Obviously, Food, water, shelter, Safety for the local residents

For the tourists to start coming back i think the beginning lies with day trippers from ships. Ingredients needed for that to happen.

1) cleared beaches
2) taxi cabs
3) gasoline
4) beach chairs and umbrellas (including yellow umbrellas)
5) lots and lots of Carib beer
6) cruise ships to make port calls
7) grilled burgers and buns
8) more Carib beer

The cash infusion from guests returning and safety assurance will multiply the economic stimulus and drive the rst of the rebound

The folks who spend the night need lodging and that takes more but this will help full the optimism too make those repairs and rebuilds as will insurance and govt plans. Heck, the pearl of china project might come into play.

Feel free to add

Obviously, your first sentence.
Forget the rest for now.
No, I am not pessimistic, just realistic!

I get it, but theres only so much we can do from here but mourn online,commiserate and think and dream.

Re: tourism
For the non-cruise tourists to THINK about returning there has to be a feeling that they are secure on the island and not worry about being robbed, assaulted or killed. You can think angels and unicorns but when the word gets out, if it hasn't already, that there are quite a few locals that just resent tourists and what they represent.

Adversity will either bring out the best or the worst in people and this will play out soon....I feel another Jamaica evolving. The present looters could be the future of SXM

I like SXM for what it was and fear what it will be...I hope I am wrong

I said very early after the storm and the looting stories started to be told that I fear SXM becoming Jamaica. There is a reason we have never gone to Jamaica or the DR. I dont want to be fearful or walled up in a compound.

I 100% agree.....My hope is that the European 'parent' countries (France/Netherlands) invest so much money into the island that part of that is a more professional law enforcement and judicial system (to protect their investment). The crime element is definitely a minority but they currently don't seem to have much of fear of the authorities and are spoiling the island...that needs to change.

Over the years I have experienced SXM changing. I used to love sitting at La Aerowak at 10 PM to when ever people watching. I haven't "felt" safe on the French side for years so seldom go there.

There was many places on the Dutch side I liked to go but don't visit them anymore.

For the last trips on island I usually stay in the Simpson Bay area and do Mullet for beach days.

the places where I go on island got smaller and smaller. For this I looked for other options for my vacations.

Wendell

Wendell, I totally understand your thoughts. Using the day, we usually have no problem venturing out. At night we find ourselves staying in Simpson Bay, Maho and maybe as far as Porto Cupacoy.