By Dimitris Martis, Economist / Entrepreneur
The forthcoming local government reform is a hot potato that no one keeps but throws away all the time. Everyone is hiding behind the real intentions and interests behind it. The worst behind this is the party coloration and the "division" of the municipalities so that the "wants" of the parties are satisfied based on the percentages and how many municipalities they will control.
Unfortunately, we ordinary citizens do not express ourselves, or at least we are not given the choice of the decision that will largely determine the future of our province and all of us, businesses, families and children. Even worse in recent days we are witnessing announcements that in fact do not want the development of our province and do not want a single "Super-Municipality" as they call it. The argument is that such a thing will replace the occupied Municipality of Famagusta geographically and numerically and will weaken the return struggle. Unfortunately, gentlemen, we see the barbed wire every day and our occupied metropolis. We want our city back and we each fight with our little stone for it. May we all wish for the return of our city to its rightful inhabitants and for all of us to be integrated in our metropolis! With our province united, our voice will be louder both inside and outside Cyprus to claim the return of our metropolis.
The new bill provides for the creation of four municipalities for our province, with the union of Ayia Napa, Sotiras and Liopetri, the union of Deryneia, Frenaros and Acheritos, the municipality of Paralimni to be left alone, and the creation of the complex of Avgoros and Dasaki Achna. Unfortunately, the above mergers create municipalities of two speeds, separate "rich" and "poor" and do not give the prospect of development in the whole province.
My personal opinion is that the creation of a single municipality for our province, would multiply the benefits for the residents, the visitors and by extending the benefits for the whole of Cyprus and the government will be multiplied.
The first argument is the savings that will be made, an argument that the government has high on the list and is one of the key points on which the whole reform is based. At the technical level, the consolidation timetable gives the opportunity to create the consolidation mechanism and overcome any obstacles that arise.
Secondly, the raising of European funds for municipal authorities is done by population criteria from the European Union. Our entire province does not exceed 50.000 permanent residents. With the creation of a unified strategic planning of the province and the correct techno-economic studies by specialized personnel, which unfortunately most of the existing municipalities do not have, we will be able to get the maximum for the programming period 2021-2027.
Considering the size of the province and the population in relation to other countries it is indulgently ridiculous that we can not coexist and unite for the common good.
Cultures and geographical distances between us have vanished. With the development and infrastructure projects that have taken place in the last 30 years in our province, you can travel the province from one end to the other in less than 20 minutes. Do not enter into the comparison of Nicosia and Limassol in which to travel the same distance may take more than an hour. The young people of our province have the educational level to overcome the old mentalities and unite for a better future. They have lived in European and not only cities where comparisons are sometimes ridiculous.
Unfortunately, we have created small kingdoms that every mayor, mayor and municipal councilor has owned their chair and are unable to see the prospect of uniting the municipalities and communities of our province into one entity. Democracy is a dynamic state that evolves, improves and has the foundations to make citizens' lives better. We must all be far-sighted and look to our common future with optimism without friction and conflict.
Power in union says the saying. So let us unite for a better future. Without party colors, without egos, for the purpose of prosperity, development.