By Martin Hellicar
THE GOVERNMENT did a U-turn on the Akamas yesterday, saying it had decided there was, after all, no reason to protect parts of the peninsula as “white”, or no-development, zones.
Earlier this month, Agriculture Minister Costas Themistocleous told the House environment committee that the Asprokremnos, Ayios Georgios Peyias and Neo Chorio areas (currently zoned for tourism development) would be declared white zones. The aim, the minister explained, would be to block development to allow a relevant ministerial committee time to arrive at a final decision on the future of the pristine area, earmarked for National Park status.
“In the end it was judged that there was no need to implement this measure as it was agreed to fast-track procedure to deal with the issue by the Spring of 2000,” Themistocleous said after a meeting of the ministerial committee yesterday.
The government declared its intention to make the Akamas a National Park a decade ago, but has been dragging its feet ever since, wary of local villagers’ strong opposition to conservation plans.
Themistocleous said the agreed procedure for “fast-tracking” the decision- making process would involve yet another round of negotiations with Akamas area residents — with the aim of finding a National Park formula to satisfy them.
The minister said talks with villagers would last five or six months. A final proposal would then be submitted to the cabinet for approval, by the Spring of 2000, he said.
He defended the length of time the government was taking over deciding about the Akamas: “The delay observed is due to the complexity of the issue and the need to secure the consent of local communities.”
The government has said the park management plan will be based on a World Bank study which proposes development be restricted to within existing village boundaries, with the rest of the peninsula protected as a wilderness area.
Greens, who support the World Bank plan, fear that the government’s reluctance to act to protect the Akamas will allow further tourism developments in the area — creating a de factosituation. Local residents favour tourism development.
The family firm of former Foreign Minister Alecos Michaelides has already built a massive hotel complex on the Asprokremnos coast, West of Latchi, after securing planning relaxations from the cabinet. Planning permission has recently been granted for a second 5-star hotel on the same stretch of coast.
