Today Newspaper St. Maarten

Union Pour Le Progress (UP) party won’t endorse either runoff party

MARIGOT – President of the Union for Progress Louis Constant-Fleming says his party will not participate in Sunday’s Territorial Council election and will not endorse another party. He says they will also not be “giving any direction as where to vote.”
“Since the values and the ideas of the UP Party are not represented within the two lists that remain, we shall abstain from any alliance and/or support. Any association or shown support of any of the UP candidates, members, or even supporters with one of the remaining lists shall solely engage their individual responsibility and in no case the party’s,” Constant-Fleming stated in a release.
Later he’d add, “We are counting, as we have always counted, on the responsibility and the conscience of the electors so that this coming Sunday they shall take the decision that will do the less harm to the people and the future of Saint-Martin.”
The UP’s decision not to participate is based on the “expression” of the voters during the first round on March 18.
“The (UP) list hereby takes act of this expression, and considers consequently that it is not useful to exercise the option of maintaining its list for the runoff scheduled next Sunday, March 25. We hereby sincerely thank all the electors who went to the polls last Sunday to exercise their voting right, and more so those who placed their confidence in the UP Party,” Constant-Fleming states.
He’d go on to pledge himself and the party to continuing to work for the people.
“The UP Party, now a well structured political party, will remain vigilant and attentive to all the decisions and measures that will be taken in the future by the new territorial council. As Senator of Saint-Martin, I will be at the disposition of the future Territorial Council to support and relay their propositions and their requests that would be in the general interest and the development of Saint-Martin.”