Hidden Costs of Unsustainable Development

The need for expensive desalination is just one cost of over-development. Through rapid, unplanned building, Cyprus has virtually destroyed most of its underground water resources by over-extraction and the subsequent destruction of what should be a renewable resource. And that’s not all.

Peyia example again
Other examples of required infrastructure to support new building, funded by the taxpayer, are extensive road improvements, storm drainage and central sewage treatment. Peyia once again serves as an example of the hidden costs of development. The building boom of the past ten years has added thousands of new buildings, all on septic systems for toilet and household liquid waste. Such dense construction in a short period has added considerable strain on the land and there is evidence of leakage into the underground water. Boreholes in some areas have e-coli contamination. EU legislation requires a central sewage treatment plant for coastal towns with a population over 1,000, but this is only now being studied and it will be several years before this is in place in Peyia.
In addition, serious saltwater intrusions into the underground water have already been documented. From 1990 to a peak in 2000, extraction rates in Peyia quadrupled. For some time, underground water from areas containing high nitrates and salinity is mixed with water from areas that are not so badly polluted. This results in a deteriorating quality of the water supply, although the analyses indicate that the water currently still meets EU standards.
There is also a problem with municipalities extending the boundaries of their water systems. Each town has speciifc areas that they are obliged to provide with water. If any building permission is granted beyond this area, it is the builder’s responsibility to provide water for that development, as a condition of the grant of planning permission. What often happens, however, is that new buildings are constructed and then there is a request that the Municipal water be extended to cover the new houses. This of course puts great strain on the supply system and adds greatly to the costs of the Municipality when it extends the water network.
Serious problems exist in many areas of Peyia because of a lack of rainwater drainage. Over the last decade, many of the ravines and river beds have been built upon, which results in serious flooding when it rains. The very centre of the village is a virtual rushing torrent during even modest rainfall. With the natural drainage areas now covered in concrete, and no storm drainage in place, there is nowhere for the rain to go. In October 2006, Peyia suffered damage during a storm which resulted in a flash flood sweeping down from the higher, now built-up areas. By the time this torrent reached the coastal areas, it was well over a metre high and roaring along at a dangerous rate, sweeping away all that was in its path. At about 8:30 am, it swamped a seaside hotel, which was inundunated with a wall of mud and debris, sending tourists and staff scurrying for their lives during breakfast. It was a miracle no one was injured or killed in Peyia, although two people died in the next village which has also suffered from heavy, unplanned development.
The Municipality of Peyia took this very seriously. Requests were sent to the Ministry of Interior for financial support to clear the ravines and gullies of the storm debris and to fund the needed anti-flood culverts. It was the Ministry of Interior’s own Townplanning and Housing Department that had approved all the over-building that was the apparent cause of the storm damage. Unfortunately, Peyia’s request for assistance was denied. The community, now facing the constant threat of flooding whenever there is a storm, had little choice but to fund the anti-flooding measures from its own resources. So far over 2 million euros have been spent on this drainage project and it is still not completed. Some doubt that it will be effective, especially since the water is merely being diverted to the sea, which will cause pollution. It would have been prohibitively expensive to build a proper holding reservoir and filtering system to recycle the rainwater. There has also been a recent scandal about a resident who moved the surveyor’s markings so as to avoid damage to his land.

Lessons learned?
Some day soon we hope that townplanning in Cyprus will incorporate the requirement for proper infrastructure BEFORE granting permits for building sprees. Not only is it more cost effective to do this before rather than after, but it is also more logical. This is the usual procedure in most EU countries where developers must contribute to the costs of the new infrastructure needed to service their developments.
The challenge facing us today in Cyprus is : do we have the political will to change a system where consumers pay for costly infrastructure while developers make even more profits? This is a classical case of privatising profit while socialising costs.
It is up to all of us to stop it!

Peyia – A Case Study in Unsustainability

Last year, an EU funded programme with Peyia as a case study in Sustainable Water Management reported that “although the [Peyia] aquifer is not yet subject to dramatic seawater intrusion, degradation of the water quality due to excessive pumping has been observed in some areas”.

Water specialists from around the Mediterranean area armed with all the data spelled it out that Peyia has a serious problem relating to the availability of future water supplies of decent quality. Senior Cyprus Water Department officials from Nicosia stated categorically that Peyia has a serious water problem. In fact all of the experts agree that Peyia is in trouble regarding water.
Peyia is running out of water. It is as simple and as stark as that.
Frightening prospect? Absolutely. Sense of urgency in Peyia? Absolutely not.
Peyia Councillor Linda Leblanc, however, is deeply concerned about this situation. A Green Party member, she states, “We now find ourselves in the position where, in order to feed the frenzy of unsuitable, unsustainable development over the last decade, the Municipality has depleted and damaged its precious underground water resources and has already been forced to stop pumping from some boreholes due to saltwater intrusion.”
With the drought natural replenishment is reduced, causing great stress on the aquifer. In these circumstances, it is imperative to reduce extraction from underground water. If damage continues, the Peyia aquifer will be destroyed forever. Underground water should be managed sustainably so that future generations can support themselves from this renewable resource.
Leblanc is worried that safeguards are still not in place in Peyia, especially so in light of the fact that the onslaught of mega-building continues. Peyia did not have any water cuts this summer, despite reductions in supplies from the Asprokremmos Dam and despite recommendations that pumping from boreholes be reduced due to drought conditions. In addition, her written request to the Mayor (in June) asking for specific details of the pumping and consumption and analyses of water has remained unanswered.
In Peyia, people have still not developed a water savings consciousness and even the Municipality itself continues to use hosepipes with drinking water to water the roses right outside its offices – in the middle of the day!

Desalination for Peyia?
But even worse, in Leblanc’s opinion, is the Mayor and Council’s new interest in a desalination plant. She disagrees with this approach, saying that desalination is a last resort due to high cost, pollution, intrusion into protected coastal zones and lack of controls.
She asks, “Where will all these mobile desalination units be located – on the beach?”
Two hotels in Peyia have already applied for permits for mobile desalination units (the Coral Beach and Thalassa hotels owned by Leptos). Cyprus Environment Commissioner Charalambous Theopemptou has concerns, among other things, about who will monitor water quality and pollution and about exemptions from Environmental Impact Assessments for such mobile units producing up to 1,500 cubic metres per day.
Water statistics for Peyia indicate that almost 1% of consumers use about 30% of the water. These profligate consumers happen to be in the tourist areas where the hotels are located. Leblanc also wonders why Peyia Municipality would need its own desalination plant if these two hotels have their own units, as this would free up a lot of water for other consumers. Leblanc feels that desalination in Peyia would be used to fuel even more building. She says, “Peyia seems to prove the link between the rush for more desalination plants and even more unsustainable development. Isn’t it time that the public is properly informed and that residents of Peyia, not just the vested interests, can participate in making crucial decisions about our future sustainability?”
The public needs to be properly informed so that they understand the vast costs and consequences of desalination and how this seems set to fuel even more unsustainable development. One wonders why, at this late stage, the government has still not implemented simple legislation on water conservation measures, especially concerning new building standards.
The inevitable question pops into mind: Cui Bono?

THE FRESHWATER CRISIS

Only a hermit or an ostrich would be unaware that we are facing a critical moment in the supply of freshwater in Cyprus, but neither has its head in the sand all the time.

This summer has seen almost daily media coverage of the crisis, but how often do we stop to really think about the seriousness of the situation? In July the Environment Commissioner, Charalampos Theopemptou, emphasised the warnings given in the paper on climate change and water published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The facts as presented by the IPCC are these:

· Rainfall in the Mediterranean will drop by 20%.
· Groundwater recharges in the Southern Mediterranean will drop by 70% by 2050.
· Expected rise in sea levels will increase the salinity of groundwater supplies, affecting the quality of drinking water.
· Consecutive days without water will increase, threatening agriculture and forests. (Trees stressed by drought are more vulnerable to disease and there is an increased risk of forest fires.)
This is a prospect we cannot ignore. Climate change is with us, however much we debate the causes.

Measures to conserve and ensure an adequate supply of freshwater require a unified policy for water management.
In Cyprus, part of the problem lies in the fragmentation of responsibilities and authority, and a lack of enforcement. Sustainable solutions based on proper management of consumption and supply should be put in place as soon as possible.
As individuals and households we can all make savings by thinking carefully about our use of water; water authorities can repair leaks in the supply network; grey water can be recycled for non-potable use in the home and garden (low-tech method, use a bowl in the kitchen sink and bathroom basin); rainwater can be collected and stored; drought resistant plants and crops can be introduced, encouraging use of native tree planting, cacti, succulents etc.; drip irrigation can be used instead of sprinklers; legislation to make the installation of recycling and sewage systems mandatory in all new buildings; proper management of water usage in swimming pools by mandatory use of covers to reduce evaporation; limiting the numbers of swimming pools; and of course pricing water realistically will make us all think twice before we waste it.
The availability of clean, drinkable, freshwater is something we all expect, but do we realise just how much we use? Here’s a figure:
1,000 cubic metres per annum is the minimum water each person requires for drinking, hygiene, and growing food. The volume is equivalent to 2/5 of an Olympic-size swimming pool. (Scientific American, August 2008)

Ideally, we would like that water to be the fresh kind which falls from the sky; after all, desalinated water is manufactured water and comes with a significant environmental and energy-usage cost. A recent study by the WWF calculates that the average UK household use of water for drinking and washing per person per day is approximately 150 litres.
Here are some more figures:
One 18-hole golf course can use as much water in a year as a town of 10,000 houses. 9 litres per sq.m. per day are needed to keep a fairway or tee looking green. (Guardian Weekly, July 29, 2005)

Do we really need 14 golf courses in Cyprus, the majority in the Paphos district, when the citizen copes with cuts in the water supply and the farmers who grow our food have their allocation drastically reduced?
Do we think about our water footprint? Coffee production consumes 2% of the world’s water; one cotton T-shirt requires 7,000 litres of water; the production of 1 kilo of beef requires 16,000 litres of water (the United Nations has recently called for a reduction in meat consumption in order to conserve water resources). Look at www.waterfootprint.org to calculate your water footprint.
Desalination is not a sustainable solution to the freshwater crisis in Cyprus. It encourages over-use of water, is a polluting process and all consumers will eventually have to pay higher electricity bills as Cyprus exceeds the energy targets set by the EU, resulting in considerable fines. If, as has been suggested, the Cyprus government denies the golf resorts the use of recycled water (allocating it for agricultural use) and the golf courses are dependent on desalination, who will ultimately pay the EU fines for exceeding energy targets, the ordinary consumer or the developers?
There are many alternative approaches to ensuring an adequate supply for all, beginning with the setting up of an independent water body which will implement unified water policies throughout the island and greater awareness of each individual’s personal responsibility in relation to their consumption of freshwater.

DESALINATION……WHAT IS IT?

The most frequently and enthusiastically promoted remedy for alleviating the long-term water shortage in Cyprus is desalination. This involves the construction of mobile or fixed desalination plants or units that will remove the salt from seawater in order to manufacture drinkable water.

This process has several important environmental and economic impacts. We should therefore be asking some questions regarding its suitability as a solution for the water supply problem that Cyprus faces due to cyclical droughts and the projected deteriorating conditions that Cyprus will face in the future due to the effects of climate change in the Mediterranean.

- What is desalination?
- What are the costs and benefits of desalination? What are the alternatives to desalination?
These questions are comprehensively answered in the WWF report Making Water.

Desalination: option or distraction for a thirsty world? (June 2007).
The major economic impact is clearly stated in the report: desalination is the most energy intensive method of water manufacture. The energy required by the process will add to the total carbon emissions of Cyprus at a time when we should be working towards a reduction in order to meet EU targets. Failure to meet these targets will result in large fines that will inevitably be passed on to the general consumer through higher electricity bills. This is believed by some to outweigh the benefits of choosing desalination as a solution in preference to alternative methods of water supply management. Renewable energy such as solar is generally considered unviable for large-scale desalination due to cost and large areas of expensive coastal land required at current levels of the technology.

The environmental impacts of the process affect the marine ecosystems through the location of the intake and discharge structures, especially near sensitive marine or coastal environments. Seawater is a habitat for the many small life forms that will disappear up the intake pipe, resulting in long-term depletion of plankton, eggs and fish larvae.

Discharging the heated brine back into the sea alters the delicate and important salinity balance of the marine ecosystem through a rise in temperature and concentration of products such as salt and boron. It is acknowledged that temperature and salt content of seawater is critical for the reproduction and survival of marine species. Additional pollution occurs through contamination with corrosion by-products.

Issues of sustainability also arise. Other Mediterranean countries have seen an explosion of development based on the assumption of water availability. The WWF report states that
“Spain’s natural environments, many of its nature reserves and indeed, the natural assets found attractive by so many of the foreign residents and tourists are being damaged by the development which is underwritten by an assumption that water will always be available and be made available – whatever the economic, environmental and political costs.” (p. 35)
It can be argued that, for similar reasons, multiple desalination units could pose a comparable, significant threat to the unique Cyprus environment. Is this what we want? Some may think that we are getting close to it in certain areas of the Paphos district.

Desalination is a manufacturing process, i.e. industrial water; desalination is a distraction from water conservation, water efficiency, and water recycling; desalination is a pollutant; desalination is expensive.

Island-wide average loss from leakages is estimated to be 30%. Paphos actually exceeds this figure, with up to 35% lost between 1999 and 2005, to a cost of euros 3.5 million. In light of these losses, wouldn’t it be wiser to put resources into upgrading delivery systems rather than trying to fix the water problem through costly desalination? There is much talk of mobile units for hotels but the cost is higher for such small units, reaching up to euros 1.5 per cubic metre. In addition, there are concerns about intrusions into protected coastal zones and the government’s recent decision to waive environmental impact assessments for desalination units producing up to 1,500 cubic metres per day.

All of us in Cyprus must first develop and foster a better water conservation consciousness before we stumble into drastic solutions such as desalination.

What are the alternatives?
The alternatives would first and foremost be
A unified policy for water use and management that would address supply and distribution through water storage and conservation, e.g. repair and renewal of the network of pipes; rainwater collection; prevention of evaporation from swimming pools; domestic, industrial and commercial water recycling; supply of water for agriculture from treatment plants; legislation for mandatory installation of water saving measures and technology in new buildings etc. In other words, a sustainable policy for water.

An illegality – more disgrace

It started with a change of name from Mavrokolompos which was then baptised “Adonis Baths”. For obvious commercial reasons, someone made use of public land, a practice which has found suitable ground in our country. Before us was erected a huge statue of only 10 metres of an ancient God, a really ugly monster, without planning permission, which insults the aesthetics of this beautiful area.

The attractive name the owner invented complemented the natural beauty and the small waterfall became a special attraction with many visitors who were called upon to pay a very insignificant amount (last year the entrance price was 4 pounds a person). The Paphos Greens District Committee launched dozens of complaints especially concerning the distasteful entrance price. After the intervention of the Green Party Member of Parliament to the Ministry of the Interior, we have achieved the restoration of a delusion which operated in an unlawful manner, including the removal of the name “Adonis Baths” from the official government map. In such an especially beautiful area, the Community Council of Kili must ensure the free entrance of visitors. But, in an unusual manner, the Cyprus Tourism Organization actually rewarded an illegality that has continued to exist here for years. How could CTO include it in its programme, inviting our guests to visit the “Baths of Adonis”? If the Community of Kili is not able to secure free entrance to the baths then the government should undertake to restore order in a situation that has been allowed to continue for years. We are not against any private business whose workings are based on the law and follows the rules of the government without inventing myths, entrance tolls, statues, etc. It is unfortunate that, in conclusion, the facts are that the drowning of a visitor must be swept under the carpet and the issue of the safety of those who use the “Baths”. Finally, who takes responsibility for those who enjoy their bath while having paid entrance to A PUBLIC PLACE?

Church in the Park: Theatre of the Absurd

The Paphos Green Party District Committee expresses again its opposition to the erection of a cathedral in the Municipal Park. In an era where green areas in our town are ravaged, apparently owing to the principle of “development”, it is a sacrilege to lay a hand on the only remaining park in the centre of our town.

Day by day the park languishes and is destroyed because of clear obstinancy and the dispute that broke out years ago between the Bishop of Paphos and the Paphos Municipal Council. The issue started with the former Bishop who is now the Archbishop, and unfortunately is continued by his successor.
The Bishop announced that he is ready to submit building plans and ask for the approval of the Municipal Council. How can a building permit be issued for a public area that is a park with a building factor of 0%?
We like to believe that the law exists for every citizen of this country and is applied without deviations and delays. This situation tests the credibility of the Local Council who will be called upon to give its consent.
The constant irresolution of the Municipal Council concerning its handling of different issues leaves us completely disappointed (the Mousalla case, the coastal area, disappearing green areas, handling of parks, etc.). We hope that this time our Municipal Council officers will stand tall in the circumstances and not disappoint the people of Paphos (again).
The Paphos Green party calls on Paphians to fight together to save our park because this land belongs not only to the Church but also to the members of the Church who are all residents of Paphos.
With his immense business activities, the Bishop of Paphos can erect a Church anywhere else in Paphos (and even bigger that 500 square metres).
What the Park needs to be done is immediate upgrading and embellishment. This must be done by the Bishop of Paphos, by the Mayor and by the Municipal Council.
This is exactly what the people want.

Light a candle for peace and a United Cyprus!

World War II, which was one of the most murderous and harsh wars of the world, started on 1st September 1939 with the occupation of Poland. Then, 1st of September was called “World Peace Day” since the war caused millions of people to die, get injured, become permanently incapacitated; millions of children became orphans without home and schools. The main focus of the day was to prevent such a disaster from happening again. The pacifists all over the world on 1st September gather in the streets in order to cry out for peace and protest against wars.

Unfortunately, despite the will of communities which cry out for world peace and a world without exploitation, this aim has not been attained. Still in many countries, there has been death, blood, tears, hunger, poverty, cruelty which means retrogressive scramble-wars. Wars have become like a daily routine in the Middle-East and in many countries of Africa. The imperialist powers do not refrain from violence, wars, exploitation, distraction and force just to gain more interest, wider market and authority as well as resources. The United States of America, which turned The Middle-East to a pool of blood, seeks for the opportunity to hit Iran while its massacre is still going on in Afghanistan and Iraq. Moreover, the break out of conflict in the Caucasus caused thousands of innocent people including women and children to die in a very short period of time.

Just like the majority of the communities in the world, the Cypriots also suffered from wars. The wounds have still not been healed since these people witnessed such inhuman situations and pain. Although many years have passed after the hot war, apart from Peace, there has not been any official resolution in terms of “ceasefire”. Even though people do not constantly think about war, all Cypriots live on the island with the danger of war. Imperialist powers and their local collaborators and followers try to stand up for themselves; therefore they do not wish a real and permanent solution and peace in Cyprus. It should not be forgotten that, the nationalists, chauvinists, fascists and even the “separatists who wear a mask of peace” will continue to prevent solution, just as they have been doing up to this date.

Therefore, it is crucial to have a common active struggle for Peace, with determination, will and demand. The task of establishing peace should not be left only in the hands of the “elected leaders”. Regardless of their ethnic origins, all people living in Cyprus should take the initiative, take steps forward together in order to struggle for Peace and reach the aim of a united Cyprus, rise up their voices with determination; for the necessity of peace and brotherhood of communities is a very crucial high spot. There is no doubt that this brotherhood is essential more than anything, during this sensitive period. This common struggle of communities in Cyprus will not only disturb the powers which try to prevent peace in Cyprus but it is also the only and unique way to achieve peace and permanent solution on the island.

The Cyprus Green Party was one of the main organizations who have decided to walk from the Greek Cypriot part of Nicosia (Eleftheria Square) and from the Turkish Cypriot part of Nicosia (Kuğulu Park) at the same time 7.00 PM on Monday 1st of September 2008 just to show our determination and will of Peace and a Unified Cyprus. Eight hundred people met in front of the Ledra Palace Hotel (the headquarters of the UN forces in Cyprus) to “light a candle for peace”. People sang songs and celebrate the beginning of our common struggle for peace.

Peyia Mayor says ‘no’ to dump

(By Bejay Browne- Cyprus Mail)


THE MAYOR of Peyia is refusing to allow a new non-organic dump to be sited in his Municipality.Mayor Neophytos Akourshiotis is opposing the government proposed site, claiming it would be a disaster for the community.The new dump would be a place for building materials, rubble and the like to be deposited. Akourshiotis claims the weight and flow of traffic to and from the facility would have a negative effect on Peyia, and would spoil “an area of outstanding beauty”.“The stain on the environment would be catastrophic,” he added.


Fellow Peyia councillor Linda Leblanc has a more measured approach, noting all the facts need to be collected first.She told the Cyprus Mail:

‘It’s true the site would be for non-organic materials such as building rubble. In Europe there are some requirements to recycle these type of materials; unfortunately facilities for this are not yet in place in Cyprus.”Leblanc continued, “European policy seems to lean toward using old quarry sites, as in our case. This one is on the road heading towards Akoursos.”

She stressed: “I think the important thing here is too look at the bigger picture. This spot has been designated for this purpose by the central government, and so I believe there has to have been an environmental impact study. The Mayor is denying this, and I don’t know either way for certain.”“I do have mixed feelings about this project, but it needs to be put somewhere,” she added.“I think it’s gross hypocrisy on the part of Peyia, who have been filling dry riverbeds and gorges for years. They then built structures on top of this rubble. What happens if there is a flood or an earthquake,” she questioned. “It’s better to have a legal site. People in Peyia are used to dumping everywhere.“It’s really a case of, ‘not in my back yard’.”
In October 2006, torrential rainfall caused severe flooding in Paphos, destroying many homes and closing a hotel in Peyia. Two people lost their lives as they were swept away in a car by a torrent of water, which had built up in a dry riverbed, clogged with rubbish.Leblanc commented, “I think it makes sense to put this waste in the site of an old quarry. I was recently in England and visited an abandoned quarry, which had been filled in this way; it’s now a beautiful park. This process renews a site, it fills a scar on the landscape, and afterwards may be planted with trees, shrubs and plants.“I really think it’s up to the government now, they were the ones who designated this area. Peyia Municipality has taken the line to fight it, and I think we must wait to see how heavily the government will come down on Peyia.”This type of waste was previously being taken to a site in Marathounda.“The dump in Marathounda is now closed, as it is full, and in addition, doesn’t meet the legal requirements.“Everyone must take responsibility for their rubbish, there is more and more in Cyprus. As buildings go up daily, there is more garbage from construction.“I would like to see a proper impact assessment, but I don’t think the request for a site in Peyia is an unreasonable one. “It’s better to have a legal dump, which will be strictly operated, rather than dumping willy nilly across the countryside,” she concluded.

State Gallery is unable to showcase thousands of artworks

[The Ambiguous Citizen by Helene Black, 98x98x6cmRusted steel, glass, mirror, paint, Murano glass, silver rings, aluminium frameCyprus State gallery collection]


HUNDREDS OF pieces of state-owned art works are being stored in poor conditions and run the risk of being destroyed or lost, the Green Party has warned.

Green Party Leader, George Perdikis, has sent a letter to parliamentary Education Committee Chairman, Nikos Tornaritis, urging the House to discuss relocating the State Art Gallery when deputies return from summer recess in October.

Perdikis described the situation as urgent. "Recently I visited the gallery, where I was informed that from the approximately 2,700 works of art that the gallery has, only 135 are on display in the renovated building on Stassinou Avenue. Exhibitions and exchanges of the works are not in effect because of practical difficulties, while many of the work are lent to Ministries, embassies abroad, etc."

Employees at the gallery confirmed that there are 2,749 works in total, 210 of them on display and that many works were kept in storage or are on loan to ministries and embassies.

“They are constantly at risk of getting lost, while the ones in the warehouses are not properly kept and preserved,” Perdikis said. The leader of the Greens also reported that “the art gallery is understaffed, with only three individuals employed acting as security guards/assistants and no specialised staff, such as art historians, conservationists, art managers or museologists."

The proposal is for the new gallery to be moved to the old Pallouriotissa Co-op, which is much bigger and can house all the works.

“The present situation is far from ideal,” Perdikis added. “They do not organise occasional exhibitions, tributes or retrospective exhibitions; lectures are not given, material is not published, there are no catalogues or brochures. There is no research."

The Green Party has tabled the issue for decision at the House Education Committee as a first step, he said.

“It is vital for a European country to have a gallery. If you don’t have a proper gallery, you lack culture,” Perdikis told the Sunday Mail.

THE BUILDING which currently houses the State Gallery of Contemporary Cypriot Art was designed and built in 1925-26 by the building contractor Michalakis Kouloumbris, who was also its first owner. It was used at different periods as a house, clinic and hotel. It is one of the oldest stone-built structures outside the walls of Nicosia and one of the first examples of urban architecture. The building was made the subject of a preservation order in 1972. In 1982, by order of the Council of Ministers, it was requisitioned and compulsorily acquired in order to be preserved, maintained and used for cultural purposes.

The restoration of the building and its conversion in to the State Gallery were undertaken by the Ministry of Education. It was officially inaugurated on June 28, 1990.

The works exhibited were chosen from the State Collection of Contemporary Cypriot Art by a special committee. The aim of the special committee was to succeed in the most adequate possible presentation of the artistic development of Cyprus from the beginning of the twentieth century up to the present day. The presentation covers the most important periods and trends which developed at various time.

A defining factor in the placing and often in the selection of specific works was the space, which always played a limiting role. Insufficient space also limits the way the committee can depict the development of Cypriot art.

The Education Ministry’s policy is to renew the works periodically, especially those of the younger artists so that other aspects of contemporary Cypriot art may be shown and public interest stimulated.
(By Marianna Pissa - Cyprus Mail)

Fine slapped on ground handlers

The two companies that manage ground services at Larnaca and Paphos airports have been slapped with a heavy fine from the government.Minister of Transport and Works, Nikos Nikolaidis, imposed an administrative fine of 59,000 euros to LGS (for incidents at Paphos Airport) and a fine of 53,000 euros to Swissport (for various incidents at Larnaca airport). A fine of 2,500 euros, was also given for delays in getting luggage from the aircraft to the passengers in arrival terminals.Nikos Nikolaidis has asked representatives of Hermes Airports, as well as the heads of Swissport and LGS to meet him on Friday morning at Larnaca airport to discuss the situation.

(Famagusta Gazette)

Environment as a sign of peace

Last week the leaders of the two main communities in Cyprus agreed to sixteen more building conference measures in order to prepare the ground of full fresh talks for a lasting and fare solution to the Cyprus Problem.

Cyprus is divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded the island. Till then, the Turkish Cypriots are forced to move to the northern part, where they declare an illegal separate state.

Most of the conference measures are dealing with environmental issues. In details the two leaders decided about the:

Cooperation for the elimination of illegal dumping sites and the rehabilitation of the affected areas within the buffer zone
Cooperation for exchange of experience and information between environmental experts
Cooperation for the prevention of wildfires
Waste management – treatment-recycling
Awareness raising measures for water saving
Cooperation for the establishment of a common approach on mining and quarrying activities in Cyprus
Biodiversity and nature protection
Marine and maritime pollution management and control
Chemical pollution management and control
Asbestos pollution management and control
Historical pollution management and control

For the Cyprus Greens, these measures are a good sign for peace and reunion in the island.

EU plans action over new hunting season

THE E.U. is planning measures against the Cypriot government for its decision last April to grant hunting licenses for crows, the Cyprus Green Party reported recently.
The announcement was made in a letter received by Greens leader George Perdikis from EU Environmental Commissioner, Stavros Dimas.

According to an announcement issued by the Greens yesterday, Dimas said that “the Commission has been informed about Cyprus’ decision to grant hunting licences for crows last spring, and based on evidence gathered it will put forward the case for violations”.
“The Commission is taking the appropriate measures to ensure that Cyprus is in full conformity with EU directives,” Dimas said.
The Greens said: “We hope that the granting of hunting licences for crows, which in essence are selected licences for turtledoves [and other migrating birds] will finally stop, following the EU’s reaction.”
Conservationists are opposed granting of such licenses. Executive Manager of Birdlife Cyprus, Martin Hellicar, said the Interior Minister decided to open a season for crows this spring. “But the actual reason was to allow hunters to shoot turtledoves, which is illegal and a violation of EU law,” he said.
Birdlife issued a complaint to the European Commission (EC) which is currently investigating the violation and is due to issue a warning.
“Authorities tried to open a hunting season for turtledoves in the spring of 2007, when again after a complaint the EC warned them not to do so. Now they are trying to do this through the back door, undercover,” Hellicar said.
EU Bird Directives prohibit hunting during spring season in order to protect wild birds during their migration, especially turtledoves which are a threatened species due to their declining numbers.

MOUNT PENTADAKTYLOS IS BEING DEMOLISHED

The Cyprus Green Party condemns Talat´s regime plans to grant more quarrying permits on the mount of Pentadaktylos, at the northern side of Cyprus.

Dozens of quarries are already uncontrollably destroying the mountain, without any consideration for the environmental impacts. It should be noted that in the occupied areas residents, as well as environmental organisations are protesting for the scandalous granting of permits.

The quarry products sustain the construction business in the occupied areas that is developing rapidly the last few years due to the construction of villas on Greek Cypriot lands.
The Cyprus Green Party believes that this issue needs to be added to the ongoing discussions for a solution to the Cyprus Problem.

THE CASE OF TRANSFERED WATER NEEDS TO BE EXAMINED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

A request for an extraordinary meeting of the Committee on Institutions, Merit and the Commissioner for Administration (Ombudsman) has been submitted by the MP of the Cyprus Green Party Mr. George Perdikes, in order to examine the reasons why 50.000 tons of clean and very high priced water that was imported from Greece was dumped in the underground water supplies of Limassol. The water of course will not be wasted but the republic of Cyprus did not pay an exorbitant price just to reinforce our underground water supplies but to channel it directly to the fresh water supply system.

The House of Representative also needs to examine the provisions of the contract which, at a first glance, seen to be contradicting and controversial. The Cyprus Green Party still demands full transparency on this issue and is restive about information it is receiving concerning the eligibility of the tankers to actually transport water in the first place. Unfortunately there is a lack of information on this subject since the responsible authorities have not made public the identity of the tankers that have undertaken the transport of water from Greece.

The Cyprus Green Party considers that, under the circumstances, the application of this extraordinary measure was necessary, but is needs to be protected through transparency and capable administration.

Archangelos Avenue: Do not harm the trees

The Cyprus Green Party condemns the Town Planning and Ministry of Communication plans for Archangelos Avenue, which include the cutting of 800 trees in order to widen it. The most disconcerting is the contemplation of the bodies in charge to cut 200 century-old cypresses.

We report that this project is taking place without a complete Environmental impact research concerning the environmental consequences it will cause and without the necessary public hearing.
We have long ago noted this issue to be discussed in the Parliamentary Environmental Committee, which unfortunately keeps delaying its debate. Also, there was a special meeting over this topic with the Minister of Transportation and Civil Works. Unfortunately, all of our attempts have been fruitless.
We consider it a governmental obligation to apply common principles of modern governance. A full research of the environmental consequences must be elaborated and public debate must be preceded. The rush shown by the bodies in charge is suspicious and condemnable. It expresses the usual authoritarianism of the bulldozer. It’s a shame. We expected a different approach from the government that promised a “fair society”.

Cyprus Greens going…up!

According to the most recent gallop done by GPO AE company, published in “Haravgi” newspaper on June 12th, 2008, Cyprus Green Party enjoys the preference of a 3,4% of the Cypriot voters. This is a considerably very high percentage, having in mind the actual size of the party which was officially measured in the elections of May 2006 at 2% and of course the “dry” period without campaigning, candidates, etc.

For the Cyprus Green Party, this 3,4% is an important step towards its future plans, with the European elections coming next year and of course the main target of the party to gain a second seat in the Cyprus Parliament during the next national elections in 2011.

On the same gallop, Secretary General of the Cyprus Green Party, George Perdikis is, once again among the most popular political party leaders of the island. Perdikis has been given positive popularity votes by the 57,5% of the voters.

Environmental problems concern Cypriots
A few years ago, environmental matters were not among the items that Cypriot voters considered being important for their living. This seems to change after all the environmental and ecological problems people are facing every day. During this gallop, environmental problem was rated number 4 among 14 different problems stated by the voters. The main problems appeared in the list are:

Increased prices (34,3%)
Water deficiency (27,1%)
Drugs (6,8%)
Environment (5,1%)
Education (4,2%)
Unemployment (3,7%)
Finance – Social Security (3,2%) , etc.

The gallop was done during the period of 5 to 9 June on a national basis, covering cities and country side. Sample consisted by 1600 voters on a telephone interview basis.

THE CULTURAL HERITAGE OF KARPASIA PENINSULA HAS BEEN DESTROYED

The Cyprus Green Party denounces the destruction of the forest and archaeological space in Saint Andronikos village on the Northern Cyprus, in the peninsula of Karpasia, occupied by the Turkish army since 1974.

According to journalistic information the “department” of forests of arrangement granted illegal authorisation in 36 scales of forest use, with the condition that that land be used for cultures.

However the businessman raised the area and proceeded in excavations in result to cause damages in ancient graves.

The Cyprus Green Party denounces the drawings of the occupied arrangement for destruction of virgin nature and ecotopes of the peninsula of Karpasia and asks from the Cyprus Government to proceed to the appropriate actions.

CANCER PATIENTS: THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD APPLY THE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR CANCER

The Cyprus Green Party Member of Parliament Mr. George Perdikes met last Tuesday with the President of the House of Representatives Mr. Marios Karogian, as he was accompanying the President of the Patients and Friends’ NGO movement of the Nicosia General Hospital Oncology Department (EL.A-ZO).

Mr. Perdikes asked that the Parliament insist on last Thursday’s plenum decision, which requested that the government adopts and directly applies the strategic plan for fighting cancer, which has been on the table of the Ministerial Council since January 2008.
It’s truly criminal to have cancer patients being disregarded from the state and the government. It’s absolutely outrageous to have waiting lists for radiotherapy due to the lack of the necessary linear accelerators and the lack of maintenance of the state hospitals’ radiotherapy machines.
The government ought to assume its responsibilities, and it is the Parliament’s responsibility to insist on this.

Greens accuse government over golf courses

THE GREEN Party yesterday accused the government of planning to bypass environmental and town-planning procedures for desalination units to ease the way for more golf courses in Cyprus.According to the party’s general secretary, George Perdikis, a bill submitted by the government to the House Environment Committee provided the cancellation of environmental studies and town-planning procedures for those interested in building desalination plants.But Perdikis said this was a back-handed way for the government to allow the operation of golf courses.“The government’s attempts to cancel all environmental and town-planning control over the creation of so-called small desalination units are scandalous,” said Perdikis. “The government is essentially offering natural resources to the capitals of private businessmen.“We say the control proceedings should be sped up and not cancelled.”Parliament has already told the government that this will lead to a huge environmental scandal, he explained.“Those whose applications for golf courses were rejected by the Exemptions Committee will, based on this bill, be able to go ahead and build them.”
(Cyprus Mail)

Say NO to the use of Lannate

The President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr. Demetris Christofias and Minister of Agriculture and Environment, Mr. Michalis Polynikis signing the petition against the use of Lannate.

The campaign by the Cyprus Green Party is still on and we would be greatfull if YOU fill the following petition form and send it back to us at greenparty@cytanet.com.cy or post it to:

Cyprus Green Party
P.O. Box 29682,
1722 Nicosia

NAME: .......................................................................

ADDRESS: ..................................................................

Tel. No: ..................................................................

and send it to email

COME AND ENJOY A MEAL COOKED WITH SOLAR ENERGY!

The Cyprus Green Party’s Limassol District Committee is organising the following activities at Gregoris Auxentiou Square (Dioikitirio) to celebrate the World Environment Day:

10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.: Display of the mechanism of solar furnaces

Andreas Fasoulides and Kyriakos Antoniou from the Techonology Workshop Re-New will present furnaces that operate with sunlight to bake food.

4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m: Workshop with recycling material and children’s painting workshop. Sun will be the day's theme.

In the afternoon children of all ages will have the possibility to draw pictures inspired by the sun or to work together to create a recycling bin with recycled material!

Journalists are invited by the Limassol District Committee to lunch with them. At 12:00 p.m. we will serve “sun” roast chicken, potatoes and vegetables.

Intense concern on the developments on the Cyprus problem

The political committee of Cyprus Green Party having studied the latest developments occurred from the meeting of President Christofias with Mr. Talat and their common announcement and having in mind the briefing of the party’s Secretary General, Mr. George Perdikis, expresses its intense concern for the future of the Cyprus issue.

The intense concern was created due to the inclusion of different terms and statements in the common announcement. These terms are considered very risky as we are certain that they will be used by the permanently deceitful Turkish side and the well known involved countries which are always supporting Turkey despite the honest willingness of President Christofias.

Besides all above, we consider that the non inclusion of statements concerning the important facts of the Cyprus problem, such as the settlers, properties, security and guarantees and focusing on every day matters, are creating a negative environment for the negotiations which cannot allow us to be optimistic.

The Cyprus Green Party calls President Christofias to continue the resistance to the unacceptable demands of Mr. Talat and to avoid direct negotiations before real progress is obtained by the committees and especially by the working groups. We also ask President Christofias to insist on the principles of the solution of the Cyprus problem as they have been expressed by him during the pre-election period.

In this difficult attempt, the Cyprus Green Party will stand and support President Christofias in an effort to obtain a just, right and viable solution for the Cyprus problem.

Informative campaign and signature raising against the construction of nuclear stations

Recently, we had a great number of discussions regarding the construction of nuclear stations in Greece and Cyprus. One of the basic arguments presented, was that, since a lot of neighbor countries have announced their intension to built a nuclear stations, and since we will be in danger anyway, why not building one of our own? The absolute insanity! Should we put a bomb in our house, if our neighbor is willing to do so and we will have the consequences, anyway? Of course not. We shall try to obstruct him in every possible way. In this respect we ask for political initiatives on an International level to block the nuclear threat.

The International Network, Mediterranean No Nuclear Neighborhood-ΜΝ3, is organizing a campaign for raising signatures under an article which you can find on the following addresses: www.mn3network.org and www.manw.org. You can also find a form which you can print and raise signatures. On the form you can find the address to which you should send the forms.

The Greek effort is supported by the Mediterranean No Nuclear Neighborhood, the Greek office of Greenpeace, WWF (Hellas), SOS Mediterranean Network and the Greek network of Ecological Organizations (Pandoiko). In Cyprus, the campaign was undertaken by the Cyprus Green Party and the Ecological Movement.

We need your participation. We need your support. It’s the only certain way to avoid the construction and settlement of new nuclear stations.

NUCLEAR ENERGY IS NOT A SOLUTION. IT IS JUST ANOTHER PROBLEM!
Active citizens against radioactivity!
Sign NOW and promote this campaign…

Concerns on statements about creating a Nuclear Station in Cyprus

The Cyprus Green Party expresses its great concerns for statements of the Director of the Energy Department of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, who expressed his positive opinion on the idea of constructing a nuclear factory in Cyprus.

Adopting nuclear reactors is a significant social decision, because possible dangers directly affect the population outside the country’s territories. Unfortunately, society and expert scientists more often than not have a limited say in such crucial decision-making processes, while the final word belongs to corporations and technocrats.

The biggest, unresolved issue of nuclear energy is the accumulation of nuclear waste from the reactors. The radioactivity released by thousands of tons of nuclear waste is exceedingly dangerous, has a vast durability over time and its handling is terribly expensive.
The Cyprus Green Party asks the Cyprus government to fully evaluate the effects of all factors and to be more than careful when dealing with such serious topics. Even minor announcements and statements can create unfortunate controversies, while at the same time they dynamite every action and attempt of preventing the construction of nuclear factories in Turkey’s southern coastline, which can endanger the entire region.

We need greater focus on solar power

CYPRUS needs to make better use of solar power, according to Green party leader George Perdikis last night.Perdikis was speaking at an event organised at the House of Representatives in anticipation of the European Solar Power Day which is tomorrow, Friday.“Although Cyprus has done well to make use of its 300 days of sunshine per year in heating water for home use,” it has failed to use solar energy to produce electrical energy, Perdikis argued.He went on to say that his party has, “asked, on more than one occasion, for the development of a rounded social dialogue which will lead to fundamental changes in energy policy.” He thought that, “the recent introduction of a compulsory energy plan in building design was a positive step.“However, the matter of saving energy in the transport sector remains. Any change in this sector goes hand-in-hand with deep-rooted changes in transport policy,” he added.He also expressed his party’s line on EU energy policy aims.The EU partially describes its energy policy via its ‘20-20-20’ slogan: the aim is to reduce energy consumption by 20 per cent and increase renewable energy use by 20 per cent by the year 2020.Perdikis was negative about this, saying that it does not go far enough, while he was aware that others thought that it is unachievable.

(Cyprus Mail 2008)

Greens blast plans for nuclear plant in Turkey

THE CYPRUS Green Party and the Commissioner for the Environment Charalambos Theopemtou are warning about the risks involved in the planned construction of five nuclear power stations and a nuclear technology centre in Turkey. The Greens are calling the state to intervene to prevent the operation of the nuclear plants, particularly at Akkuyu, which lies in a seismogenic area, as Cyprus would also be affected by a possible nuclear catastrophe.“The construction of a power plant at Akkuyu brings the nuclear nightmare to our doorstep,” said the Greens. “The exceptionally dangerous seismogenic area of southern Asia Minor, the problem of safety in the area, the lack of experience and expertise and more, make the plans for the construction of a nuclear power plant at Akkuyu the biggest threat to life and the safety of people in our area,” the statement continued.The Commissioner for the Environment Charalambos Theopemptou also pointed out the serious risks involved, including the lack of specialised personnel to staff the plants, the management of nuclear waste, the risk of leaks of nuclear waste, and the fact that the area where the plants will be built is seismogenic, which increases the risk of accidents.Theopemptou pointed out that plans for the construction of a nuclear technology centre were also alarming, as it could be used for the development of nuclear weapons. “It is well-known that countries with nuclear energy later get nuclear weapons with radioactive waste, particularly those countries with the type of plants Turkey is promoting. “The new trend is for low intensity nuclear weapons that destroy areas and not entire countries. So the decision to use them is easier! What will happen in our volatile oil-rich region with its chronic conflicts and guerrilla wars and the water shortage which could be a cause of war?” Theopemtou said.
(Cyprus Mail 2008)

Greens blast golf course ‘scandal’

THE GREEN Party condemned the supply of water for the maintenance of golf courses, calling on the government to stop granting licences to create more greens.

The Green Party called a news conference to continue “exposing the big scandal of the golf courses”, adding that “the creation of golf courses was the excuse that cunning developers used, in order to purchase rural land for ridiculously cheap prices with the intention of converting it into building plots with the excuse that tourism would benefit.” Green Party Leader George Perdikis described the issue as an “economic scandal”. “We are against the creation of golf courses because they destroy the natural environment and scenery while wasting public resources of water for the maintenance of these golf courses.”Perdikis asked the government “to stop granting and approving licences for golf courses and halt the water supply in the existing golf courses”. The Greens are calling on the government to stop procedures for handing out new golf course building licences and to limit the water supplied to the existing courses and facilities. According to Green Party leader George Perdikis, a total of 14 golf courses are on the cards for the island.“Nothing will stop us from telling the truth, as we have been doing for the last 20 years concerning the golf courses. “All these constitute an economic scandal, which proves that the entire golf courses issue serves the interest of certain people, who make millions and billions, with the water and the land of the people and this country.” Perdikis said he considered it a “scandal and mockery for the public to suffer from water restrictions and a travesty for our farmers that see their plantations get destroyed because of lack of water while the developers take comfort in acquiring their licences and build villas which have already being sold.”The golf courses were built for the purpose of extending the tourist season. Numerous developers have profited at the expense of this tourism proposal, with hundreds of villas, estates and land already sold to foreign investors. However, tourism has not improved, the Greens point out. “This has already happened in three cases in Paphos, while a fourth course is under development.”Perdikis said: “The argument that supposedly some of these golf courses are irrigated by bore holes and that the water resources are not influenced is ridiculous… The claim that some of these golf courses are privately irrigated by private dams is also ridiculous.”

(Cyprus Mail 2008)

Ban Lanate and Stop Animal Poisonings in Cyprus

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8555489146

Save a dog!!!

20 pure breed dogs are given away - boxers, labradors, colleys, poodles, puppies of all ages, at the Aradippou shelter.

They will have to be put down in a week.

Tel. 99023462 - Toula

BI-COMMUNAL EVENT ORGANISED BY THE PEACE PLATFORM ON MAY1st 2008

The Cyprus Green Party honour's the struggles of the working people over the years. We must remember that the rights of the working people enjoyed by us today are not to be taken for granted. Many people have lost their lives, for us to be able today to enjoy a better quality of life.
Rights are contested, earned and preserved with continuous fights and efforts. Like the workers in Chicago who gathered together to resolve the problems facing their lives and to organize their common struggle, so we should do the same today, following their example of unity, determination and dynamic fight.
The Cyprus Green Party together with other organizations and parties in Cyprus - Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot – honour's the sacrifice of those people who fought for the rights of the working people and sends the message that the struggle for freedom and justice can be supported once again from all of us, ordinary people, who care to achieve a better future and a better life.
Let us all be united, loving and strong for a better quality of life, for a better tomorrow, for a united home country.

Fruit bats at risk of extinction

By Leo Leonidou

THE FRUIT BAT is under threat of extinction on the island, the Forestry Department said yesterday.Forestry Officer Harris Nicolaou told the Mail that numbers have been rapidly declining, with only an estimated 3,500 remaining.“We can say that numbers were far greater in the past and it is now an endangered species,” he said.“They are under threat from pesticides, hunters, farmers and general development, which forces them to try and set up other colonies elsewhere, which are less safe and suitable.”The fruit bat is mainly found in the Nicosia, Paphos and Limassol districts, with colonies ranging in size from 50 to 1,000.Bats are associated with superstition in other cultures, but in Cyprus they are considered more as pests that destroy crops.“That perception is actually wrong,” said Nicolaou. “The fruit bat, as its name suggests, eats fruit, which is not suitable for commercial sale or human consumption. It also actually protects crops by controlling numbers of the destructive Mediterranean fruit fly, which causes a great deal of damage.”The population of the once plentiful fruit bat has declined rapidly in the past century because of officially-sanctioned extermination programmes under British colonial rule before independence in 1960, which continued until 1993.Cyprus has 16 species of bat, and is the only EU country to have the Egyptian fruit bat. All bat species are strictly protected by both European and national legislation.The punishment for killing a bat on the island is a €17,000 fine and/or three years’ imprisonment.“People need to be educated about bats’ importance. If we lose the fruit bat, it would be a major loss,” stated Nicolaou.“If somebody has a problem, we urge them not to take the law into their own hands but to contact the Forestry Department for help.”Back in November, a protected colony of fruit bats was almost wiped out by unidentified gunmen using them for target practice, conservation groups and authorities said.Dozens of the mammals were killed in a shooting spree in the fenced-off Vretsia cave, next

Cyprus Mail 2008

Hypocrisy galore!

By Linda Leblanc

As a local councillor in Peyia, and a Green Party member, I am amazed at the hypocrisy of the government’s water conservation campaign and its dismal failure to tackle the real problems. As the Planning Department and local authorities continue to rubber stamp massive unsustainable and unsuitable developments, we are expected to be good citizens and collect water in buckets in our showers, let our gardens die, not flush toilets, etc. I’ve had people tell me they will not open their swimming pools because of the water crisis.

Admirable, yes, of course. But isn’t it time that other sectors of our society started to show some community spirit? Instead of everyone behaving selfishly scrambling to buy every last water tank on the island, isn’t it time we started to think a bit more honestly and clearly on this?

It’s obvious that any possible water savings the people can provide are wiped out by the new golf courses, marinas and, a good example in my opinion, the new city development at Yeroskipou. I’ve been surprised with the naive solution that is so easily proposed – desalination. Do a little research and one will find out that this is not so simple and has serious financial and environmental consequences that all of us, as consumers, will have to bear.

In Peyia, water extraction from our precious underground reserves quadrupled from 1990 to 2001. Sustainable? There has been a small reduction since that time, mostly due to the tourist areas, since 2004, supplied from Asproskremnos Dam, restrictions on agriculture and because the Municipality was forced to stop pumping from several boreholes last year because of saltwater intrusion.

But the building spree continues unquestioned by those in government. A recent example in Peyia illustrates my point: the approval of a new 200-unit complex in Coral Bay, in a river bed, in an area that used to be zoned for single plots. It’s no surprise that the building zones were quietly changed a few years ago and have now resulted in changing the character of a well-established, low-density neighbourhood, all without any public discussion or notification. Sustainable?

At the same time, we are all being encouraged to save water and told that if we all work together there will be no water cuts in Peyia. Yet, on the first hot day this week, we had areas with no water. What will happen in a few weeks when we have more tourists (maybe!) and the temperatures climb?

Personally, almost a year ago, as a protest against this unsustainable building spree, I refused and continue to refuse to sign these applications being rubber stamped through the system. Some of these planning permits are actually being challenged in court by concerned residents. Unfortunately, I am always out-voted 8 to 1 by the Mayor and my fellow councillors who dismiss my proposal for a moratorium on new building while this mess is sorted out.

I think it is time for the people of Cyprus to hit the streets and demand accountability, transparency and immediate action. Our future is at stake as our groundwater is squandered by corrupt officials in the pockets of developers. Let’s demand a stop to this looting and polluting of our common resources. Sustainable development is a European requirement in planning. Isn’t it time we accept that there are natural limits to growth, especially in a semi-arid island like Cyprus?
Linda Leblanc
Peyia Municipal Councillor
http://www.cyprus-mail.com/news/main.php?id=38919&cat_id=8

‘Give buses priority’ in new transport system

ANY new public transport system for Nicosia should give priority to buses as opposed to trams and shuttle trains.
This was the message from Nicosia Buses, who in particular criticised the possible introduction of a shuttle train along the Pedieos river as very expensive.
A shuttle train line from Lakatamia to the old Nicosia General Hospital would cost 200m euros, as much as it would cost to buy one thousand new buses," the announcement said. Asked by The Cyprus Weekly what prompted them to make the announcement, the Director General of Nicosia Buses, Costas Christodoulou, said that there have been various newspaper reports and public statements suggesting solutions to the traffic problem with which they did not agree.

Upgrading
"We are not against any other forms of public transport, but we firmly believe that it must start with the buses by upgrading both the vehicles as such and the services offered," he stressed.
To a remark what’s stopping Nicosia Buses from doing this by themselves, Christodoulou said that many things depended on the government setting out the technical specifications.
He recalled that the government had been working on public transport studies including the signing of what are called contract assignments with transport companies and added: "In the light of this, the Communications and Works Ministry of the new government has asked us not to make any new investments."

Aligning
In its announcement, the company noted that bus services could improve by aligning and increasing bus routes, running more hours and more frequently, introducing the park-and-ride system and providing electronic information to the public. Asked if the park-and-ride system could work since it would not help out-of-town commuters save any money now that petrol was so expensive and whether they should not consider running regional bus services instead, Christodoulou noted that, unfortunately, there were serious problems in doing this. "In the past we had suggested that all buses coming into town from each region should belong to a single transport company but we met with strong opposition from local interests," he explained.
As it is, there is almost one bus for every big village which takes the children to school in the town and back and perhaps runs an extra route during the day.
Urban traffic congestion is to great extent caused by thousands of people bringing their private cars into town from the regions for lack of effective public transport. Christodoulou noted that there was no government timetable to introduce much-needed improvements in public transport.
(Cyprus Weekly 22/4/08)

Greek and Turkish Cypriots join up to save the Cyprus donkey

By Leo Leonidou

OVER 2,000 Greek and Turkish Cypriots have joined forces in order to protect a rare breed of feral donkey, once labelled by President Makarios as “the only true Cypriots on Cyprus”.

The animals could be under threat of extinction from reckless hunters, disgruntled farmers and drought, environmental activists have warned.
Using a Facebook group entitled ‘Save The Cyprus Donkey’, the people have come together after ten of the brown animals were found shot dead in Karpasia at the end of March.
They describe the donkey as the symbol of Cyprus and say that it is their responsibility to protect one of the world’s last wild colonies.
“The ones that belong to us are murdered by the ones who do not belong to us. If we stay silent, that makes us a part of this murder,” their message states.
A fortnight ago, members met at Monarga village from where they headed off to the Karpas peninsula’s ‘Golden Beach’ to commemorate the dead animals and discuss what to do.
“Hunters are shooting at them for fun, and farmers are killing them because they say they damage their crops,” the head of the Turkish Cypriot branch of the Green Action group, Dogan Sahir, told the Mail following the shootings.
“The enemy of nature is the enemy of humans,” read a banner unfurled by a small group of demonstrators at a sandy beach near Rizokarpaso village, that has for decades been a donkey sanctuary.
According to news agency Agence France Presse, a 20-year-old primary school employee who addressed the rally said the main suspects in the unsolved deaths were farmers angered by crop damage.
But fingers have also been pointed at hunters and developers eager to exploit the Karpas peninsula, one of the last unspoilt parts of the island.
Ironically, the Karpas donkey colony has been boosted by the 1974 Turkish invasion.
The vast majority of the area’s Greek Cypriot farmers fled south during the fighting, abandoning their animals.
And as agriculture declined amid the growing urbanisation, the ‘freed’ donkeys were replaced by tractors and pick-ups.
A 2003 study found that about 800 donkeys were roaming the olive orchards and wheat fields, and along the beaches of the relatively unspoilt Karpas landscape.
Sahir believes the number of the indigenous donkeys living there has been falling rapidly since the last census was carried out. The breed is believed to be unique because it has managed to survive unassisted by humans in the wild since escaping from its owners centuries ago.
“We cannot know how many are left, but we do know that many have been killed since the count,” Sahir said.
Commenting, a spokesman for the Veterinary Services described the shootings as “unacceptable”.
He called on various environmental groups to exert pressure on the authorities in order to protect the donkeys.
“It’s a real shame what’s happening,” he said, adding that the Services cannot intervene as they do not have any jurisdiction in the north.
Many years ago, the donkeys and mules of Cyprus were renowned throughout the Middle East for their size, strength and endurance.
They were also valuable to the island’s British colonial rulers during both world wars.
Cyprus donkeys were exported throughout the region for cross-breeding with horses to produce a mighty strain of mule.
According to the 1931 Handbook of Cyprus, “the Cyprus donkeys are of good quality being able to carry a load from 168 pounds (75 kilos) to 224 pounds and over.”

(Cyprus Mail 22/4/2008)

Water from Greece could flow as early as next month

By Marianna Pissa

WATER transport from Greece can begin as soon as next month, the Chairman and CEO of Ocean Tankers Company, Michalis Ioannides, said yesterday at the ceremony for the signing of the contract between the company and the Water Development Department.

In statements following the ceremony of the contract signing, Agriculture Minister Michalis Polynikis hinted there may be a possibility of increasing the quantity of 8 million cubic metres of water that was agreed. "Our shortage is of 16 million cubic metres of water up to the end of year. The Greek government committed to grant us 8 million cubic metres. However, the prospect to increase the sum exists. This depends on the good will of the Greek government but also the needs that potentially come to the surface," Polynikis said.

Referring to the contract with Ocean Tankers, Polynikis declared that "we signed the contract that gives us the possibility of beginning the transport of the quantity of water that we agreed from Greece, the 8 million cubic metres, within the timeframe that we set, that is to say by June".

Asked if the government was also considering water transport from other neighbouring countries, the minister said: “he Ministry of Agriculture is determined to solve the water problem… All the possibilities are open to bring an end to the water problem."

Ioannides declared that the company would honour the contract and make every possible effort so that the water from Greece "is here on time". He added that, "provided the Port Authorities and the Water Development Department work together closely, there exists a possibility that the transport may begin in May”.

Regarding technical details for the procedure, Ioannides said that once the water reaches Limassol port, it will be transported via pipes to water-tanks in Yermasoyia and from there to the consumers without further treatment/processing, as the water which will be transported is potable.

"The tankers will transport 50,000 cubic metres of water daily and the entire procedure will last 160 days," he added, concluding that "the commitment based on the agreement is that the water transport will be completed by November".

(Cyprus Mail 22/4/2008)

Empty all swimming pools, first!

By Philip Beardwood

Our biggest store of water seems to be swimming pools, so instead of paying to charter tankers to bring water from Greece, why don't we use our "road" tankers to empty all the pools, initially that are within an easy walk to the sea, and re process the water for domestic and agricultural use.
If anyone refills their pool, before any permitted date, the "Hong Kong Police" approach would be good, smash a hole in the side of the pool. They did it with truncheons for not having a road tax disk displayed on the windscreen of the car, but it seems to work well for other things too!!!

REAL MEASURES FOR CONFIDENCE CONSTRUCTION

The Turkish Cypriot politician Albay Durduran presented yesterday in the meeting of Cypriot parties at the Ledra Palace a frame of eight proposals of real measures for the creation of confidence. The measures were agreed at the last meeting of the Secretary General of the Cyprus Green Party Mr. George Perdikes and the Secretary General of the Tourkish Cypriot Party “New Cyprus” Mr. Murat Kanatli at 31st March 2008.

The measures are:
1) Demilitarisation of within the walled Nicosia immediately, the entire Nicosia as soon as possible.

2) To stop the entry of new weapons to the island and enable its active control.

3) The distancing of military forces (de confrontation) in the buffer zone from each other, as a main aim pulling the forces in the north at a distance equivalent to the forces in the south.

4) Demilitarisation of Varosha immediately and its allocation to housing the legitimated owners.

5) Making necessary arrangements so that Maronites return their prior to 1974 settlements and demilitarisation of these settlements.

6) Initiation of the required operations to dissolve the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot Armies.

7) Making an agenda for withdrawal of the foreign armed forces and immediately starting the necessary work for its implementation.

8) Immediate opening of all crossing points (like Lefka, Famagusta Gate (Nicosia), Athienou) especially those of Tylliria area.

Mr. Perdikes suggested the adoption of Durdurans proposals and their submission to the two leaders and the technical committees. Unfortunately the meeting did not lead to the unanimous support of the eight proposals that Mr. Durduran presented.

Animal lovers celebrate Lannate ban

By Paul Wood 08.APR.08

Animal rights campaigners are celebrating the news that the deadly Lannate poison will cease to be sold in Cyprus from early next year. EU lawmakers have decided that Lannate must be taken off shop shelves by March 2009.

The deadly substance, which is freely available in Cyprus, has been responsible for the deaths of thousands of domestic pets and wild animals over the past few years.
Lannate poison was introduced to American farmers in 1970 and was quickly exported worldwide due to the fact that it had a "90% kill rate" (compared with 50% to DDT).
It quickly became a restricted chemical in most parts of the world because of its high oral toxicity. Most animals that lick or eat food tainted with the drug die an agonizing death which can last from a few minutes up to five hours.
Last month a man in Trinidad killed his son by giving him a drink laced with Lannate. Local media wrote that the victim suffered "a death too painful to describe".
From “Famagusta Gazette” 2008

Five Myths About Plastic Bags

By Anna Shepard
When I posted about my disappointment with Alastair Darling’s plans for a plastic bag tax, all sorts of responses came in arguing that this was an excuse to introduce a tax; that plastic bags should be celebrated for their lightweight durability and that they are a necessary part of modern life.

I’m afraid I don’t agree.It’s easy to recycle themThat’s rubbish. Rarely collected by local authority kerbside collections (tell me if yours does, I’d love to know what it does with them), your best chance is to find a supermarket with a recycling bank for bags. But this is far from ideal. The UK lacks its own developed plastic recycling facilities so, like most of Europe, sends the majority of its plastics to China to be recycled over there, an arrangement which lead to a BBC Real Story scandal two years ago. It uncovered our plastic being piled into Chinese landfill rather than being recycled. The problem with the plastic used in bags is that it is low quality: cheap to make from new, but tricky and energy intensive to recycle. Look at most plastic items and you’ll see a triangle containing a number; the higher that number the harder the product is to recycle. PET, numbered one, is the best sort for recycling. Decent carrier bags are numbered four. The more lightweight variety can be as high as seven. For more info on these codes, see here. They only take up a tiny proportion of landfillTaking up landfill space has never been one of the main accusations levelled at plastic bags. That they are made from a non-renewable resource, yes. That each of us in the UK uses an average of 290 of them every year, definitely. Not to mention the impact they are having on the natural world - see here. But taking up landfill space is only a small concern. In fact, it is worrying itself that only an estimated third of the bags we use end up in landfill when we are getting through so many - 145 billion last time I looked here. Where are they if they’re not in landfill? As they can’t all be in your special plastic bag holder. Many seem to find their way to the sea. There has been debate recently about the extent to which plastic bags cause marine deaths. The plastic industry points out that many of the numbers quoted are based on estimates with little scientific support. What has clearly emerged from this debate is that plastic bags are only one kind of plastic that threatens animals, and probably not the worst. Damage done by solid lumps of plastic is even more serious. Reports suggest that many birds can die because they ingest enough small lumps of plastic that their stomachs are filled with nothing else and they starve to death.
They don’t take long to breakdown The fact is that no one knows precisely how long a plastic bag takes to disappear without digging one up every decade to see how it’s getting on. Few scientists have given a figure of less than 100 years; most estimate between 200 and 1,000 years, depending on whether the bag finds itself buried in a light and air deprived landfill site or up a tree, where sunlight will help to break it down.

A few weeks ago, the Association of Plastic Manufacturers at the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry, claimed that: "They decompose within one and a half to two years because of ultravioletsunlight." I would love to know where that figure came from. They require less energy to manufacture than paper bagsIn part this is true, but paper bags are not the only alternative to plastic bags, and while they require more energy, they also come from a renewable resource. Paper bags made from fibres from sustainably managed forests, or even better, recycled paper are environmentally superior to an oil based product.

It takes 430,000 gallons of oil to produce 100 million plastic bags, according to Worldwatch Institute. In short, paper may consume more resources to produce, but it is more recyclable than plastic, breaks down more easily and does not come from oil, a resource that we should be decreasing our reliance upon.They are durable and reusable True, it has been claimed by the plastic industry that a bag can be used 15 times to carry shopping before it falls apart. This is the theory, but how many of us do this? They have become a one-use disposable item because we know the shop will hand out more for free, next time we go. The ten billion bags handed out to British shoppers are used for an average of 12 minutes before they are discarded. A material bag that you paid for is more likely to accompany you to the shops countless times. In the wake of I’m Not a Plastic Bag fever, scores of bags have followed, made from every imaginable material – from jute, hemp and bamboo to corn starch, string, recycled paper and even banana leaves.
Yes, there is an energy cost in the production of these, but the idea is that this is negated if you use them enough times. And of course, the habit of using something time and time again - whether this is a bag, a cloth in the kitchen or an item of clothing - is simply good environmental practice.
TIMESONLINE

"Artist" starves a dog to death as a work of art

An "artist" from Costa Rica - Guillermo Habacuc Vargas - as an installation piece took a dog from the street and caused it to suffer and starve to death in the name of Art.

It looked like this (click on link and scroll down):
http://elperritovive.blogspot.com/

While I do not believe in censorship, I do believe that a line must be drawn when it involves taking an unwilling model and using them against their wishes. Maybe it is not very humane of me, but I strongly believe that people who use and abuse animals, or people for that matter, for any reason, deserve to have the same thing happen to them. It may be an old cliché that many artists suffer in various ways for their work, but causing another being to suffer is another story.

I did not compose the following letter. I believe it was composed by a British artist. I am reposting it and encourage you to examine it and do something about it. Read on, as more information follows the letter.

EXHIBITION IS TAKING PLACE AT:

info@madc.ac.cr

Centro Nacional de la Cultura
Antigua Fábrica Nacional de Licores.
Avenida 3, calle 15/17. San José, Costa Rica.
Teléfono: (506) 257 7202 / 257 9370
Fax: (506) 257 8702

SAMPLE LETTER TO SEND THE GALLERY:

I am writing regarding the horrifying actions of Guillermo Habacuc Vargas, who paid local children to catch a dog on the street and then confined, starved and publicly displayed the dog as an "art" exhibit until the innocent animal died of starvation.

I, along with many people worldwide, am outraged that Guillermo Habacuc Vargas has been selected to represent Costa Rica in "Bienal Centroamericana Honduras 2008.” This man is by no definition of the word an artist. He is a criminally insane sadist and enjoys inflicting prolonged suffering upon his innocent victims. He is a danger to all of society, as it is well-documented that those with the capacity to intentionally cause harm to an animal have the same capacity to harm humans. To state that this animal would have died eventually of natural causes is unjustifiable and defies logical, rational thought.

To allow Guillermo Habacuc Vargas to represent Costa Rica in Bienal Centroamericana Honduras 2008 will in no way benefit Costa Rica. The world is watching, and the actions of this so-called artist have brought many negative assumptions as to the humanity of the people of Costa Rica. The fact that many witnesses of this animal’s suffering did nothing, and that the organizers of this event allowed this to happen, rather than taking action to see that Guillermo Vargas be criminally charged with animal abuse, is sending the world a message that Costa Rica is a cruel, uncivilized society that has no regard for life, but enjoys viewing and contributing to the loss of life.

Each and every person who knew of and witnessed the suffering of this innocent dog is guilty of causing its unnecessary death. To let this crime go unpunished, and instead to reward Guillermo Vargas by choosing him to represent Costa Rica in Bienal Centroamericana Honduras 2008 is unacceptable and shameful, not only to Costa Rica but to all participants in this event.

I urge you, do not condone the heinous actions of Guillermo Vargas by allowing him to participation in Bienal Centroamericana Honduras 2008. He should be jailed and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law for this animal’s death, and should not be allowed to represent Costa Rica as an artist, for to refer to him as such is an insult to all true artists.

Sincerely,

Your Name

ANOTHER GALLERY SHOWING HIS WORK:
This is the email address to a gallery which currently holds some of Vargas' work for display and sale. If anyone would like to ask the gallery to drop him from their list of artists the email address is below.

Email address: info@jacobkarpio-galeria.com

INFORMATION ABOUT EXHIBIT
What he says on his blog (translated):

I knew the dog died on the following day from lack of food. During the inauguration, I knew that the dog was persecuted in the evening between the houses of aluminum and cardboard in a district of Managua. 5 children who helped to capture the dog received 10 bonds of córdobas for their assistance. During the exhibition some people requested the freedom of the small dog, which the artist refused. The name of the dog was Natividad, and I let him die of hunger in the sight of everyone, as if the death of a poor dog was a shameless media show in which nobody does anything but to applaud or to watch disturbed. In the place that the dog was exposed remain a metal cable and a cord. The dog was extremely ill and did not want to eat, so in natural surroundings it would have died anyway; thus they are all poor dogs: sooner or later they die or are killed.

VIEW AND SIGN THIS PETITION: http://www.petitiononline.com/13031953/petition.html

HERE IS HIS MYSPACE PAGE (Guillermo Habacuc Vargas): http://www.myspace.com/casitadetentaciones