Cyprus Mail: Press Review in English, 98-07-04

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From: The Cyprus Mail at <http://www.cynews.com/>

Saturday, July 4, 1998

Copter grounded over £230 part

STORIES about helicopters, red roses, sexual harassment and pending increases in defence contributions adorned the front pages of the local dailies yesterday.

Alithia reported that a National Guard chopper had been grounded for almost two years for lack of a replacement ball-bearing costing just £230.

The army had not bought the spare part because the Defence Ministry was engaged in protracted talks with suppliers intended to reduce the price of the part by £10 to £20, the paper said.

The Defence Ministry is blaming a Finance Ministry directive that all army supplies be bought as cheaply as possible for the delay, it added.

A thousand red roses dominated the front page of Simerini yesterday.

The roses, pictured in their full glory, were sent to Bishop Chrysanthos of Limassol by an American woman implicated in an alleged fraud scam the clergyman has been linked to by British police.

The paper said Marie Elouise Kormi sent the roses to Bishop Chrysanthos along with a written statement in which she rubbishes the claims against the priest.

"I have chosen these red roses because they are the roses of Jesus - symbolising his blood - who died for us," the note reportedly said.

She condemned the allegations against her and Chrysanthos as "malicious lies" and pleaded with everyone to "open their hearts to the cries of millions of crying children."

Chrysanthos himself made no comment, the paper said.

Phileleftheros reported an "unheard-of" incident at the Cyprus University: a female student lodging an official complaint against one of her male lecturers for sexual harassment.

The complaint was made in writing and the university council responded by setting up a special investigating committee to look into the matter, the paper said. The student alleged the lecturer had offered to give her something in return for sexual favours.

The report added that more female students were prepared to come forward with similar complaints against the same member of staff.

Machi said a bill providing for a one per cent increase in defence contributions was set to pass through the House during the plenum's last session before the summer break on Thursday.

The controversial bill now had the support of Disy, Diko and Edek, the paper reported. House president Spyros Kyprianou was to launch a personal initiative to get Akel on-side as well, the paper added.

© Copyright Cyprus Mail 1998

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