Our view: High education budget cannot mask poor quality

2010-10-24

OPENING a school in the Larnaca district on Tuesday, President Christofias boastfully told his audience the following: “It is no coincidence that today Cyprus spends the most money in the whole EU, as a percentage of GDP, on education.” This is a fact, but it does not say anything about the quality of our expensive education system.

The question any concerned citizen should ask is whether we are getting good value for the money we are spending. The president was being either naďve or disingenuous in suggesting that spending a lot of money on education was a good thing in itself. Then again, all our politicians take this simplistic approach when advertising the supposed achievements of a government.

Is it time to despair?

2010-10-24

SINCE returning here after an absence of three months, I was struck by how little the local news scene seems to have changed in my absence. Cyprus remained a safe and prosperous place where one could spend long days in the sun, admire the magnificent ancient sites and walk in the pleasant cool of the Troodos mountains.

Christofias plays down meeting dispute

2010-10-24

PRESIDENT DEMETRIS Christofias came out on the defensive yesterday, insisting he was not a “masochist” after reports that he had rejected a tripartite meeting with the UN Secretary-General and Turkish Cypriot leader.

Speaking on the sidelines of a charity event at the Presidential Palace, Christofias said he already informed UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Friday through Cyprus’ permanent representative at the UN that he was available for a meeting between November 15 and 17.

Senior warden remanded in prison scandal

2010-10-24

THE CRISIS at the Nicosia Central Prison deepened yesterday as the security inspector of the prison was arrested and then remanded in custody in connection with the recent find of contraband in a staff locker.

The inspector is the third senior warden to be remanded by the courts after a sergeant and a corporal were also arrested and remanded for six days on Friday.

In the staff locker along with the 11 mobile phones, chargers and batteries, a screwdriver with nine adaptable tips, pliers and various other tools were also found.

The police say that they are still searching for 160 other mobile phones that have been allegedly sold to convicts by prison guards.

New deal on football TV viewing rights

2010-10-24

 

CYTA AND PRIMETEL have agreed in principal to share their exclusive television rights to Cypriot first division football games. The deal is poised to be sealed next week after a few minor technical details have been solved.

Under the agreement PrimeTel will allow CyTA to broadcast the home games of Apollon Limassol, AEP and APOP Kinyras at no extra cost. While on their side CyTA will allow PrimeTel to broadcast the home games of ENP, AEK Larnaca and Doxa Katokopia.

The announcement comes after PrimeTel and LTV had announced last week the termination of their long standing relationship in over a dispute over viewing rights.

Oxana death probe in final stages

2010-10-24

 

THE INDEPENDENT committee set up to re-investigate the causes of death of 20-year-old Russian dancer Oxana Rantseva in 2001 is in the final stages of completing its mission, pending a visit to Russia.

One of the three criminal investigators appointed to re-examine Rantseva’s death, Evagoras Anastasiou, said that the team was awaiting a positive response from the Russian authorities before travelling to Moscow to take three statements.

The team consists of Anastasiou, a lawyer and member of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) and another lawyer, Andreas Papacharalambous, while third member, the former head of the PCA Yiannakis Agapiou, died last July.

Growing obesity of ‘great concern’

2010-10-24

OBESITY IS recognised worldwide as one of the most dangerous and serious diseases of the 21st century with 27.8 per cent of adult Cypriots diagnosed obese, the Cyprus Association of Dieticians and Nutritionists said yesterday.

In a press release to mark World Day against Obesity today, the association noted that obesity has taken on epidemic proportions with one in two Europeans registered as overweight and almost one in three considered obese. The disease represents one of the major risk factors for chronic and metabolic diseases.

Older visitors to boost Paphos tourism

2010-10-24

PAPHOS is attracting the interest of thousands of European visitors to Cyprus aged 55 years and over, who are taking part in a specialised new holiday programme for EU residents.

The venture, which started on commenced on October 15 and will continue until the end of April 2011, is in co-operation with Kavaliero Viajes, a Greek tour operator.

Company spokesman Nicos Kavalieros said that it’s estimated that during the winter period, Cyprus will have more than 50,000 tourists from 10 different EU counties and at least 70 per cent of them will stay in Paphos.

To kick off the scheme, 600 European visitors arrived in Paphos last week after taking up on the special package holiday offers.

French UN sailor dies

2010-10-24

A 26-YEAR-OLD French United Nations sailor was found dead yesterday on the grounds of a seafront hotel in Limassol

The sailor was part of a peacekeeping force that was touring the Mediterranean and had arrived in Cyprus on Friday. The 26-year-old and three other sailors were given 24 hour leave upon arrival and were staying at the hotel.

The soldier’s room was on the third floor and on the balcony police found empty bottles of alcoholic beverages. Police believe that the sailor may have been drunk and fell after losing his balance. After conducting an autopsy coroner Eleni Antoniou ruled out foul play.

Lidl announce store locations

2010-10-24

GERMAN discount supermarket chain Lidl has officially announced the location of their seven new stores.

They will be located in Pallouriotissa and Lakatamia in the Nicosia district, Larnaca, Aradippou, Kokkinotrimithia, Limassol and Paralimni.

In an announcement yesterday Lidl spokeswoman Vasiliki Adamidou said: “our goal is to eventually fully cover the geographical area of Cyprus in order to be able to serve even more residents.”

Opening ceremonies will be held simultaneously across the seven stores on Thursday November 4.

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.