Teachers’ strike called off
THE SECONDARY School Teachers’ Union (OELMEK) called off strike action, after a joint meeting with the Education and Finance Ministers yesterday.
OELMEK delivered an ultimatum to the Education Ministry last Thursday, warning that if the Ministry did not act to solve the problems in secondary schools, industrial action would follow. OELMEK President Soteris Charalambous warned that union members would abstain from correcting and supervising university entrance exams if the Ministry ignored their demands. Members were also to picket outside a meeting of European Education Ministers, scheduled for June 27. The union’s demands, detailed last week, include the finalisation of a teaching assessment scheme, the timely staffing of schools and the immediate submission of transfer rules for teachers.
Speaking after the meeting, Education Minister Pefkios Georgiades said the outcome of the joint meeting was “positive.”
Finance Minister Marcos Kyprianou added the meeting had produced “smoke without fire.”
Taxi driver murdered
POLICE were yesterday investigating the murder of a 63-year-old taxi driver who was found dead in a construction site in Marathounda in the Paphos district.
Michalis Zaharia had been reported missing by his son on Wednesday afternoon.
Police believe the motive behind the crime was robbery as the victim used to carry a lot of cash on him.
His new Mercedes was found abandoned and slightly dented on Ypsilantis Street in Paphos.
He was found dead by a construction worker in a building site on the old Episkopi to Marathounda road.
State pathologist Sophocles Sophocleous said the man had multiple wounds on his back, which were caused by a sharp object and a stone.
It was reported that Zahariou was called to pick up a customer from Episkopi but never returned.
A post mortem will be carried out today at the Paphos hospital.
Ecstasy arrest
A TURKISH Cypriot man, Ahmed Yilmaz was yesterday remanded for eight days in custody in connection with the alleged possession of around 800 ecstasy pills, police said.
Yilmaz was arrested after a police tip-off at the mixed village of Pyla on Wednesday.
According to a police bulletin, before officers stopped the suspect’s car, he was allegedly seen throwing a bag containing the pills out of his car window.
