THE CRASH of the stock market, in which thousands lost their life savings or ended up with huge debts that they are still paying off today, ensured that very few people would ever again view the Cyprus Stock Exchange as a trustworthy institution. The CSE authorities may have introduced tighter controls and tougher regulations after the fiasco but, 10 years on, investing in the shares of companies listed on the exchange is still considered risky activity by the majority of people.

WHEN I wrote last week that the real culprit in the Papasavvas tooth implant scandal was President Christofias I never imagined that he would issue confirmation. I did not expect that he would reach the point of endorsing and applauding the unacceptable behaviour of the deputy Attorney-general.

His statement about the issue was a case of involuntary self-flagellation. In reality it was an admission of guilt, a self-condemnation, even if the president was incapable of realising the implications of his words. This was yet another political act which betrayed the president’s disdain for ethically correct political behaviour.

THOSE who are old enough will remember the classic BBC TV sketch from the mid-1960s about class entitled, ‘I know my place’, starring the Two Ronnies and John Cleese. This involved 6ft 5inch Cleese standing next to 5ft 8inch Ronnie Barker, who in turn stood next to 5ft 1inch Ronnie Corbett, and, using each man’s height, illustrated their relative standing in British society.

Does the Athens-Nicosia-Tel Aviv triangle exist? The question arises because of the deterioration in relations between Turkey and Israel and the push given by Israel to strengthen its relations with Greece and Cyprus, as witnessed by the recent visits of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Athens in August and his Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman to Nicosia in September.

“TWO world wars and one world cup – England, England, two world wars and one world cup, England all the way.”

“Right son, we‘re gonna blow them away!”

Great advert during the soccer world championship in South Africa for a mobile phone company here in Cyprus. I loved it.

For all those who didn’t have the pleasure to see it, just a short description: an English father and his son are on their way to a football match against Germany. They are showing their British pride with the usual white and red colour in their faces, singing the old anti-German song: “Two world wars and one world cup …..