Open letter to the Members of WIFOL

Dear Fellow Members,

On behalf of the Board, thank you for the confidence you have placed in us. Since September 17, 2026, the new Board of W.I.F.O.L. has been registered with the Chamber of Commerce & Industry under number 22257 (excerpt enclosed). The Board members are Mr. Joanice David Richardson (President), Mr. Elton Achille Jones and Ms. Lesley Asma Berkel. Only this Board may act for the Association. Mr. Theophilus Emanuel Thompson and former Board members no longer hold any office in W.I.F.O.L.

The challenges we face:

We had hoped for an orderly handover, but the former de facto President, Mr. Thompson, has not cooperated. On September 23, 2026, he refused to hand over the keys to the W.I.F.O.L. Building and its annexes. The Association's records, equipment, account access and the rent collected from tenants have not been turned over. We have also learned that membership dues were paid to the WIFOL Foundation, a separate legal entity. So far we have found no decision of the Association that authorized those payments.

What the Board has done:

We have notified all occupants of our buildings and served Mr. Thompson with a final demand to return all Association property [he has / has not complied]. On September 24, 2026, the Board resolved to stop all payments to the Foundation and to demand a full accounting by October 14, 2026. We prefer to settle this without going to court, but we will take legal action if we must.

Our hope for the future. W.I.F.O.L. was founded on Christian principles to serve the moral, social and economic interests of working people. That mission is bigger than any one person, and it endures. We believe the best days for the workers of Sint Maarten are still ahead. We see a W.I.F.O.L. that answers to its members and meets with them every year. It will stand for every worker's dignity and a fair wage, and it will train the next generation of labor leaders. We will soon call a General Meeting of Members to report to you in full. With God's help and your support, we will build that future together.

In solidarity, On behalf of the Board of W.I.F.O.L.,

Joanice David Richardson - President

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