COMMERCE Minister Antonis Paschalides announced that he is ready to sign a deal for the construction of a marina in Ayia Napa.
However, Mr Paschalides spoke of two preconditions which will have to be fulfilled by the businessmen involved before a deal is signed.
The deal has been on the back-burner for the past four months and a deal for the construction of a state of the art marina in Paphos is also in limbo. Paschalides urged Paphos businessmen involved to solve the legal issues surrounding the project so that a deal can be found.
He also said that the Island expects a surge in tourist arrivals and urged the local councils and communities to take extra care with issues of tidiness and cleanliness as well as infrastructure to be addressed ahead of the arrival of tourists.
Paschalides also warned hoteliers against firing Cypriot workers as they represent a part of Cyprus’ renowned hospitality.
Where are all of these people with boats coming from to warrant all these new marinas?
Or is this the Cypriot government accepting that foreigners are no longer going to buy houses on Cyprus and instead spend their money on a boat and stay in the gentle harbour waters rather than get a plot on the harsh Cypriot landscape?
The long awaited Marina!
Well you all should know that the roads have been in for nearly a year. All lovely smooth tarmac and pavement drop down ramps for cycles and disabled. The roads are fully marked with shiny new paint marking white and yellow lines etc. The street lights are a thing of beauty. They are all on every night lighting up the 1st class road to nowhere. I would even put money on it that the mains sewage is connected to this area as well.
This is all situated just after the Maccronissos turn on the left as you approach the water park just outside Ayia Napa and just before Ayia Thekla.
Oh talking of Ayia Thekla, (where my Villa is located) there is NO mains sewage connected here, hardly any street lights (unless you want to pay for it yourselves) Most of the developments (including mine) have to rely on cesspit tanks, ours developer installed a sewage treatment plant the other year. So he could fulfil his obligation to some authority that gave him planning permission to build 3 new Villas on our green area. It was installed badly; leaks all over, the manufacturer refused to give it a certificate of compliance. it was switched of and the lids locked about 6 months ago as our development collectively refused to accept the poor workmanship and the cost of its up keep (to a company which seems to be linked to the developer) now it is used as a overflow for the ONE and only cesspit (3 meter ringed hole in the ground which is open at the bottom) for originally 23 Villas Now 26. Of course we have to pay for this to be emptied as it is NOT covered in our rates? And to top it off. NO authority I and others have contacted seem to have the power to make the developer put it right, that includes our drains which are now falling to bits due to bad shoddy installation 10 years ago (which I and others complained incessantly about at the time)That seems to be Cyprus.
YET not more that 10-15 mins walk down the road is this fantastic lovely new infrastructure for the Marina. Which will probably end up being private and we the local residence will not get to use? All to bring in the big money to the big money grabbing Cypriots, who do NOT give a DAMN about local residence Cypriot or British?
So Mr Paschalides where are you now for us????
I have to agree with most of you. R.I.P. Cyprus tourist industry, along with the Housing market and the long lost Cypriot hospitality.
Let the Russians have it that is what the Cypriots want. (There money) I think they will find in a few years they wish they had not encouraged them in such a big way.
Stick with the British at least we are honourable people.
U Boat.
The statements made by Mr. Paschalides, the Commerce Minister, contain the usual diet of wishful thinking that we’ve been accustomed to and are laughable if the topic wasn’t so serious.
Where does one start?
Firstly, Paschalides urging Paphos businessmen “to solve legal issues” fills those of us in the know with dread, especially in the context of the antics of lawyers in general and those based in Paphos in particular. Would anyone really trust one of these legal ‘practitioners’? I think not.
As for the Minister “expecting an upsurge in tourist arrivals”, yet more spin and downright fabrication of the reality on the ground. Regarding “tidiness and cleanliness”, the island resembles something more akin to a favela in Sao Paulo than a tourist resort.
And last but not least, hoteliers are urged not to “fire Cypriot workers as they represent part of Cyprus’ renowned hospitality”. Cypriot hospitality? I regret to say that this attribute has long departed these shores and has been replaced with a cocktail of surliness, greed and indifference.
RIP Cyprus. Your time is most definitely up.
A marina at Ayia Napa, another at Paphos and another at Lanaca together with the existing marina at Latchi. All I need now is a boat. Can I have it registered in my name? And do I have to clear off the chandlers mortgage before I can launch it??
Expects a surge in tourist arrivals ??, dream on mate!
Finally, the penny starts to drop about the piles of rubble and untidiness on this Island, and the effect they have on tourism.
It’s not rocket science is it?