Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English, 01-10-13

Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Cyprus Mail at <http://www.cyprus-mail.com/>

Saturday, October 13, 2001

CONTENTS

[01] Nicosia 'a city of ugly eyesores'

[02] Joint mission to aid Afghan refugees

[03] Company chief on 17 fraud-related charges

[04] Ancient tombs found in Limassol

[05] 16 cross over from Morphou

[06] Nine hurt in road smash

[07] Two remanded on assault charges

[01] Nicosia 'a city of ugly eyesores'

NICOSIA is a city of car parks, token greenery and ugly eyesores as a result of fragmented and thoughtless planning policies, Technical Chamber (ETEK) president Nicos Mesaritis said yesterday.

Mesaritis was addressing the two-day international conference on 'Nicosia in the 21 stCentury: The Vision for a European City'. His presentation focused on planning gaffes in the capital since 1974, including the hurriedly erected refugee estates, which he said created a social anomaly.

Mesaritis also referred to the gigantic statue built in memory of Makarios in the grounds of the Archbishopric, which he said was an assault to the eye.

" We have done things aimed at honouring people but these things insult us today,"he said." They are stubbornly done for personal motives, not taking anyone else into account. Just because someone has some space doesn't mean he should be allowed to do what he likes with it."

Mesaritis also said that Nicosia was full of enormous car parks put together with no regard for weather conditions and that any greenery in the capital was merely there as a distraction for passing motorists. " There are places that could be shaped but everything here is designed to facilitate cars,"he said.

Another issue affecting the capital is the lack of co-ordination in town planning. Mesaritis said that there are so many municipalities in Nicosia, and although each one has its own development projects, many were conflicting.

" It's high time it was recognised that planning for Nicosia can't be unco- ordinated,"he said." Central Nicosia has been downgraded and this is where the real face of the city should be. Nicosia is moving south. Businesses are moving out of the centre and a new Nicosia is being created on the boundaries, which will require a new road network to service these areas."

Planning for Nicosia, he added, should be treated with extra care. " It appears to function as a modern city, but in essence the marks of division can't be removed and still affect its functioning,"he said.

Nicosia Mayor Lellos Demetriades also focused on the division of the capital. " Nicosia unfortunately is not like other cities,"he said. " Just because the maps show Nicosia as a blank north of the Green Line doesn't mean it is blank. People live there."

Interior Minister Christodoulos Christodoulou promised an overhaul of town planning legislation. He said that although the legislation was only passed 11 years ago, in reality its contents were more than 30 years in the making and were now obsolete.

" Cypriot towns are already experiencing the problems of European cities, "he said. " They must be adapted for the decades to come, but such a complex dream can only be done through collective thinking and modernisation of the town planning system."

Manthos Mavromatis, president of the Nicosia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, called on the government not to exclude the private sector from city projects." The government cannot respond on its own to the necessary infrastructural work needed in Nicosia. It needs to overcome the mentality of the past where everything comes from the state,"he said.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[02] Joint mission to aid Afghan refugees

Volunteers from the IAF have already flown to the region from their German headquarters, taking four crates of medical supplies, food and powdered milk.

Next week Eleni Theocharous, President of Doctors of the World (Cyprus), will lead a mission to dispense medical supplies, offer surgical expertise and transport more food.

Doctors of the World yesterday launched a national appeal to raise money for the plight of the Afghan people. Donors can deposit money in the following bank accounts: Laiki Bank 01521 008 116 and Bank of Cyprus 011 401 016 785. Cyprus Airways has offered to cover the cost of two flights to the trouble spot for members of the team.

In a separate effort, the Cyprus Red Cross Society has announced that it has sent 6,000 to Afghanistan. The money came from the organisation's reserves and private donations.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[03] Company chief on 17 fraud-related charges

Andreas Athanassiou, general manager of Max Data Holdings Ltd, is under investigation for allegedly conspiring to steal around a million pounds from his company in March 2000. A total of 17 charges have been brought against him, including falsification of documents and records, forgery, and use of company assets for personal gain.

On Thursday a pre-trial hearing at Nicosia District Court heard allegations that Anathassiou had conspired with others to steal more than 900,000 from Max Data Holdings Ltd. The prosecution claimed that this enabled him to later buy two apartments and luxury Mercedes worth around 40,000, and that his two daughters received 50,000 each as a dowry gift. Athanassiou also allegedly invested around 6,000 in buying Hellenic Bank shares.

Athanassiou will now appear before a criminal court on October 29. His lawyer has asked for his release on bail.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[04] Ancient tombs found in Limassol

The Antiquities Department says the Bronze Age tombs are of significant archaeological value. Several vases and human skeletons were found in the tombs, and were removed to be cleaned and dated.

The tombs were discovered on Zachaiou Road, which has been closed off and is being guarded while the Antiquities Department continues to investigate the find.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[05] 16 cross over from Morphou

The six men, three women and seven children, were picked up by welfare department officers, and arrangements are under way to transfer them to Limassol, where they say they have relatives.

Government Spokesman Michalis Papapetrou said yesterday that despite some practical difficultiesby the arrival of gypsies, nevertheless Turkish Cypriots are welcome in the Republic of Cyprus and they have a right to freedom of movement.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[06] Nine hurt in road smash

The rental car, driven by Anton Offner, 51, with wife Gisela, 40, in the passenger seat, crossed into the wrong lane at around 6.20am and collided with an oncoming car driven by Ioannis Ioannou, 44, from Limassol.

All three were seriously injured and rushed to Paphos Hospital. Six passengers in Ioannou's car escaped with minor cuts and bruises.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

[07] Two remanded on assault charges

The 17-year-old and 19-year-old brothers from England were arrested yesterday after allegedly beating a 26-year-old woman they found in their hotel room with their father.

A woman was taken to the Limassol General Hospital where she was treated for fractures to her cheekbones.

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2001

Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article