A really good commentary!! Lots of people ask me which island or which cruise line I like best & I always say this: Thats like asking me which grandchild (of 8) I like best -- I love them all ...each have similarities and each have different interests & different personalities.....same with traveling!
We too found GC to feel (& actually is) much safer than SXM. Because GC is a flat island, the topography looks much different than SXM. I think people have more pride of their personal property in GC.
GC was hit by a very bad destructive hurricane in 2005 - Ivan. We were to fly there the very day that it hit! The place we were to stay in on East End had about 4 feet of sand in 1st floor units after the water drained away & the building had to be torn down & rebuilt. The condo bulding we had stayed in 2x on 7 Mile beach near Marriott was nearly destroyed in the storm & had to be torn down & rebuilt too. We stopped there on a cruise about 3 months after the hurricane, & the vegetation was coming back. Not sure if you were aware of this storm 10 years ago..... Hopefully in 10 years SXM & especially the Orient area will look great!!