Sir,

As a consultant for the travel industry in the UK, and as a Cypriot, I was very interested to read the problems Cyprus tourism is encountering with the reduction in traditional holidaymakers to Cyprus.

Parties band together and accuse US of hypocrisy

IN A RARE show of consensus both opposition DISY and coalition partner AKEL yesterday agreed the US should look at itself before casting aspersions on other countries when it comes to the so-called war on terror.

May 1 celebrations in Eleftheria Square

TRADE union PEO yesterday identified breaches of collective agreement and violations of workers’ rights as their top grievances, warning the organisation would “react like an avalanche” if they were not dealt with.

The statement was made by PEO general secretary Pambis Kyritsis during Tuesday’s May Day celebrations in Nicosia.

PUBLIC SERVANTS’ union PASYDY president Glafcos Hadjipetrou yesterday hit back at EDEK deputy Marinos Sizopoulos’ comments over the public service’s low productivity levels compared to the rest of the EU.

On Monday Sizopoulos revealed the findings of a recent study that found public servants to be over-paid and underproductive.

DISY vice president Lefteris Christoforou yesterday rejected Demetris Christofias’ projection of himself as the sole pursuer of workers’ rights, saying the government’s pre-election pledges were vastly misleading, considering most of their promises to workers remained unrealised for the past four and a half years.

THERE was drama at the Paphos Criminal Court after a Chinese man, standing accused of double murder, head-butted the wooden dock he was standing in.

Chen Jian, 26, is facing two charges of premeditated murder against 38-year-old Demetris Chrysanthou Trakkos and the victim’s 23-year-old girlfriend, Slovakian national Monica Piczekova.

THE ISLAND’S three major banks have significantly enhanced their profitability and asset quality in 2006, although challenges remain in sustaining their improvement. In a special report issued yesterday, Fitch Ratings said the banks – Marfin Popular Bank, Bank of Cyprus Public Company Ltd and Hellenic Bank Ltd – needed to stay focussed on the challenges.

A VIETNAMESE man was yesterday sentenced to nine years’ jail for masterminding the armed robbery of a mini-market in the Strovolos area of Nicosia.

Le Xuan Xieu, 23, yesterday listened without emotion as Nicosia Judge Yiasemis Yiasemi imposed a sentence of nine years on him.

Parties tell Perdikis to substantiate corruption claims

GREEN party MP George Perdikis has been asked to provide concrete evidence in light of his outspoken remarks on nepotism among ministers in the government.