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Nominations open for the ninth Paphos Hearts of Gold Award
By Bejay Browne

The nomination process for the ninth annual Paphos Heart of Gold Award is now open, and two new categories have been added this year.

The philanthropic, community-based awards aim to recognise those who have shown tremendous courage, strength and determination, worked tirelessly within the community or for charities, overcome tragedies with a smile or have simply been a great help and support to neighbours and friends.

The ninth annual Paphos Hearts of Gold Award ceremony will be held at Palia Ilekriki Cultural Centre in Paphos on Friday December 11. Nominees and their families will be invited to attend the ceremony.

Marios Joannou Elia, Ambassador of tourism for Cyprus, has been named this year’s Patron, for a second year. The Paphos Zingers will provide a festive welcome and snacks and drinks will be available at the venue after the ceremony.

“It is an honour to be the patron of this important philanthropic community-based award for the second year, which promotes courage and courageous behaviour, as well as ethical values. All these are indicators of our cultural status,” Joannou Elia said.

He continued: “Last year’s awards were extremely successful, with close to 40 nominees. This year is going to be even more special, as two new awards have been added. I am very much looking forward to meeting the nominees and their families at the event.”

A charity worker who has devoted her life to caring for and supporting others, and a budding young dancer who helps other people’s dreams come true, were the winners of last year’s awards.

Sally Unsworth and teenager Nina Christodoulou were chosen by a panel of ten judges and announced by the Patron.

The Junior Heart of Gold award is open for those under 18, and the Heart of Gold award is for adults.
This year, organisers are also introducing the Paphos Heart of Gold Lifetime Achievement award for outstanding dedication to the community; this award may also be given posthumously.

The Paphos Heart of Gold Jasmitha Singh Award for Courage will also be presented for the first time, and is open to children under the age of 15 who have shown determination, resilience and strength when faced with difficulties.

This award is in honour of a previous winner of the Junior Heart of Gold award, Jasmitha Marharjasingh, who recently passed away aged just 15. The award will be presented to the winner by her mother, Sathiya Singh.

Members of the public are now invited to put forward names of both adults and children that they feel are deserving of this year’s award. The awards are open to everyone who is a resident of Paphos, of all ages and nationalities and winners are chosen by a panel of ten judges.

Aphrodite jewellers in Paphos each year donates a hand crafted gold heart on a pin, which is the winners’ to keep. This year’s adult winner will also receive a weekend break with dinner at the five star Almyra hotel in Paphos.
Nominations should be between 50-150 words and include contact details of the nominee, along with the person nominating them, to ensure conformation of receipt

Nominations can be made by email to: - paphosheartsofgold@mail.com or written ones Paphos Hearts of Gold 2015, PO Box 64142, Paphos, 8072, Cyprus. The award also has a dedicated Facebook page.

The closing date is Saturday December 5. The Paphos Hearts of Gold Award 2015 is supported by Sunshine Radio, the Paphos Post, the British High Commission in Nicosia, the Paphos Municipality Social Welfare Committee, Aphrodite Jewellers, Massiva printers and Palia Ilektriki Restaurant.

Yeroskipou seafront due for upgrade
By Bejay Browne

Plans to upgrade the coastline and municipality beaches in Yeroskipou in Paphos are underway, according to the mayor.

Michalis Pavlides said that the construction of a further six wave breakers in the sea off the Yeroskipou coast will commence at the end of the year.

“These six will run from where work in the sea stopped three and a half years ago and continue to the east of Yeroskipou. We already have six wave breakers in place and the new ones will cost three million euros.”

The funding for the project has been granted by the government and aims to make the area safe for sea goers, said Pavlides. Their purpose is to prevent erosion and help to create safer areas for those using the sea. The twelve wave breakers will cover the area from the Phaethon coast to the Esouza River.

Officials and residents say that the Land of the Kings projects a shabby image for the area, made worse because it is situated directly opposite the entrance to the Tomb of the Kings, a protected UNESCO site. This was once a thriving, bustling and successful holiday complex, used by a number of different holiday companies.

Thomson and other tour operators used to promote the venue, and it was used as a destination for holidaymakers between 1985- 2007.

Since its heyday, it has become run down. Many apartments and shops have lain empty, the swimming pool has been abandoned and there are piles of rubbish and unsightly graffiti.

A spokesman for Paphos municipality said that the Land of the Kings was built in the early 1980s and was a remarkable project for its time.

She stressed that the main concern of villagers is the negative impact and enormous disruption which this type of development would have on their normally peaceful lives.

Andreas Kaponides, community leader of Peristerona where the land is found, said that as far as he is aware, permission for the racing track has not been granted.

A spokesman for Paphos district office said that the matter would be investigated.

Hundreds of visitors flocked to the market which was floodlit and organised by the Paphos Post team. Around 50 stalls sold a variety of items and each stall holder paid a €15 fee, €5 of which went towards the ‘Matthew 25 feed the hungry in Paphos’ project, which is run by the Paphos Christian Fellowship International PCFI.

Matthew 25 also had a stall selling bric-a-brac and all proceeds went towards feeding the hungry. Hundreds of people attended the first event and €1,500 was raised to help feed the needy in Paphos.

Stalls offered all sorts of items including local crafts, books, vinyl records, jewellery, beauty products, home and décor, fashion, homemade cakes and pies, wines, beers, snacks and lots more. A number of local businesses were also present and teas and coffees were served. Tables and chairs provided an area for people to relax and enjoy the atmosphere.

There was also a fantastic and popular street dance show by “Young Stars”.

The Matthew 25 project has around 50 families registered with the programme and provides staple foods, dried goods and necessities such as bread, pasta, rice, cereals and tinned foods, as well as nappies and toiletries every week.
 

Akamas consultations underway in Nicosia
By Bejay Browne

A series of meetings with the agriculture minister concerning plans for the Akamas region got underway in Nicosia. The purpose of the meetings is a bid to weigh up all opinions before submitting the final management plan for the area, according to minister Nicos Kouyialis.

The Akamas was named a protected natural habitat by Natura 2000, a network of protected areas within the EU, a move which displeased many of the residents who own land within its limits.

In the last 25 years, various governments have repeatedly presented the land owners with expropriation proposals but have been rejected every time. Land owners and residents have argued that it is unfair not to allow them to develop what is now classed as prime real estate.

Conservationists oppose any development within the natural reserve.

“I will also hear from NGOs and environmental organisations,” he said.

According to the Kouyialis, a ministerial meeting scheduled for November 14 will discuss the management plan.
“The plan for the communities which Antonia Theodisou has devised and all the proposals from the communities will be discussed,” he said.

The minister added: “By the end of the year I hope that the ministerial committee will have a proposal for the council of ministers.”
 

Sam Bailey X Factor winner in Cyprus
By Bejay Browne

X-Factor winner Sam Bailey flew to Cyprus for two live concerts and hopes to return to the island to perform again soon.

She performed at the St. John’s School Amphitheatre and on Saturday night at the Pissouri Amphitheatre

Bailey was joined on stage by three support acts including the Achord Ladies Community Choir, and comedy vocal acts Steve Walls and Mark Bolton and Louise B.
 

Supreme Court decision on Marina pending
By Bejay Browne

A Supreme Court hearing concerning a proposed marina in Paphos was wrapped up in September but the decision was reserved.

According to the head of the Paphos Chamber of Commerce, Andreas Demetriades, he doesn’t expect a judgment to be issued for a couple of months.

Demetriades said that the construction of the marina, which has been plagued by litigation, is imperative for the economy and tourist product of the coastal town and will create many new jobs.

“The project has been frozen since litigation began after the project was awarded in 2008 and the marina development is a very important and crucial project for Paphos. This is not least due to Paphos’ geographical position, and the demand already shown for the facility is great,” he said.

The chamber head noted that following the announcement of the tender for the project in 2007, it was awarded to a consortium headed up by the Leptos Group in 2008. However, the other two consortiums who had bid for the project challenged the award, at various stages, and it has since been in limbo.

According to Demetriades, the Supreme Court had, after an appeal, revoked a decision of the Tenders Review Authority and ratified an initial tender decision. That Supreme Court decision was then appealed and is pending.

If the marina is finally built, it will have a capacity of 1,000 berths for boats and would be located in the bay of Potima in Kissonerga in an area 155,000 square metres. The project will take approximately three years to be completed.

Cyprus a top holiday choice this season
By Bejay Browne

The island’s tourism is seeing positive movement as the season gets underway, officials said, as they focus on reducing the loss from the Russian market.

Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO) chairman Angelos Loizou said: “We are in the middle of a tourist season and we see some positive trends and reversals taking place after quite a few years but we are not resting.”

Loizou, who sat in a board meeting of the Cyprus Hotel Association (PASYXE) said that for the last six months, following an attempt to encourage traditional markets, such as the UK and Germany, that positive results were being experienced.

One of the CTO’s main objectives was also to extend the winter tourist period.
He said there were new markets for Cyprus to explore, like France, Poland, Israel and other Arabic countries.

According to the London-based World Travel and Tourism Council, tourism makes out roughly one quarter of Cyprus’s economy.
Tourist arrivals rose 11 per cent in April compared to a year before to 201,495 mainly from the UK and Greece, the statistical service said. The UK is still Cyprus’s largest market.


Singer Alesha Dixon films new music video in Paphos
By Bejay Browne

Alesha Dixon has teamed up with First Choice holidays and was spotted in Paphos filming for her new music video.

The ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ judge filmed the music video for her new summer single “The Way We Are” at a number of locations and First Choice resorts in Paphos, according to the all-inclusive holidays website.

Spotted at the Sea Caves area in Paphos, the pop star, in a first for the UK, filmed three different endings to her video and will let fans choose which one is used, by voting on the First Choice website from May. The move is part of the company’s, “Summer of music” campaign, for which she is the 'Music Headliner’ for 2015.

The single is the singers first offering since 2010, and the website quotes her as saying: “Music is such an important part of any holiday whether it’s listening to the latest summer tracks by the pool or turning on the tunes as you get ready for a night out. So I’m delighted to be headlining First Choice’s Summer of Music and helping to give holidaymakers the ultimate soundtrack to their summer.

Music lovers can create their own ‘soundtrack’ to their holiday using the ‘Summer of Music Playlist Generator’- on the First Choice website. Created in association with Spotify, the generator uses a bespoke formula to pick tracks for every stage of the holiday.

Luke Gaskins, Head of Music in First Choice resorts is quoted as saying that the campaign is designed to remind people that with a First Choice holiday the food, drinks, activities and now the music, are all included.

The former Mis-Teeq MC took to the stage to showcase her new single in front of her co-judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and David Walliams on the third live semi-final of the ITV talent show. She met with rapturous applause. The single is due to be released on June 21st.


New park in Anavargos inaugurated

By Bejay Browne

Paphos municipality invited local residents to attend the inauguration of a park and playground which held in Anavargos village in Paphos.

The park was officially named after Aristides Tziamalis, lauded as a hero, who originated from the occupied community of Massari near Morphou but spent his final years in the Paphos village where he died in 1968. Many of his descendants still live there.

Eleftherios Antoniou, the president of the council of Massari said that the village is proud that Anavargos is naming their park after such a great man.

“We are very proud that one of our villagers is finally being recognised after giving so many years of service to his country. We have been trying to get a monument or park named in his honour for some time, to express our thanks,” he said.

“There is still a strong connection between Paphos and our community because of him. We have a common history through Tziamalis.”

The park was inaugurated by the mayor of Paphos, Phedonas Phedonos. The previous council took the decision to name the green space after Aristides Panagiotis Tziamali (1876-1968), who took part in some of Greece’s toughest struggles in the early 20th century. These included the Macedonian Struggle (1906), the Balkan Wars (1912-1913) and the First World War (1914-1918), where he was wounded twice.

The modern playground cost around € 35,000 from its budget. The equipment meets European safety standards and is suitable for use by infants aged 1-3 years and children up to 12 years.



Paphos deputy mayor refuses to sit with SAPA suspect
By Bejay Browne

A recent council meeting in Paphos was disrupted after the deputy mayor refused to sit in session due to the presence of a councillor facing corruption charges.

Makis Roussis exercised his right to leave the meeting in protest at the presence of AKEL municipal councillor Giorgos Shailis, who is currently in court facing charges of corruption in the Paphos sewerage board scandal (SAPA), according to Andreas Chrysanthou, also a councillor.

The court adjourned until June 5 to give time to three of the defendants – including former mayor Fidias Sarikas – to respond to the charges.

The defendants face 58 charges in total including bribery, money laundering, and abuse of authority. Shailis and former DISY municipal councillor Giorgos Michaelides also asked for more time.

Former DIKO municipal councillor Eftathtios Efstathiou and former AKEL municipal councillor Vasos Vassiliou pleaded not guilty to all charges. They will appear before court on September 24.

So far disgraced ex Paphos Mayor Savvas Vergas and the head of the sewerage board, Eftychios Malekides have been convicted in the case and are currently serving prison terms. The Paphos municipal council is set to file another case against former mayor Savvas Vergas, relating to the demarcation of plots in the Kato Pervolia area of Paphos.
Chrysanthou said: “Mr. Roussis has said he will not be present whenever Shailis is and he will walk out. This has been his position from the beginning.”

Mayor of Paphos Phedonas Phedonos appealed to Roussis to remain, said the councillor, however he refused. Chrysanthou said that the council had already examined the law and regulations pertaining to this situation to see how it is pertinent in this case.

“The law has no vision in such circumstances and it’s up to the accused to exert their own discretion to appear on the council or any other boards or committees to which they have been elected. Even if the council unanimously decide that we didn’t want a councillor present, we can’t do that, we have no power over this. He is an elected official and as long as he’s not convicted, we have no say.”

Initially, Chrysathou said that Shailis had said he wouldn’t appear but he appeared to have changed his mind. Shailis is also on a number of committees, including town planning.

“It’s up to the individual if they feels that it’s unethical to have a city councillor who’s in court present.”

Chrysanthou said that at the meeting, the council also voted to suspend the chief financial officer for three months on half pay, pending a police investigation into corruption charges.

Roussis said: “I will continue to protest in this way. If a councillor is implicated in a corruption case, he should step down until his name is cleared.”


Call for direct bus route to Paphos old town
By Bejay Browne

A recently formed association which aims to attract people to the old town of Paphos is accusing the local bus company of ripping off customers by forcing them to purchase two tickets for what they say should be a simple ride into the area.

The bus company, OSYPA, rejected the accusation.

Kyriacos Kyriacou, head of The ‘Friends of Paphos Old Town’, claimed that the government and the bus operator are attempting to squeeze as much revenue out of customers as possible.

“It isn’t currently possible to travel from the west or the east of Paphos to the old town in one trip. The way the routes are organised now means that if you are coming from Coral Bay for example, you will be taken to the station at the harbour where the route terminates,” he said. “You will have to get another bus to the old town and this means that you have to purchase two separate tickets.”

It would make more sense if a number of current routes only used the harbour as a stop and continued on to the old town, terminating routes there instead, he said.

He added : “The government has allowed some or our main tourist areas to be destroyed, such as Ayiou Antoniou Street — known as bar street, and also Ktima- the old town. It’s embarrassing; they are supposed to support the tourist product.”

Kyriacou said he had received numerous complaints from the public and hoteliers about the service which he described as a “rip off”.

He said that the complaints fall on deaf ears, as the government wants to reduce its losses for empty busses which are running.

“The government subsidises these companies by around fifty per cent. They give the companies around €3 for every kilometre travelled, whether they have passengers or not.”

Supporters of the old town have long been campaigning to move the central bus station back to the area.
OSYPA operations manager Andreas Rodosthenous, said that the company hasn’t received any complaints from customers, adding that they are pleased with the service provided.

“The feedback we have had from our evaluation forms has been very positive. People are really happy with our routes and they understand that the station at the harbour is a hub for all of our routes. Every line is connected here and people can get connecting busses to wherever they want.”

Rodosthenous said OSYPA is following orders from the ministry of transport and noted that ticket prices are set by the government.

It costs €1.50 for a single ticket from coral bay to the harbour and another €1.50 from the harbour to the old town. A day ticket is €5 and it allows passengers to travel all around Paphos, he said.

“We cannot directly connect every destination with one trip. As it stands every line is connected to another through the Kato Paphos station.”

He concluded: “To make direct routes to the old town would require a study, it’s a big issue and I can’t say if it would be better or worse than it is now. The current system works.”

Paphos is ideal for holidays

By Bejay Browne

Local tourism officials are promoting Paphos as an ideal destination for domestic travellers to encourage them to holiday in the district this year.

Paphos took part in the tourist exhibition ‘Taxidi’ (journey) which ran in Nicosia at the end of April, according to Nasos Hadjigeorgiou, the head of the Paphos regional board of tourism.

“Along with hoteliers, we are promoting the district as a quality tourist destination to attract locals and foreign visitors. We are encouraging residents to spend the summer holidays in Paphos this year. We are also trying to attract visitors not just for August, when most locals take their break, but also to highlight Paphos as an excellent short-break destination.”

Hadjigeorgiou said that Paphos district has much to offer as a quality destination, with numerous activities, all sorts of accommodation from agro tourism to five star luxury hotels, beautiful rural areas and clean waters.
“Paphos is well known for its pristine beaches, beautiful nature, rich cultural heritage, high quality accommodation and a wide range of activities and experiences. We have twelve blue flagged beaches, a quality coast award and accommodation to suit any budget.”

He said that so far, there is no indication as to where locals will holiday this summer, as many leave booking a break until the last minute.
“Because of the competitive prices of the airlines flying to neighbouring countries, some people prefer to travel overseas rather than stay on the island. We will have a better idea in May as to relevant figures.”

The tourism head added that this year, they are working more closely with the ‘Pafos 2017’ cultural capital campaign that were also be represented at the Paphos exhibition stand. “We are working to promote the title and to provide information about upcoming 2017 events,” he said.
He noted that there are a number of special hotel packages for local residents now available.
He also said this year’s opera, the seventeenth for the ‘Pafos Aphrodite Festival’, which will present Gioachino Rossini’s popular ‘La Cenerentola’ (Cinderella) which will take place in the harbour on September 4, 5 and 6, will be a spectacular event.

The holiday promotion’s slogan is: “Summer in Paphos … unique choices, unique moments – visit Paphos and get to know our island,” said Hadjigeorgiou.


Maltese band Red Electrick perform live on Sunshine Radio
By Bejay Browne

The popular Maltese rock band Red Electrick took time off from their busy schedule to drop in for a chat and perform their latest hit single: “Young Love” live on Sunshine Radio Cyprus.

The band has a string of number one hits in Malta and were in Cyprus filming Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO) videos to promote Emirates Airlines flights between Malta and Cyprus. The aim of the videos is to encourage people from Malta to holiday in Cyprus.

Band members, Peter Borg, Matthew James Borg, Ivan Borg, Jonas Delicata and Robert Spiteri, have been working on their latest album which is due to be released later this year.

“Music is our life and we are very passionate about it. We are taking a slower approach to finalise our new album.”

Nominated for the Best Band and the Best Song categories at 2014 Malta Music Awards, Red Electrick have previously won eight Malta Music Awards. They are a band with a genuine love of music and are influenced by both 1970s rock and a more contemporary rhythm, encompassing the Mediterranean sunshine that reflects in the upbeat feeling of their music projects.
Red Electrick’s latest single “Young Again”, with the participation of the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, has been one of their greatest hits.

Sandy Beech Brand & Content Director of 90.8FM Sunshine Radio said: “They were fantastic and we'll be adding this song to the Sunshine Radio playlist.”



Paphos pushing for wave breakers

By Bejay Browne

Paphos municipality is pushing for the creation of a number of wave breakers in a deadly stretch of sea of the Paphos coastline which has claimed fifteen lives in the last decade. Their aim is to make the water safer and avoid any more deaths, as summer approaches.

Head of the Paphos municipality beaches committee Nikos Simillides said that the safety of the area is a priority for the municipality but as the cost of a project to create four wave breakers in the sea will be close to two million euros, “the town cannot afford that kind of money.”

“The economics in Paphos are not easy at the moment. My priority is to save people but at the same time, anything to do with the safety of the beaches is the government’s responsibility. We are pushing them to make this project,” he said.

The deadly stretch runs for about three kilometres from Chlorokas to Kissonerga in Paphos in a popular tourist area where numerous hotels, hotels complexes and holiday units are found.

It is known for its rip currents and high waves. The most dangerous area to swim is the Venus Beach which is not an official public beach and therefore has no lifeguard stationed there.

The deadly stretch claimed its 15th victim last year and there have also been hundreds of reported near-drownings. Most of the victims were guests staying at hotels and tourist apartments in the area.

Simillides said that although the sea can be very dangerous for swimmers, it is not permitted legally, to tell people not to enter the sea.

“We cannot legally tell people not to visit the beach as it’s against the law, but I urge people to pay attention to the signs and the flags. The sea can be very dangerous here.”

He said that Paphos municipality has already put seven large warning signs in four different languages in place, as well as red flags, buoys and ropes in the sea to aid those who get into difficulty. He said that no other preventative measures could legally be put in place, which underlines the need for the wave breakers.

Suggestions were made in 2010 that the beach should be closed off but legal obstacles prevented this. The Paphos District Office said access to the beach could not be restricted. Simillides said that Paphos municipality’s only option is to pressure the government to proceed with the breakwater project.

“We have spoken with minister of communications and works, Marios Demitriades, and he has promised to meet and discuss the matter with the hotels in the area. He suggested that the cost could be split between the government, hotels and the municipality. But the cost for the municipality is nearly half a million euros, which is too much.”



New route for Paphos

By Bejay Browne

Thomson and First Choice will introduce a new route for local holidaymakers in the summer of 2016, connecting Norwich and Paphos, according to a Norwich International Airport announcement.

Tickets for the new route are now on sale.

Thomson and First Choice said the introduction of the new route to Paphos was part of the holiday company’s strategy to provide UK customers the ability to fly from their local airport and stay at the best hotels in some of the most exciting destinations.

The head of the Paphos regional board of tourism, Nasos Hadjigeorgiou, welcomed the news, adding that the first steps must ensure that such flights gain in popularity, sustain satisfactory load factors, and help the market grow further.

“This is another positive development and it recognises that the UK market has more potential to grow. This flight fills the gap from this UK region and we are very happy to welcome this new route,” he said.

Holidaymakers travelling on the new flights will also have access to some of Thomson and First Choice’s most popular flagship hotels including Thomson’s Sensatori Resort Aphrodite Hills in Cyprus, which is new for summer 2015.

Karen Switzer, Director of Aviation Planning for Thomson and First Choice, was quoted as saying: “Following the success of the additional summer 2015 flights, we know that further demand is there. Expanding access to our portfolio of destinations and hotels is a key part of our overall strategy and we hope that this move will enhance the holiday experience for our customers.”

Richard Pace, operations director and general manager of Norwich airport, said: “We are delighted that Thomson and First Choice have announced the new flight to Paphos, Cyprus for summer 2016 offering local holidaymakers more choice from their local airport. This decision further demonstrates their commitment to the airport and reflects the high level of demand from customers wishing to fly from Norwich.”


Clean up after earthquake

By Bejay Browne

Paphos was left cleaning up the mess after an earthquake measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale caused disruption and left residents and visitors reeling.

A number of supermarkets, shops and other outlets suffered damage to goods as they were flung off shelves during the earthquake. It took staff a number of hours to clear up.

Kyriakos Kolokasides, the owner of La Bodega Premium Cellar in Paphos said he couldn’t believe his eyes when he watched CCTV footage recorded in his shop during the earthquake, which destroyed dozens of bottles of wine, some collectors’ items.

“I wasn’t in the building, but my staff were terrified and many bottles smashed in our first-floor store room. I couldn’t believe it when I looked at the footage, it was as if the bottles and boxes were jumping off the shelves, he said.

He added that although he was pleased no one was injured and no major damage was reported, he was upset to lose a number of precious wines from his collection.

“The damage to goods lost will be over one thousand euros, but I’m insured so I hope that will be OK.”

The Geological Survey of the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment noted that the earthquake which occurred at 11.25 am was centred in the sea 3 km west of Kissonerga and 8 km northwest of the town of Paphos at a depth of 25 km. The quake was strongly felt throughout Cyprus and especially in the Paphos district. There were 20 smaller aftershocks recorded up to 1pm.

Social media was swamped with photos of people’s experiences and hundreds of comments from people who felt the quake, ranged from ‘scared’ to ‘terrified.’

Apart from a number of buildings suffering cracks, a stone wall collapsing in a field and objects reported falling from supermarket shelves, no major damage or injury was reported.
 

NEW MAYOR OFFERS OPEN HOUSE
By Bejay Browne

The newly elected mayor of Paphos has extended an open invitation to residents of the town in a new initiative to promote a more modern approach to governance.

The action, which is already underway, is titled ‘Time of the Citizen’, and Paphos residents who wish to speak to Phedonas Phedonos will be given the opportunity every Friday afternoon.

The new initiative is taking place at the mayor’s office at the town hall in central Paphos every Friday from 4pm-7pm. During this time, the mayor will receive any resident without an appointment.

The drive is aimed at establishing a better relationship between the public and those in authority and also to promote transparency, something the mayor promised prior to his election.

An announcement said: “These direct meetings will enable citizens to speak with the mayor and discuss any issues that may be of concern to them or to make any suggestions they wish are being introduced by the mayor, and without an appointment.”

Phedonos said that this idea was part of the new modern approach which he hopes will characterise Paphos municipality and its leadership from now on. He said Paphos now has a culture which desires the local authority to be closer to the people, as well as being approachable and open to dialogue.