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Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English, 02-04-02Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus Mail at <http://www.cyprus-mail.com/>Tuesday, April 2, 2002CONTENTS
[01] Smoke-free beaches, fiery seas, a new Grivas scandal and electioneeringBy Jean Christou and Alexi SaoulliAPRIL Fool stories in the Greek-language press yesterday ranged from smoke- free beaches to a new education scandal. Alithia kicked off with a new slant to the recent Grivas rhetoric, when the communist AKEL leader Demetris Christofias slammed the National Guard for allegedly making soliders chant slogans in honour of EOKA leader George Grivas. Yesterday the newspaper said that AKEL had made new allegations that a left- wing high-school student and his teacher had clashed over the history of the EOKA struggle. "It would appear the teacher did not distinguish the role Grivas played in the terrorist EOKA B campaign," the article said. When the student complained the teacher did nothing about it. Then a group of other students began chanting: 'Grivas You Live and Guide Us' and the teacher just smiled. Politis decided to take advantage of the House of Representatives war against smoking. The newspaper reported that Commerce, Industry and Tourism Minister Nicos Rolandis said smoking would be banned on Cyprus beaches "not because it's bad for smokers' health but because it might ignite the oil and gas reserves off the coast". The Ministry is also consulting with the navy to ban smoking on ships in Cyprus waters. The paper reported one official as saying: "We are lucky so far that we have not lost anyone to sea fires." Sources said that Health Minister Frixos Savvides was a tad upset with the speed at which the measures would be implemented when his Ministry's measures have not yet been approved. Rolandis and the natural gas issue figured again in AKEL mouthpiece Haravghi's spoof story. The paper reported that Rolandis, on a recent visit to Egypt, was given an urn containing a sample of the crude oil extracted from the island's unexplored deposits. "On his return to Cyprus he remained tight-lipped and handed over the sample to the state lab," it said. The local natural gas is so pure that it will hardly need refining before use, it said. According to the Foreign Ministry large American refineries have offered to invest billions of dollars in the island if they can exploit our natural gas. Simerini focused on the presidential elections, which have been hitting the headlines over the past few weeks. The paper said that President Glafcos Clerides will be running for a third term of office. Ruling DISY has so far promoted three candidates, Yiannakis Cassoulides, Alecos Markides and Yiannakis Matsis, but the conflict surrounding these three has DISY chiefs deeply worried over the explosive effects this could have on the party. It is now preparing a scenario to reintroduce Clerides as a candidate, and Clerides himself is open to the idea, the paper said. Copyright Cyprus Mail 2002 [02] Book of condolenceTHE BRITISH High Commission announced yesterday that on the occasion of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, a book of condolence will be open today from 11am, at the High Commission's Consular and Visa Section in Nicosia.Copyright Cyprus Mail 2002 [03] Clerides urges ceasefire so talks can beginPRESIDENT Glafcos Clerides yesterday expressed his sorrow at the worsening situation in the Middle East and called for a ceasefire so peace talks can begin."The only comment one can make at present is to express sadness for the very many victims of this struggle, citizens, children and women," Clerides said. He said that a ceasefire was imperative and called for peace talks to settle the problem."The issue cannot be resolved with violence from Israel or counter-violence from the Palestinians," he said. The President said that the international community had taken a step by adopting a resolution which called for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Palestinian cities, an immediate cessation of all acts of violence and a ceasefire. "There must be compliance with the resolution of the Security Council," the President said. Reports yesterday said there were four Cypriot families still in Ramallah, where Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's headquarters has been besieged by Israeli forces since Friday. According to a representative of the Greek community in Jerusalem, the four families are suffering a lack of electricity and water, but are said to be in good health. Cyprus Airways yesterday said it had not yet discussed cancelling flights to Tel Aviv, despite a suicide bomb attack there on Sunday, while the Israeli in embassy in Nicosia did not appear to have additional security yesterday. Around 100 protesters supporting the Palestinians gathered there on Saturday evening but no incidents were reported. Copyright Cyprus Mail 2002 [04] Nadir bank seizedBANKING authorities in the occupied area of Cyprus said on Sunday they had seized control of Kibris Endustri Bank, run by fugitive businessman Asil Nadir.A statement from the Turkish Cypriot 'central bank' said Endustri Bank "posed a danger to the confidence and stability of the financial system" and had failed to act on repeated warnings to improve its financial position, Reuters news agency reported.It was the tenth bank to have been seized in the north and taken into receivership since a first wave of failures in December 1999.Nadir was president of the board of directors of Endustri Bank, which has battled to stay out of receivership for a number of years and which in 2000 struck a deal with the Denktash regime to allow it to continue operations on its own.It will now be administered by a 'state' fund.The banking problems in the north parallel those in Turkey, the only state to recognise the 'TRNC' and its only financial and military backer.Nadir fled to Cyprus from Britain in 1993 after the Serious Fraud Office in the UK laid 66 charges against him relating to the collapse of his Polly Peck conglomerate.Copyright Cyprus Mail 2002 [05] Case into death of boy, 10, reopenedTHE HEALTH Ministry is today reopening a case of alleged medical negligence that took place three years ago, press reports said yesterday.The case concerns the death of a 10-year-old boy at Nicosia General Hospital in 1999, when an inquest showed doctors misdiagnosed him and prescribed a highly toxic drug which led to severe liver damage and his untimely death. The outcome of the inquest into his death left a number of unanswered questions and implications of medical negligence, prompting the Health Ministry to carry out another investigation into the matter. Press reports said Attorney-general Alecos Markides has also advised that the case be reopened, particularly since the boy's parents are filing a lawsuit against the state and Nicosia General Hospital doctors. Copyright Cyprus Mail 2002 [06] '60,000 diabetics in Cyprus'SIXTY thousand Cypriots are diabetic, House President Demetris Christofias said during the Cyprus Diabetic Association annual general meeting on Sunday.He said the fact that eight per cent of the population suffers from diabetes called for a policy of prevention and control, as the numbers will only increase over the years. Christofias stressed that state medical care for diabetics on the island was insufficient and did not meet the standards of developed countries. He highlighted the need for improved care and a greater public awareness of the problem, pointing out that exercise, conditioning and healthy eating habits were the primary protectors against the disease. According to a World Health Organisation (WHO) report, Christofias added, the number of diabetics worldwide would increase to 300 million by the end of the year. Copyright Cyprus Mail 2002 [07] Memorial services mark EOKA anniversaryCYPRIOT Hellenism is continuing the struggle for justice and freedom, President Glafcos Clerides said yesterday during a memorial service for those who died during the 1955-59 struggle against British colonial rule.After the church service, the President attended a memorial ceremony at the graves of Greek Cypriots condemned to death by the British. Clerides said the sacrifice and the heroic deeds of the fighters of the anti-colonial struggle provided Cypriots today with many examples of the fighting spirit for freedom, in their bid to rid the country of the Turkish occupation forces.Clerides and many of the island's political, religious and military leadership attended a special commemorative church service, conducted by Archbishop Chrystostomos, to honour those who died during the EOKA struggle, which began on April 1, 1955.Similar services took place abroad. Copyright Cyprus Mail 2002 [08] Record number of foreign workers in CyprusONE IN 10 workers in Cyprus is foreign, according to a survey by the Statistical Services.At the end of 2001, the number of legal foreign workers on the island reached the record number of 34,500, up 8,500 from the previous year. Housemaids make up the greatest portion of foreign workers, with 9,700 on the island to date, followed by 4,500 offshore company employees, the report said. The foreign workers are primarily from Sri Lanka and the Philippines, followed by Bulgarians, Greeks, Russians and Romanians. The report said that in 1995 only 15,000 foreign workers were employed on the island. Since then the figures have climbed steadily, with 20,000 in 1998, 24,000 in 1999, 26,000 in 2000 and 34,500 last year. Foreign workers predominantly work in hotels and restaurants, agricultural professions, trade and production. Copyright Cyprus Mail 2002 [09] Man remanded after cocaine findA LARNACA court remanded a 32-year-old Lebanese man in custody for eight days on Sunday, on suspicion of possession with intent to sell 1.3 kilograms of cocaine.The suspect had flown in from Amsterdam on Saturday evening when he was stopped and searched at the airport by members of the Drug Squad and customs officers. Police said they found 112 cylinders of the drug strapped to his legs and waist. The 32-year-old also admitted to swallowing a further 11 cylinders of cocaine, they said, and was taken to Larnaca Hospital to have them surgically removed. Copyright Cyprus Mail 2002 [10] Man killed in traffic accidentA 60-year-old man was killed and three others were injured in a traffic accident on Sunday near Kokkinotrimithia.The accident happened at 8.30am when the victim, Kyriacos Charalambous from Archangelos in Nicosia, was driving on the Nicosia-Kokkinotrimithia road and his car was in collision with another one driven by Androulla Georgiou, 24, from Paliometocho. According to police, Georgiou's car appeared to be out of control and she was driving on the wrong side of the road. After hitting Charalambous' vehicle she also collided with a car driven by Elena Philippou, 25, from Aglandjia, whose mother and young children were also with her. The three injured, Charalambous' wife Vassiliki, 57, Philippou's three-year old daughter, and Georgiou were taken to Nicosia General Hospital for treatment. Copyright Cyprus Mail 2002 Cyprus Mail: News Articles in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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