The good people of St. Maarten/Martin know what adversity feels like. Shoveling sand and wind-thrashed debris out of every crevice of a storm-battered island can’t be left to one person alone. Nor can a government in shock produce enough resources to adequately or efficiently address every aspect of the recovery—even if that’s its job. The case is even more complex on the island, which has dual governments—Dutch and French. Both have to cooperate to make real progress.

But how do the two sides learn to work together after Hurricane Irma punched them both in the gut? Significant challenges in each territory have delayed their recovery, leaving citizens wondering how to move forward. The guests on our panel at the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort realize that from the debris needs to rise a sense of collaboration, and a willingness to do anything that needs doing with whatever’s on hand, regardless of government (or anyone else's) involvement.

They want their island to be known as a place where an entrepreneurial approach and an all-hands-on-deck attitude lean into innovation, and where they can work together more closely to move mountains. And, yeah, to do that they’re aware they have to roll up their sleeves and start digging.