Tales from the Coffeeshop: Barbers take over economics

2010-07-11

WHAT A triumphant week for the island’s, small neo-liberal camp which won its first major battle in the class war declared by the reactionary communist forces running the country. This was a morale-boosting victory for which we are indebted to General Averof and Generalissimo Junior who obliterated the government’s weak defences both inside and outside the legislature.

It was high time the arrogant dictatorship of the privileged proletariat, imposed by comrade president Tof, was given a lesson in neo-liberal economics, because whenever he and his sidekicks sit the economy exam they get zero. Nobody would care under normal circumstances, but the comrade and the clueless, self-interested union bosses who tell him what to do are pushing the economy deeper into recession.

What happened to Cyprus’ great white hope?

2010-07-11

SO HERE we are. It’s mid-2010 and the two leaders have just agreed to meet five more times during the sweltering summer months of July and August. Perhaps the UN is planning to sweat a solution out of them.

In four months time, UN Special Adviser Alexander Downer will ghost write a progress report for the UN Secretary-General to submit to the Security Council. This is really seen as Downer’s ‘get out’ clause. The Australian diplomat/entrepreneur will wash his hands of the Cyprus problem this November either by calling for the UN Good Offices to withdraw or by citing enough progress to warrant a rapid conclusion to the talks, meaning agreed solution and referenda.

‘Government lacks vision’

2010-07-11

OPPOSITION DISY chef Nicos Anastassiades yesterday accused the government of lacking vision and strategy that resulted in political, social and economic dead ends.

“Day by day the ‘fair society’ government is turning into the government of unemployment and social despair,” Anastassiades said during a speech at his party’s conference in Nicosia. “This is where we were led by dogmatism and obsessions.”

Regarding the government’s tax package that was rejected by majority vote – including coalition partners DIKO – in parliament, Anastassiades said the government had led itself to isolation and were even ignored by those who cooperated with them.

The proposed hikes in corporate tax and immovable property tax were rejected on Thursday during a fiery debate.

Trade deficit increased in January-April 2010

2010-07-11

CYPRUS’ trade deficit recorded an increase in the period January to April 2010, according to the figures published by the Statistical Service of Cyprus.

The figures show that total imports from third countries and EU member states in January to April 2010 amounted to €2,025.3m, compared to €1,836.6m in January to April 2009.

Total exports over the same period were €344.6m compared to €310.5m in January to April 2009.

The trade deficit was €1,680.7m in January to April 2010 compared to €1,526.1m in the corresponding period of 2009.

For the month of April, total imports were valued at €516.9m, with total exports amounting to €80.2m.

?xports of domestically produced goods reached €42.7m while exports of foreign goods were €37.5m.

JLo debate rages in cyberspace

2010-07-11

 

JENNIFER Lopez’ gig in Kyrenia may have been cancelled, but the debate is raging on in cyberspace, with thousands of followers logging on to express their views – and insult each other – on social networking sites.

Over 20,000 people have declared they “like” the facebook page ‘Stop Jennifer Lopez performing in occupied Cyprus’, which is thought to be one of the main influences on the star’s decision to cancel her performance.

Police looking for seven men

2010-07-11

LARNACA police were yesterday seeking a British national and six other men, thought to be Arabian, allegedly implicated in a case of assault, theft and knife possession.

Police said they had an arrest warrant for Thomas Martin Davies, 53, and six other men who allegedly assaulted three Romanian men in Larnaca on Friday afternoon and stole their cash and car.

The three Romanians told police that on Friday they had arranged a meeting with Davies to talk about employing one of them, a 35-year-old, who had worked for the Briton in the past.

But instead, the other six suspects showed up at the rendezvous, demanding €6,000 they claimed the 35-year-old owed Davies.

Deputies propose relaxation to smoking ban

2010-07-11

A CROSS-PARTY group of deputies is pushing for more liberal smoking laws to be passed when Parliament reconvenes after the summer holidays.

Under the amended bill, smokers would be able to smoke indoors again in specially designated areas.

The current bill forbidding smoking in public and recreational indoor areas has been in effect since January 1, and has been met by ongoing enforcement problems and strong opposition from bar, café owners and smokers, which constitute about a third of the population.

Minister pledges to reduce army term

2010-07-11

MILITARY service will be reduced before the end of the current administration, Defence Minister Costas Papacostas said yesterday.

Before his election, President Demetris Christofias had promised a reduction of military service to 19 months but that has not materialised yet with officials saying such a move would hurt the operational capabilities of the National Guard.

Military service has so far been reduced to 24 months from the previous 26.

Papacostas said yesterday the government has not shelved the issue.

“We have not put the reduction of military service in the drawers,” the minister said. “We have not locked service reduction away.”

Brave new world for the elderly

2010-07-11

CYPRUS produces more smooth-talking lawyers and politicians per head of the population than any of its EU partners.

Occupied and exploited for millennia, perhaps we adopted artifice as a means to survive; seemingly hospitable, smiling and submissive we welcome anyone to our shores. Wine and dine them and then rob them.

Yet why permit several bad apples to give an entire orchard a bad name? At least our government doesn’t forcibly extort money from citizens like most of our EU partners do with their crippling tax regimes. Ours prefers to nibble at the corners of your wealth not tax it at source, and that’s why expats come, stay and enjoy our wonderful climate, scenery, exceptionally low crime rate and delicious fodder.

A fairer society Mr Christofias? Let me show you how

2010-07-11

THE INTERNTIONAL Monetary Fund (IMF), as expected, has established that the public sector wage-bill is the “cause of the problem of the deficit” in public finances. It also pointed out that the only way to decrease the deficit was to reduce the huge cost of the state pay-roll.

The IMF, it is worth noting, also identified the very serious weakness of the pension system, stressing that a “long-term solution dictates a better balance between pension payments and contributions.” Its officials also entered the debate on corporate tax, expressing reservations about government plans to increase it from 10 to 11 per cent.

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.