Better and stronger

Building a better and stronger St. Maarten after Hurricane Irma; That is the intention of our government, but achieving this lofty goal is easier said than done.

We see trucks drive around with sheet metal roofing material, suggesting that somewhere on the island some roof will be restored to its previous condition.

We have seen companies in the process of replacing huge store windows with walls made of breeze blocks – something that looks like a solid alternative; but according to architects, it isn’t, because these makeshift little walls are not an integral part of a building’s construction.

In other words: they just might collapse under the pressure of the next big storm.

That businesses want to take measures this way is understandable, but as we have suggested before, it’s better to think first and act later.

We all want a stronger and better St. Maarten – of course we do. So let’s not get ahead of ourselves by spending scarce resources on solutions that only look good. Let’s spend that money on the best possible alternatives.