Many people who left the Caribbean in the 60s and 70s are now returning to live out their golden years. Some have managed to keep a house on the islands while they were earning a decent living abroad. Others are going home to almost nothing because they did not plan to return. Still others find themselves in a dilemma. Some of these folks have inherited a house on land in areas that didn’t hold their value.
Most times, after the original owners moved away, they left someone to look after the house. Enjoying free rent and the occasional perk from North America, Europe, Asia, and so on, these caretakers behaved as though they were on a caribbean vacation. They allowed the house to come in disrepair, or overrun by people who do not understand the value of other people’s goods.
Other emigrants face the dilemma of having one or more siblings wanting to sell the property but this does not sit well with their other siblings who want to keep the house “in we family.” Also, some like having a place to stay when they visit rather than staying at an expensive hotel.
For many of those who moved away more than 30-40 years ago, deciding to move back home or disposing of property is easy. However, some are struggling with the nostalgia of keeping the family house in their name. Then again, some of the diehard islanders face insurmontable repair bills.
