitting Minister. The source said now that Heyliger won his first court battle he began bullying Brison to get the candidates he wants on the slate.
SMN News learned that Heyliger even stayed away from the party congress on Saturday evening that was held at La Patrona Restaurant. Heyliger was scheduled to attend the congress to hand over leadership of the party to Brison who left the United St Maarten Peoples Party (USP) where he was given the number one spot. However, the board of UPP handed over leadership to Brison which was sanctioned by the Electoral Council.
SMN News learned that the congress gathered just about 60 persons and the UPP founder and new leader are busy renegotiating to have Johnson placed as the number 6th candidate. Sources within the party said that Grisha Martin and other candidates such as Luc Mercelina agreed with the UPP founder to have Johnson in the number 6th spot. Some candidates it is understood threatened to boycott the list if Johnson is placed on the UPP slate. UPP stands to lose at least 3 prominent candidates if the founder managed to get his way to put Johnson on the slate.
Based on the current line up the UPP will have the following candidates in their top spot.
• 1. Rolando Brison
• 2. Luc Mercelina
• 3.Omar Ottley’
• 4. Grisha Marten Heyliger.
• 5. Cookie Bijlani
• 6. Stuart Johson
• 7. Kevin Maingrette.