Dear Queenie,
My neighbour is a pack rat. Old cars. Broken appliances. Pieces of furniture. Rusted parts. Buckets. Tires. Things that look like they survived Hurricane Luis and Irma. Nothing gets thrown away. Normally, I try to mind my business. But I am currently doing construction on my property, and we discovered that the drain on his side is badly clogged with junk and debris. Now water is backing up whenever there is heavy rain. My contractor already warned me this can become a serious drainage issue for both properties if it isn’t cleared properly. The problem is my neighbour does not take criticism well. Everything is an argument. And because we live close together, I do not want years of bad blood over a drain. At the same time, I am tired of pretending this is normal. We already deal with enough flooding issues on this island without people turning their yard into a scrapyard obstacle course. Queenie, how do I address this without creating World War Three over old washing machines and dead vehicles?—Drowning Next to Junkyard Junction
Dear Drowning Next to Junkyard Junction,
There comes a point where “keeping things” stops being personal preference and starts becoming community impact. A clogged drain is not just an eyesore. It is a public safety and property issue. Especially in Sint Maarten, where one hard rain can quickly turn into flooded yards, damaged property, and everybody suddenly checking weather radar like meteorologists. Now, your instinct to avoid conflict is understandable. Living next to tension is exhausting. But avoiding the issue entirely will not stop the water. So your approach matters. Do not lead with: “Your yard is a mess.” Lead with the drain. Keep it practical, calm, and specific: “The contractor noticed the drain is blocked, and it’s causing backup when it rains. We need to clear it before it becomes a bigger problem.” That frames this as a shared infrastructure issue rather than a personal attack on his lifestyle. And importantly, do not debate the value of his items. Once you start discussing whether the 1997 refrigerator “may come in useful,” you have already lost the conversation. Focus only on the impact. If he refuses to cooperate and the drainage issue continues, you may eventually need to involve the relevant authorities or community services, not out of spite, but because drainage problems affect more than one property. You are not asking him to become a minimalist. You are asking him not to block the island’s water flow with the ghost of abandoned appliances. That is a reasonable request.—Queenie
