MARIGOT--The judge in the administrative court of Guadeloupe deferred his decision on the Auberge de Mer case in St. Martin on Monday to study more documents produced by SEMSAMAR’s lawyer.
The judge was expected to make a ruling on Monday on whether the businesses can remain in the condemned building adjacent to Marina Port La Royale to have more time to relocate, or have to vacate the building as ordered in the Collectivité eviction notice.
SXM Marine Diesel’s Sébastien Brismeur, who has largely been driving the legal representation for the 10 businesses who are still occupying the building, said the last-minute documents produced by SEMSAMAR were a surprise and their lawyer had no knowledge of them beforehand.
“Apparently the documents show evidence of damage to the building, with photographs, after Hurricane Irma. We knew nothing about these documents,” said Brismeur. “The judge had a glacial expression on his face and was clearly not pleased when he was presented with the documents.”
The businesses have based their case on an independent expert survey that determined the building is not “in peril” as claimed by the Collectivité.
The judge is expected to make his decision today.
