Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
~ Fine still to be paid ~
PHILIPSBURG--The United St. Maarten Party (USP) submitted its overdue annual report and financial statements to the Electoral Council on Monday, bringing to a possible end the council's imposed NAf. 1,000 daily penalty for non-compliance.
Party President Cecil Nicholas told The Daily Herald the documents were submitted to the council's office, but the fine incurred so far of NAf. 2,000 has not been paid. The reason for that is the council has to advise the political party on how to complete that process.
The Electoral Council imposed the daily fine on the political party as of Saturday for failing to comply with the National Ordinance on the registration and financing of political parties, despite numerous reminders from the council before and after the deadline of April 1 for registered political parties to submit their annual reports.
Asked why USP, a party led by Member of Parliament Frans Richardson, did not adhere to the ordinance and the letters from the council, Nicholas said, "We take pride in the reports being submitted to the council and I wanted to make sure all the i's were dotted and the t's crossed."
USP was the only one of the eight registered parties for the September 2014 Parliamentary Elections not to have submitted its reports to the council and to have received a fine that carried a maximum penalty of NAf. 30,000.
