CABINET has adopted December 4 each year as Public Consultation Day, following a proposal by the commissioner for volunteerism and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to engage civil society in policy drafting.
The office of the commissioner will act as a coordinator between civil society – organised groups and independent members of the public – and governmental services and ministries.
On the agenda for Wednesday, the first year of Public Consultation Day events, are meetings with various ministries while President Nicos Anastasiades will be hosting at the palace NGOs, the church and volunteer groups to discuss how volunteerism can be supported and modernised.
Discussions with the relevant ministries and bodies will include be road safety, the ports’ industry, implementing environmental laws, participation of women in politics and the public sphere, Cyprus’ energy prospects, and education. The working language will be Greek and discussions will be open to the public who are asked to call ahead to the organising ministries to express an interest in attending to facilitate organising the events. Volunteerism commissioner, Yiannis Yiannaki, will collect the minutes with a view to making them available to the public, the press and information office has told the Cyprus Mail.
List of meetings.
Please contact the relevant public authority for further details.
December 3:
Justice ministry meeting at 3pm on the participation of women in politics and the public sphere. Education ministry meeting at 9m on the education ministry’s budget and its educational goals.
December 4:
President Nicos Anastasiades will be hosting stakeholders at the Presidential Palace to discuss volunteerism between 6.30pm and 8pm. The communication ministry will be discussing road safety at 10am. The ports authority will be discussing the sector at 12.30pm. The foreign ministry will be discussing energy prospects and collaboration prospects with Cyprus’ neighbouring countries at 9.30am. The health ministry will be discussing post-mortem organ donation at 1pm. The commerce ministry will be discussing alternative dispute resolution methods for consumers at 10.30am.
The labour ministry will be hosting a discussion on volunteerism at 9am. The Cyprus Youth Board will be discussing how to better respond to youth needs at 4pm. The Cyprus Sports Organisation will be discussing volunteerism at 5pm.
December 5:
The defence ministry will be discussing illegal drugs and addictive substances with National Guard recruits and their parents at 1.30pm
December 9:
The agriculture ministry will be discussing environmental legislation in Cyprus at 9am.
