Letters to the Cyprus Mail

Letters should be sent to mail@cyprus-mail.com or by post to 24 Vass. Voulgaroctonou, P.O. Box 21144, 1502 Nicosia. Please include name, address, and work and home telephone numbers.

Mugged in Limassol

20/05/12
As a tourist to your island I would just like to tell you about an incident which happened to us recently. While helping my disabled husband along the pavement to the Limassol bus I was surrounded by about 20 teenagers who jostled me, opened my handbag and stole my purse containing ?100 sterling and approximately €96 as well as my driver’s licence and credit cards My purse also had a special reference card relating to my cancer in case of emergency... 2 comments

No sympathy for taxi drivers

20/05/12
 I have been coming to Cyprus for 19 years. During this time I have experienced the taxi services of this country and must say that I would now go to any lengths not to do so again. Who killed the sale? It was the taxi drivers themselves by behaving like thugs when things are not to their liking such as rickshaws and new bus services.There appears to be no discipline or recognition that compliance with Cyprus laws applies to them as well as everybody else. Cheating the tourist is commonplace. You’re told that it's a fixed rate and the meter is not needed or is broken.  Charging double the correct fare is also commonplace. No meter no fare. Don't be afraid to call the police if you are being conned... 3 comments

These two guys are to die for

20/05/12
Kudos to Theo Panayides for his fine interview with the Funeral Boys. I was greatly relieved to know that there are people out there with a healthy view of death that might actually be able to help those who remain behind get through this dramatic but inevitable life event in an open and rational way. My one regret is that I may only get to meet them when I myself kick the bucket. I’m looking forward to it.Carrie Rodomar, Nicosia ... Read on

Complaint against a lawyer was heard, for all the good it did

20/05/12
With considerable interest, I recently read an article on your website headed: no chance to complain about Cyprus lawyers... 4 comments

Triage should be practiced in all hospitals

20/05/12
I shall start my letter with a short official definition of the term, “triage”.Triage is the process of quickly examining sick or injured people, for example after an accident or a battle, so that those who are in the most serious condition can be treated first. As is the case with many public hospitals, if not all, in Greece but as I found out, in Cyprus as well, this procedure is not practiced and patients are left waiting for their turn.  Recently my five-year old nephew broke his index finger while playing and was rushed to the hospital in Larnaca.  ... 1 comment

Wall of silence on crematoria

20/05/12
I write with reference to the letter about non-response from government officials on May 13.  That said, I did receive a written declaration to me last August by Law Commissioner Mrs Leda Koursoumba's Office that administration concerning funeral parlours, embalming  and crematoria would be concluded by the end of 2011.  But since August I have heard nothing more.   Accordingly I have been unable to answer numerous recent enquiries from among the 7,000 plus names I have registered in support as to why I have been silent on this topic.  ... 3 comments

Urgent need for Eastern Orthodox cooperation

13/05/12
I am writing you this letter regarding the urgent need for the  establishment of an Eastern Orthodox Cooperation Council could be a great political mechanism for uniting the power of Eastern Orthodox countries. The unification of Cyprus and the recognition of the Nagorno Karabagh are two critically important issues that a future  Eastern Orthodox Cooperation Council can help achieve.The Turks and Azeris are members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Turkic Council . The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation has passed anti-Armenian proclamations and has organised the UN to pass Anti-Armenian resolutions. These same organisations hate all of Eastern Christendom and we need  our own organisation to stand up against them... 1 comment

And not a cop in sight...

13/05/12
It has to be written, but I don’t know how to write it. I have just got home after enjoying a sundowner at a Limassol seafront bar. AEL have won the Cyprus league. Great – I am happy for them. The hooliganism which accompanied the win was, perhaps, understandable if not forgivable. Football is a tribal game and the winning tribe is entitled to publicly display its scalps. But for how long before the latter decompose? Witness a parade of cars and trucks, people hanging out of windows, sitting on bonnets, driving deliberately on the wrong side of the central divider towards oncoming traffic, burning tyres, rubbish containers set ablaze and wholesale graffiti spraying. And this is WINNING? ... 1 comment

Not a cop in sight: the sequel

13/05/12
Where were the police?  Last Sunday in Limassol was shear madness, why?  Well, if the past 24 hours hadn’t have told you then nothing would have!  AEL won the football.    Next time I want to celebrate, I now know what to do.  Hit my car horn non-stop, up until 3.30am and then again from 5.00am as the morning shift takes over.  Sit on the roof of my car or hang out of the windows even if it’s a dual carriageway flying my flag in everyone's face.  Race and burn rubber, even if there are tourists and people enjoying or perhaps trying to spend Sunday perhaps a bit differently.  The best of all though is to know that no police are around so not only can I do all of the above, but many, many of my compatriots' can do too... 1 comment

Civil servants and the ‘I’m all right Jack’ mentality

13/05/12
Despite my numerous letters to various governmental departments regarding the change in law in respect of benefits for single parents, unfortunately I have had no reply up to now.A new law was passed in December 2011 stating that single parents would receive up to €200 per child - depending on your income - and the benefit would start from  January 1, 2012... 1 comment