I fear the worse for my beloved country

Sir,

It is with a great feeling of shame that I read the ‘Letters to the Editor’ in your newspaper. I am a Greek Cypriot living in Ontario, Canada. I have lived here almost all my life, except for a five-year period when I lived and worked in Limassol (1993-1998). There were things I found disturbing even then, but now having lived in Canada as an adult raising two children, I am even more disturbed by the tone of the letters people are writing to your paper.

My husband and I have been seriously considering coming back to Cyprus, so I have been madly researching, reading, trying to figure out if we should make the move. I must say that if I go by what people are saying in their letters alone, I cannot fathom bringing my two children to Cyprus. I’m so ashamed that my people, my fellow Greek Cypriots have let things get so bad: policing the island, respecting our tourists, care for the environment, care for animals, safety on the roads, following the law, basic quality of life, all of these things seem to be deteriorating at maximum speed with nothing being done to slow them down. I cannot bear to read some of the things people say because in my heart of hearts, I know that they have truth.

The things that bothered me in Cyprus years ago have only gotten worse.
How can I even consider leaving a country of such quality as Canada? My husband dreams of the warm weather and the ocean, but there is so much more to consider as we play with the puppet strings of our children’s lives. I wish more than anything that there was a simple solution, a gathering of minds and spirit on the island that would stop the destruction of something so beautiful. I fear for the worse for my beloved country, and I feel such a sense of shame. I am sorry that I cannot offer any solutions, only questions.
Anna Ioannou, Ontario, Canada