Ministry almost ready, but where’s the furniture?

AFTER over 20 years in the offing, construction of the grandiose new Finance Ministry in Nicosia will be completed early next month. But no one will move in until at least the end of the year because someone has forgotten to order furniture and other equipment for the £16 million building.

According to Politis, the decision to build the new finance ministry building was first taken during Archbishop Makarios’ presidency in the ’70s.

Plans were prepared and after many changes, work eventually began around three years ago.

The £16 million building is now close to completion, but there is no furniture or equipment to put in it.

Finance Minister Takis Klerides is aware of the problem but said his ministry had no responsibility since tenders had not yet been awarded.

It had initially been decided that the public works department would be making the furniture, though that was later changed and tenders were invited.

It now remains for the tenders to be awarded and for the equipment to be made and installed.

A government official said these procedures should have been carried out two years ago, stressing that it would be counter-productive for a £16 million building to remain unused for such a long time.

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