THERE ARE currently over €3 billion’s worth of private and public developments that are either underway, have just been approved or are in the process of being approved, Interior Minister Neoclis Sylikiotis said yesterday.
Describing Cyprus as “an endless worksite”, Sylikiotis said this figure concerned this year and 2012 alone – “with all the benefits this would have in reducing unemployment figures”.
In a joint press briefing with Finance Minister Kikis Kazamias, the minister of interior said over €180 million was paid out a year as part of the government’s housing policy. Furthermore, the island’s new waste management system is under construction, with the total cost amounting to over €450 million – two thirds of which will be co-funded by the EU.
Other works that are either in the pipeline or nearing completion include golf courses in Kouklia, Asomatos, Alektora, Tersephanou, Ayia Napa, Ayios Amvrosios and Tsada.
There are also new hotels in Prodromos and Vavla, as well as the Ayia Napa tourist village. “These developments contribute to enriching our tourism and reinforcing its competitiveness,” said Sylikiotis.
Wind parks in Ayia Anna, Pyrga, Kouklia and Tersephanou, as well as solar parks in Monagri, Doro/Limnati and Prastio Avdemou are also on the way; as are photovoltaic parks in all districts.
And then there is the sports centre in Pera Chorio Nisou, ice skating rink in Mesogi and a water park in Yeroskipou.
“I think it is blatantly obvious that with the successful licensing of developments in the private sector and implementation of works in the public sector, we are actively promoting the policy for cooperation between the private and public sectors, with the sole aim of boosting our economy at these critical times,” said Sylikiotis.
Furthermore, he added, “The cooperation between public and private sectors contributes to the creation of new and qualitative job positions, reinforcing the Labour Ministry’s efforts to alleviate the growing problem of unemployment”.
Kazamias pointed out that 2012’s budget would be “possibly the tightest we have had in decades”. He added that it was a fact that there were reduced provisions in next year’s budget for developments. “But we are aiming at a higher implementation rate of around 90 per cent (so far this year under 45 per cent of the 2011 budget’s developments have been implemented), so as to balance it out,” Kazamias explained.
