In love with Cyprus

2009-12-09

After a recent trip to the UK, which I thoroughly enjoyed, I realised how much I love living in Cyprus.

Although staying in London, I was struck by the polite and helpful shop staff, the wide choice of goods available, the reasonable prices-and stable ones -no three tier system here-one for the Cypriots, one for the locals and one for the tourists; the friendly attitude of passers by and the general lack of random rubbish dumps, I found myself yearning for home. I spent time growing up between both countries and have always felt torn between the two.

I realised on this trip how much Cyprus means to me, and in particular my hometown of Paphos.

Brave APOEL’s Europa dream is finally over

2009-12-09

Late drama sees Cypriots snatch draw, but it’s not enough to pip Atletico

CYPRUS champions APOEL last night came within one goal of qaulifying for the Europa League last 32 after a hugely impressive 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge against English giants Chelsea.

As it is, the Nicosia side finished level on points with Atletico Madrid in Group D, but the Spaniards squeezed through in third place thanks to the away goal they scored in Nicosia earlier in the group. The Spaniards went down 3-0 at home to Porto yesterday.

Chelsea finished the Champions League group stage unbeaten but their defensive shortcomings are under the spotlight again after they allowed minnows APOEL to snatch a last-gasp draw at Stamford Bridge.

Our View: Wishful thinking will get tourism industry nowhere

2009-12-09

 

THE WISHFUL thinking that plagues political debate appears to have filtered through to the tourism sector. The big ideas and ambitious plans proposed yesterday by the chairman of the Hotel Managers’ Association were straight out of the wishful thinking manual. Not only did these ideas, divulged during the AGM of the Association, ignore the economic reality but they were based on the assumption that the mistakes of decades could be put right overnight.

Beware: the taxman cometh

2009-12-09

THE CABINET has approved a series of 22 measures proposed by the Finance Ministry designed to combat the long-standing problem of tax evasion, government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou announced yesterday.

The detailed measures together represent a significant tightening-up of existing procedures. Apart from aiming to put an end to the outmoded banking secrecy laws governing permanent residents, they also put new weapons in the hands of the Inland Revenue Department (IRD).

For example, any withdrawals or loans drawn from companies by directors and their family members will henceforth be treated as dividends for tax purposes. Where a company fails to pay taxes due, those directors genuinely and objectively responsible will be personally liable.

Konnos Beach ruined by floods

2009-12-09

KONNOS BEACH, one of the island’s best beaches and a particular favourite of Nicosia residents, has been very badly damaged by floods resulting from Saturday’s torrential rain and hailstorms, which also caused heavy damage to the nearby Konnos Bay Hotel.

The main part of the beach, tucked into a secluded bay midway along the coast road between Ayia Napa and Protaras, has been stripped of its golden sand by floodwater, which left rocks and mud in its place.

Although yesterday’s scene presented a sad picture to fans of Konnos Bay and neighbouring Cape Greco, Paralimni Municipality’s Beach Inspector Yiorgos Economou said that “everything will be done to ensure that visitors will be able to enjoy the beach next year.”

Elders hopeful of a quick solution but Greek Cypriot side says ‘no agreement just for the sake of it’

2009-12-09

THE ELDERS – Desmond Tutu, Jimmy Carter and Lakhdar Brahimi – yesterday expressed the conviction that there would be a solution to the Cyprus problem, and said they hoped it would be soon.

In statements after being received by Cyprus President Demetris Christofias, Tutu said the possibilities for a settlement in Cyprus were great and that the two leaders had to be commended for their keenness and dedication in seeking a solution.

“We have been very, very interested in the situation here. As you know this is our third meeting and we come basically to give encouragement to people who are doing what we think is a good work.

‘It’s not about selling beds’

2009-12-09

THE PANCYPRIAN Association of Hotel Managers (PASYDIXE) yesterday proposed a plan to revive Cyprus’ ailing tourist industry, which will focus on what they called ‘emergency modernisation’.

Speaking at the organisation’s AGM yesterday, PASIDYXE Chairman Polis Kattis announced the new strategy to assembled hotel managers, to put the Cypriot tourist industry ahead of its regional rivals.

“The primacy of Cyprus over its competitors, such as Egypt and Turkey, is the ultimate goal” he said yesterday.

Number of over 65s to treble by 2045

2009-12-09

THE NUMBER of over 65s in Cyprus is set to treble in the next 35 years and there will be more elderly people on the island than children under 15, research released yesterday showed.

The Muhanna Foundation, an actuarial education and research organisation, revealed that between now and 2045 the number of 65 year olds will treble, and that octogenarians will be the fastest growing age group.

George Psaras, Managing Actuary at Muhanna, said: “Population ageing constitutes a positive development, since we live longer. However, challenges are created. The labour force is decreasing and ageing, creating the imperative need for policies of employment that would promote its efficient use and the training of the workforce.”

Teachers wrestle with smoking ban

2009-12-09

 

TEACHERS union OELMEK have taken an executive decision to prohibit smoking indoors at schools when the smoking ban comes into effect on January 1 but smoking outside buildings or school grounds has also become an issue due to the bad example it might set for children.

“We have a central decision from the executive council that we want schools to be free of smoke.” said Eleni Semelidou, the President of OELMEK, the secondary teachers’ union.  However, the matter is far from settled as a formal question has been presented to the union from a group of teachers who smoke asking for a solution to the problem.

Expert plays Helios warning sound to court

2009-12-09

THE NICOSIA criminal court yesterday heard the warning sounds emitted in the cockpit of a Boeing 737 as part of the ongoing trial of the August 2005 Helios airline crash that killed all 121 on board.

Greek avionics expert Theofanis Karathanasis played various warning sounds like the intermittent warning horn activated in two different situations: on the ground it indicates that something is wrong with the aircraft’s pre-takeoff configuration, while in the air it means a loss of cabin pressure, which can cause pilots to lose consciousness if they do not put on oxygen masks immediately.

He also played a clacker sound, emitted when the aircraft goes over the speed limit and the wailer horn – the autopilot disengage warning system.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.