Reconstruction continues in Saint-Martin, more than 4 months after Hurricane Irma, which devastated the island, despite difficulties concerning insurance and the delivery of materials, said the interministerial delegate for reconstruction, Philippe Gustin.
At the moment, we are faced with a problem of “fluidity of delivery of materials” for reconstruction.
Before the hurricane, these deliveries were mainly made via the port of Philipsburg, very affected by the hurricane and which has not yet recovered all its logistical capacities.
For Mr. Gustin, we must now work to "consider a maximum of rotations to the port of Galisbay", smaller in terms of capacity but less damaged. “This supposes that the carriers agree to make an additional stop on the French side.
"It is in our interest to be as independent as possible," he insists, referring to the "massive arrival of materials", wood, sheets and windows for reconstruction in the coming weeks and months.
This has already started, but it was hitherto held back pending the new urban planning rules post-Irma, which were presented last Wednesday by the community of Saint-Martin, for the next two years.
The reconstruction was also made difficult by the delay taken by insurers for compensation, said Gustin.
A delay notably linked to the difficulties encountered by the experts to get to the island after the hurricane and the two others which followed, José and Maria. For lack of air or sea links, and for lack of accommodation on site, "it took three weeks before the companies managed to dispatch the experts," he recalled.
Difficulty for the local building and public works to cope with the scale of requests for quotes, the multitude of co-owners to find and the influx of counter-expert opinions also slowed down the process.
"Insurance companies need to commit to a schedule," notes Mr. Gustin.
"The hurricane season officially restarts on July 1," he recalls. "The artisans must be hard at work to secure the buildings".
In total "10.000 houses were impacted" in Saint-Martin by Irma, to varying degrees.
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