Demolition of the abandoned Sunrise Condominiums (see Monday newspaper) will no doubt have been welcomed by residents especially in Oyster Pond. It took six years and three million euros, but at least this eyesore in what is a particularly scenic area has now been removed.
The Dutch side too still has its its share of ruins left by Hurricane Irma in September 2017 and even earlier storms. Getting rid of them can be a difficult and cumbersome process.
The best – or rather worst – example is probably the former Mullet Bay Resort. It was badly damaged by Hurricane Luis in September 1995, but the remains stayed there for well over a decade pending a lengthy court battle between the developer and unit owners.
While one can understand the need to respect property rights, insurance settlements, etcetera, this should in principle not take more than five years. That seems like a reasonable period often used as statute of limitation in legal and fiscal matters.
Achieving any limit, if possible, may take complex law changes, including to expropriation procedures. However, especially as a country prone to tropical weather systems, this is something that could perhaps be considered.
It’s simply not right to hold the entire island and its population hostage much longer in such cases. After all, they are not to blame.
