A MEETING between the Medical Association of Cyprus, the Governing Council of the Pancyprian Psychiatrist’s Company and senior officials of the Defence Ministry took place yesterday, on the growing phenomenon of army evasion.
It was estimated at the meeting that one in five conscripts manage to avoid service.
Head of the Psychiatrist Company Dr Neophytos Papaneophytou had been arguing for some time that the National Guard was in desperate need of reform, both within its structure, behavioural attitudes and conduct of psychiatric assessment it undertakes in evaluating the psychological status of discontent conscripts.
Vice President of the Medical Association Dr Marios Phillipou told the Cyprus Mail that yesterday’s meeting had focused on the measures that could be taken to provide more comprehensive analyses of conscripts psychological health, however he stressed that the Medical Association remained adamant in its position that “the certificates currently being issued by psychiatrists are valid and to be respected”.
Permanent Secretary of the Defence Ministry Petros Kareklas said that the talks had been constructive and that the dialogue between the two authorities would continue until solutions were found. “We are all worried about this phenomenon (of army evasion) and are looking for answers,” he said.
Asked over the need to alter the way in which the National Guard is managed on the inside, from the behaviour of superiors to the provision of additional facilities, training and educational options, Kareklas was diplomatic, saying: “We are trying to do everything in our power to improve things but people need to understand that this is not simply a problem of the National Guard but of society in general.” Elaborating, Kareklas provided the example of the lack of fitness caused by misgivings in the physical education programmes at school. He explained how many conscripts entering the army had become too accustomed to a sedentary lifestyle that “renders them unable to partake or handle the physical demands involved in training.”
Kareklas said that during the meeting, the idea of vastly enhancing the existing methods of assessment were discussed, as well as the need for the army to enforce stricter regulations governing officers’ and superiors’ approach to conscripts. Setting up programmes and facilities that could stop the feelings of boredom and futility that provoke eruptions of psychological turmoil and disillusionment among conscripts is an idea that has been talked about by the island’s leading psychiatrists and military officials before. However has not featured highly in on the Defence Ministry’s agenda in the past.
According to Kareklas, discussions between the various relevant authorities will resume after the summer recess in September, with the aim of introducing any resultant conclusions by the end of the year.
