We are in SXM and decided to visit our favorite beach today Baie Rouge.
The beach is beautiful and the weather is glorious for December. We went for a nice long walk today on the beach.
I was surprised to see so many villas still destroyed from Irma.
Here are some photos I took today.

Thanks for the pics. Sad.

Stayed at Little Jazz Bird Villa about 4 years ago there...always will remember a dog every night at the same time coming into the pool at 7 pm sharp, doing 2 laps then wandering in to say hi, soaking us and then leaving!
Quite extraordinary, no collar but well fed and obviously knew the place well. Shame about some of the other villas but that one appears to have survived as It’s still being rented.

Looking at your photos makes me wonder if these villas are part of what people are protesting about, the French government restricting re building within 60 ft of shore?

Was thinking the same thing.

It is more likely that the owners are selling the villa as is. I know of many other villas where the owners walked away.

A resident we know told us someone was approaching many islanders and offering 100 thousand euro for their properties saying they could keep the insurance money too. They took it for their place. They also said many restaurants took the offer. NICE in Grand Case. Owner told us she had always dreamed of owning a place in GC and finally could afford it because people wanted out. She said places that had minimal damage or had started to fix their place before insurance paid out lucked out because the government deemed a property sturdy and could be left in place while a wooden place such as Calmos wouldn't be allowed to rebuild. Bruno's Dreams couldn't rebuild. A stranger told us he was on island to check on his parents property only to be told they could not rebuild and he was at a lost as what to do.

As far as Dreams is concerned, that property is actually owned by Robert Luftman, same guy who owns the 'Five Stars' on Orient. According to Bruno, it was not an insurance thing, or not being able to rebuild there, it was that Luftman refused to renew the lease after Irma.

Liked Dreams,..

I think we all did and were saddened by the ‘no rebuild’ decision. We lost some very enjoyable venues thanks to that b itch Irma!

I think I am finally understanding the situation. So because of the PPRN restrictions on the French side places can't rebuild. The Dutch side does not have these restrictions? Is that why the Dutch side is bouncing back so quickly after Irma?

I sort of doubt this as most of the owners live in Europe and the US. Their decisions will be made based on what they consider as sound investment decisions.

But more to the point residents of Sandy Ground some descendants from the first inhabitants of the island who's land has been passed down for generations are having their lands confiscated by the government.

And some place on the Dutch side have suffered the same. I can't remember the party's name but the property near the Yacht Club.

Although I don't understand all the parameters, my understanding is that, particularly in places like Sandy Ground, the TITLE to the land is in some dispute. Or at least, even though someone has lived on the land for generations, they can't prove a title through paperwork. That's one part of the situation. And then another part of the situation is the PPRN, which currently prohibits rebuilding within certain zones. So THEORETICALLY it's not confiscation by the government, but they can't build there, so it amounts to the same thing.

Regarding the property near the Yacht Club, you're probably talking about Lee's. Lee NEVER owned the land there.