Franklyn E. Richards, born 1950, obtained his MULO diploma at the John Philips School in Philipsburg, Sint Maarten. He obtained his degree in Government Finances at the Academy of Executive Affairs in Tilburg, The Netherlands, his bachelor degree in economics at the Academy of Economics (HEAO) in The Hague, The Netherlands, and his law degree at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

He served as head of the Finance Department of the Government of the Island Territory of Sint Maarten, from 1972 through 1979.

He accepted an official post with the Ministry of Interior Affairs and Kingdom Relations in the Netherlands in 1980 until October 1992.

In 1992, he accepted the position of technical assistant and became the first Dutch Antillean to return to Sint Maarten in that capacity with the duties as an administrative lawyer in service of the Executive Council of the Island Territory of Sint Maarten.

In 1996, he assumed the duties of sector director of Support Services of the Government of the Island Territory of Sint Maarten.

On September 22, 2000, he was appointed as Governor of the Island Territory of Sint Maarten.

Other activities in which he had been active, include his having served as chairman of the Foundation for Special Education of the Windward Islands, secretary of the Sint Maarten Housing Foundation, member of the University of Sint Maarten, member of the Higher Supervision committee of Sint Maarten, member of the Voluntary Corps of Sint Maarten, member of the workgroup on constitutional affairs, member of the Supervisory Board of Directors of the Sint Maarten Ports Authority N.V. and chairperson of the Supervisory Board of Directors of the Sint Maarten Harbor Holding N.V.

He is married to Angela Huggins and has two children.