SMN News has been reliably informed that SZV was negotiating with Orista NV to purchase the building they own in Cay Hill. However, during the negotiations SZV requested Independent Consulting Engineers (ICE) to conduct an independent study on the safety of the building. All of which Samir Andrawos agreed to since he was sure his building was safe and secure.
The source said there were persistent rumors that indicated the building was not safe, claiming its structure was not strong enough to withstand hurricanes, earthquakes and that it was built on a spring (well).
According to the study conducted by ICE which was also approved by PREAM consulting, the building cannot withstand earthquakes and such is necessary since St. Maarten is on the earthquake belt. The report also shows that the building can withstand hurricanes and it is built close to a well but this does not hinder the structure. ICE indicated in its report that the structure can be modified to withstand earthquakes but that would cost an additional one and half million dollars. The source said SZV and Orista NV (Samir Andrawos) had almost completed their negotiations but when SZV received the report they dispatched a letter to Orista NV informing them of the findings of the study. SZV it is understood made clear that they were still interested in purchasing the building but the cost to re-enforce the building has to be deducted.
The source said Andrwos immediately hired the services of the law firm VanEps Kunneman VanDoorne who wrote SZV informing them that their client Samir Andrawos was no longer interested in selling his building to SZV but they were bound by the rental contracts that the former SZV had with Orista NV prior to the negotiations.
It should be noted that SZV was renting a part of the building prior to October 2010 but when St. Maarten became a country and they were installing their own Social Security services they needed to find a larger building that would accommodate the entire personnel of SZV. SMN News learnt that when SZV's legal and financial team checked the rental contract and the space they were renting from Orista NV they quickly realized that it was not feasible for them to continue renting office space for SZV and it would be better if SZV made a onetime investment and purchased a building. This information it is further understood was communicated to Orista NV and they responded by saying they were interested in selling the Cay Hill structure and as such negotiations begun. The source said that the lawyers representing Orista NV even threatened to take SZV to court if they did not honor the rental contract, to which SZV lawyers responded by saying that they were prepared to defend themselves in the court of law should any case be filed against SZV and the government of St. Maarten.
SMN News also learnt that UTS was also interested in purchasing the same building but it is not clear if Orista NV is now negotiating with UTS.