CTO warns against websites advertising non-existent holiday villas

2011-06-25

 

THE Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO) warned the public yesterday to beware of websites offering holiday villas on the island that do not actually exist, after a flurry of complaints from people who said they were scammed.

The CTO said it has received a worrying amount of complaints lately from locals and foreigners who claimed they had booked holiday villas and paid the deposit, only to arrive for their break and discover that the villa is non-existent.

When they tried to contact the agent, they realised the website was in fact a scam – the photos of the villa were fake and their money gone.

The sites are all the more alluring with the exceptionally attractive prices they offer.

Our View: Alumni can’t save the English School simply by erasing AKEL’s influence

2011-06-25

SEVERAL hundred former students of The English School gathered at the school’s entrance on Thursday evening to express their concern about its future which they believed was being threatened by relentless political interference. The demonstration was part of a campaign titled ‘Save Our School’ that was recently launched by a group of former students.

Minister allays environment fears over drilling

2011-06-25

CYPRUS IS taking the necessary measures to ensure its foray into natural gas exploration does not impact negatively on the environment, said Commerce Minister Antonis Paschalides yesterday.

“We are one of the few countries to carry out a strategic and environmental study before beginning the exploration for gas,” he said.

“Our agreement with the company is all about the protection of the environment. We’ve set very strict conditions. Measures will be taken to protect the environment,” he added, in reference to the production-sharing contract signed with Noble Energy.

The Houston-based company has a concession to explore for hydrocarbons in an offshore field in its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) south-east of Cyprus, known as Block 12.

Stavrakis insists steps to shore up economy sufficient

2011-06-25

 

THE debate over government plans to raise some €270 million in two years continued yesterday, with the finance minister rejecting opposition criticism that the measures were not enough to shore up the economy.

To raise the cash, the government wants public sector workers to contribute €70 million and plans to impose a €1,000 levy on all companies operating in Cyprus.

Public service unions appear to agree with the government proposal that provides for contributions from all government workers according to their salary.

Those with gross salaries of around €1,500 will not have to contribute.

Organisations representing big businesses also seem to agree to the levy though smaller businesses have voiced disagreement.

Contract signed for seventh wind farm

2011-06-25

THE CONTRACT for a seventh wind farm, to be constructed in Mari, Larnaca, was signed yesterday at the Commerce Ministry,

Work on the farm is expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2012.

The farm will contain 4 Vensys-v-82 type wind turbines with a capability of 1.5 megawatts each, with overall production expected to reach 11, 293 megawatt-hours per year.

It will be constructed by Ketonis Development Ltd with the cost of the project estimated at €10.1 million.

The contract will be effective for 20 years whereby the wind farm will generate revenue by selling energy to the electricity authority. It will also be financed by the Special Fund for Renewable Energy Sources and Energy Saving.

Shiny new Solomou Square lit by old lights

2011-06-25

 

Those with a discerning eye visiting Nicosia’s renovated Solomou Square bus terminal when it officially opens in October might realise that not everything there is shiny and new: the lights will come from old stock.

Nicosia Municipality will not be able to draw upon its €235,000 budget to supply new lights for the square because of a pending tender appeal which the Tenders Review Authority (TRA) will consider on July 5.

One of the companies placing a tender to supply the square’s lighting appealed in writing against the municipality’s procedure on March 23.

‘I’m not going anywhere,’ says defiant kiosk owner

2011-06-25

VASILIS Piripitsis, the owner of the unlicensed kiosk in Nicosia’s Solomou Square, is still refusing to leave and is continuing to delay the full renovation of the bus terminal there.

Agalma kiosk needs to be demolished as part of the major reconstruction works, but the municipality cannot force the owner to leave because the kiosk lies on government land.

For commuters in the old town and taxpayers alike this may translate into increased costs and continued traffic diversions.

“I’m not going anywhere until there’s a court ruling. I’ve been here for 23 years,” said Piripitsis.

Festival trail ends in Nicosia

2011-06-25

A FUN-FILLED festival to celebrate everything multi-cultural, ranging from food to dancing, will be taking place this Sunday at Phaneromeni square in Nicosia from 6pm to 9pm.

The festival, which is mainly being organised by Intercollege Larnaca and comes under the auspices of the Nicosia Municipality, promises activities for all ages.

“The aim of the festival is to help integration and for everyone to understand each other, by showing each other’s cultures,” said Costas Apostolides, one of the festival organisers.

Food from countries as far apart as China and Mexico, will be on offer throughout the festival, along with Georgian, Pontian and Cypriot dances. There will also be a Cameroonian fashion show and a Brazilian Martial Arts display.

Phinikoudes gets Wi-Fi

2011-06-25

SURFING the internet has been made easier with the installation of Wi-Fi along the Phinikoudes seafront in Larnaca, the first beach area on the island to offer it.

The collaboration, between CyTA and Larnaca Municipality, will start at the marina, running all along the beach front to the medieval castle, including the cafés along the beach front.

According to head of CyTA in Larnaca, Agis Piperides it is free for all Cytanet subscribers who can use the code that they have to access the internet at home on the stretch.

Drugs: ‘targeting the user’s problem’

2011-06-25

LAST YEAR 884 heroine addicts participated in addiction recovery programmes by the Cyprus Anti-Drugs Council (ASK) its president said yesterday during a news conference on occasion of tomorrow’s World Drug Day.

Chrysanthos Georgiou said they were expecting the numbers to rise after legislation was amended to refer addicts to treatment centres instead of sending to them to jail.

The amendment mechanisms “are at the end of a long and painful process” Georgiou said adding they were also examining the legislation on providing clean syringes in order to bring it up to date.

The 2009-12 National Drugs Strategy focused on prevention and raising awareness, Georgiou said.

It mainly focused on prevention and treatment of younger users.

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.