Safety before prettiness, say Paphos fishermen

FISHERMEN in Paphos yesterday gathered at the coastal town’s harbour to protest work being done near the castle, at a time when the protective wall at the harbour remained damaged.

The fisherman blocked the entrance to the harbour from 6am and prevented workers from completing a new floor outside the castle for the opera festival early in September.

The fishermen’s association expressed their outrage at the neglect of harbour safety and stressed that security for fishermen must come first.

The disgruntled fishermen claim the Municipality should first have seen to the safety of the harbour rather tan fix the area’s appearance.

President of the association Costas Leonides said that if the authorities did not see to the re-building of the protective wall at the harbour soon, then they would take active measures.

Fishermen say the wall is half in ruins and is dangerous.

“We will demonstrate here at the harbour until we are heard by the authorities. When we saw the work going on to retile the area we were infuriated and decided to gather here in protest,” said Leonides.

“The first priority should be the safety of the area, not making it look pretty,” added Leonides.
Responding to the fishermen, President of the Board of Directors of the Ports Authority Chrisis Prenzas said that the matter was being discussed by the authorities and that plans were being drawn up for the construction of the protective wall in order to improve safety.

“We will study the fishermen’s demands and do all we can to meet their requests,” said Prenzas.
He stressed however that the floor of the square around the harbour had to be completed and that the fishermen should not stand in the way.

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