Independent MP Grisha Heyliger-Marten.
PHILIPSBURG--United People’s (UP) party leader Rolando Brison and a representative of the board have been given “fair warning” to not enter the UP party in the upcoming elections.
Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Grisha Heyliger-Marten alluded to the warning that was issued during radio programme “Online with Fernando Clark” on SOS Radio 95.9fm on Tuesday evening.
While she did not mention Brison by name during the radio programme, she said the warning was given to the party’s “last standing leader” and “last standing board member.” UP was founded by Heyliger-Marten’s husband Theo Heyliger. Heyliger-Marten, a former UP MP, resigned from UP and became an independent MP on October 27, 2022, after she was voted out as Chairperson of Parliament.
“I was in my own house. I didn't like how my house turned out so I decided to leave the house. So, I left the house, but with an understanding that If I leave the house everybody will have to leave that house very soon too,” the MP said on the radio programme.
“And just recently it was already mentioned to them to please consider not running this party next election. It was said verbally to the last standing board member and it was also mentioned to the last standing leader. It was asked politely, but the founder the same founder who in writing stated not to fire me and they still [went – Ed.] ahead and fired me, the same founder gave them a fair warning: “please don’t run the party next election. So, I am waiting to see - we are all waiting to see what kind of a congress they are going to call,” she added.
Heyliger-Marten indicated that the outcome of the congress is being awaited. “We want to see if they are going to be running on their own merit because it’s all about principle. It’s a principle. You damage my house. Yes, we had a conversation. Yes, you wanted to stay for eight years in this house. You come and you wreak havoc in the house, now the owners of the house are telling you to kindly consider running on your own merit.
You believe you could get this done. You believe you have a good list and it all boils down to my last statement in my speech when I left the UP party. I said that it is not the party that makes the people. It is the people that make the party. Why did I say that? Because I can make reference to UD, the United Democrats. At the last minute - 10 days before elections - UP and DP decided to form one party. Ten days before that… In one week, you can have an association and in one day you can call 200 and something people and sign. So, if you are so sure that your party is strong. If you are so sure that you - the people around you did so well this term and you are so sure that you have the potential highest vote getter - put them on another party and get them there, but not on a party that you destroyed.”
She said the UP party will be placed on ice. “That party is going in a “kluis” like they say in Dutch and lock up for the next election and it was asked diplomatically and they were given a fair warning. Now the question is - will they heed to the warning or will they ignore the warning?”
Asked by the host what will happen if those warned do not adhere to the warning, Heyliger-Marten responded: “Like I said, fair warning was given. We are going to leave it at that for now. I just want at least everyone to know they were forewarned not to run the party,” she said, adding that the members can continue to use the colour green, saying this was “no big deal,” but maintained that what cannot be used is the UP party brand. “Not that house that we built,” she said.
