The leadership and members of the United Democrats Party (UD) are deeply saddened by the arrest of our leader MP Theodore Heyliger on February 19, 2019. It goes without saying that the arrest is a major blow to the UD and we consider this a dark day, not only for the party, but especially for Theo’s wife and children and St. Maarten in general. Grisha, the boys and his extended family are in our constant thoughts and prayers.
It is an ordeal we wish no one, but the impact of Theo’s arrest will be felt far and near. In Parliament, we of the UD, will have to ensure that the people’s interest will continue to be center stage, despite this serious setback we are facing.
We will carefully follow the developments surrounding MP Heyliger’s arrest and we will uphold the mantra of innocent until proven guilty. We must, also for the benefit of our country, have faith in the justice system and we can only hope that fair justice will prevail, regardless of prejudices, real or perceived.
St. Maarten is at crossroads in so many respects and the arrest of MP Heyliger is surely not helpful in this regard. It is still very early in the process and we implore everyone to not be hasty in jumping to conclusions.
As more details and information become available, the UD will inform its membership and the St. Maarten people in general about the course the party is taking.