We asked several residents of Saint-Martin about their expectations for this new year. Not surprisingly, reconstruction is first and foremost a concern for Saint-Martinois.
pino, retired pizza chef:
“The year 2019 promises to be very dark. I lost everything with Irma: my Vespa, my house… I found myself completely helpless! In addition, I live with a very small pension which forces me to exercise a professional activity to supplement my ends of the month. Currently I sharpen knives and hope that business will go well this year. I sincerely wish the new year was better than the last but I'm not at all optimistic. "
Hamadi, commercial at Canal Plus:
"I am looking forward to 2019 calmly because it is the word that describes the state of mind that will bring the positive waves that the island needs. Many sectors of activity are new operational, in particular construction which allows a lot of people to work, but there are also a lot of ambitious projects that are being set up, including fiber optics which leaves from Oyster Pond and which must supply all homes and businesses on the island. I hope that 2019 will be the year that will allow Saint-Martin to rise from the ashes. "
Stephanie, food distributor:
“I envision a very good and happy new year under the sun. My husband and I have just arrived on the island and we feel very good there because the welcome was great. We are distributors of food products and we hope that the reconstruction will continue so that all restaurants and hotels can reopen and at the same time that tourism flourishes again. The island has remarkable potential and I think it will soon regain all its splendor before Irma. "
Cineus, maintenance agent for EDF:
“The most important thing is that family and friends are healthy. Then, it is necessary to continue the reconstruction of the island because many districts are still damaged. I live in Concordia and I was lucky to have been spared by the cyclone but many other residents were not so lucky. We must help them to be able to find normality. Finally, I hope that crime will drop because there is still a lot to do to ensure the complete safety of Saint-Martin residents. "
6,155 total views
No comments