miltiades wrote:If the ROC made an official request demanding the removal of the British bases , support for such move by probably the majority members of the EU , then the British government will have no alternative but to give this request its utmost attention.
Such request has NEVER been made by the ROC , therefore it seems to me that the official ROC policy on the bases is one of compliance with the British position.
I'm of the opinion that the removal of the British bases would be counter productive and an economic blow to the Cyprus economy.
Whether we like it or not the British have had , and are still having a tremendous influence on our socioeconomic
environment and are likely to continue doing so just as long as the vast majority of Cyprus 's tourist generating structure relies on the influx of British currency.
Potatoes , as good as the Cyprus ones are , can not generate sufficient income to keep our life style to the high levels of today.
Long may the British continue spending their pounds in Cyprus , should that injection of funds dry up then we might just have to tighten our belts a little more. Over 60 % of our Tourists are British , this means that our Hotels , tourist restaurants and other tourist reliant businesses survive on the British tourist.
Lets be real , most Cypriots consider Britain their second home , there are more than 250 thousand of us living and working in the UK AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF US ARE THANKFULL to have had the opportunity of living and working in the UK .
On a lighter note , I think the British love Cyprus because of the sea the sun and KEO BEER !!
I totally agree with most of what you say. Especially the Keo beer!!
Drunk purely for medicinal purposes of course!!
Most of the Cypriots I meet I find warm and friendly and only too eager to sit and talk and pass the time of day. There are those however, who forget that you might speak Greek and have been unpleasantly surprised when caught being derogatory and racist in what they have been saying. I don't hold back, I have to say, just as I would not hold back if it was a Brit being as offensive towards a person from a different culture or country.
Yes, some Cypriots are offensive and do try to rip you off if you are a tourist or an ex pat. Yes, some Cypriots do take offense if you voice an opinion on the infrastructure/lack of, or the way the laws are ignored with impunity ie traffic laws, smoking etc etc.
My view is that the ex pats live in this country because they choose to, they spend their pensions earned in the UK here, they invest their capital monies in this country and support the economy. They take very little out of this country but put plenty in.
They buy the land here that the Cypriots are only too pleased to sell them. (then complain that the Brits/Russians are taking over)
So, I am entitled to whinge when cut up by some lunatic in a small car with ginormous exhaust, and when I have to step into the busy road because some selfish b***** parks on the pavement or cross over to the other side of the road when driving round a corner because cars are parked on double yellow lines, or when I am shuffled out of the way in the queue so that the Cypriot gets to the front first or even when I go to pay my bills at the Community Board and am left waiting. Firstly because I am English and secondly because I am a woman, whilst all the Cypriot men are called to the desk first in spite of me being there the longest.
I have to say they do not do that more than once!!!!
Having said that, I whinged in the UK when things weren't right. If I pay my taxes in a country and support it then I have the right to whinge!
Webbo likes the Keo!
