Cyprus-Forum.com

[purdey]

Feisty, while I agree all jobs do not provide enough income to live on, I find it difficult to understand that it is a reason to not work at all.OK the present system needs to weed out those who are capable of managing and those who struggle
Designer clothing, fags and alcohol are not every day essentials in my book.

[Feisty]

Neither are they in mine and if anyone can afford them on £60.50 a week I'd be very shocked.

[purdey]

My father in law was an immigrant from India. Yes it was tough for him and his daughters, but they worked hard and integrated. They competed and still compete for the same jobs as the English, they seem to have very few problems nowadays.

[CBBB]

I didn't find any problems integrating into the Cypriot culture, it took me a while to get to grips with the language (and it is not perfect now, after 30 years), but you just have to make an effort.

It may have been a bit easier when there were fewer "foreigners" here, but it still ain't hard.

[Magnus]

I've always had the opinion that those signing on should be available for work and if they refuse their benefits should stop .

Community work is ok if there is no work available ( doubtful ) and no attendance equals no benefits.

I've also advocated the short sharp shock of a boot camp set up for young offenders ~ there are so many redundant ex military camps around the UK it would be very easy and cheap to arrange as the emphasis would be on minimum facilities / comfort ~ it would be a place that they wouldn't want to return to .

There are plenty of ex military personnel ( lots actually now in the prison service ) who could be employed to run the camps .

Absolutely agree with you but this doesn't sort out the 'let's have kids to avoid work and get a flat and benefits' brigade. Don't worry though, I've got a solution:

First you cut down the benefits. No more handouts forces the parents to 'need' to work. Then you deal with their excuses. The main argument these people have is 'if I get a job, I wont earn enough to pay for childcare, let alone living expenses'. My idea would be to build care centres in every community. These would be funded by the council with professional staff employed to look after kids of all ages, from babies to teenagers. This way, instead of just paying out cash to the parents, you make sure that it's going towards the kids.

While in the care centre, staff would look after the younger ones for most of the day and then make sure that the older ones do their homework assignments etc after school.

You could even have a service that picks them up from the centre in the morning, drives them to school and then takes them back in the afternoon. It would mean kids get looked after properly and aren't encouraged to stray around the streets. The parents go out to work and every week they cough up a percentage of their wage to the care centre, a fraction of what full-time childcare would cost.

[Eliko]

I've always had the opinion that those signing on should be available for work and if they refuse their benefits should stop .

Community work is ok if there is no work available ( doubtful ) and no attendance equals no benefits.

I've also advocated the short sharp shock of a boot camp set up for young offenders ~ there are so many redundant ex military camps around the UK it would be very easy and cheap to arrange as the emphasis would be on minimum facilities / comfort ~ it would be a place that they wouldn't want to return to .

There are plenty of ex military personnel ( lots actually now in the prison service ) who could be employed to run the camps .

Absolutely agree with you but this doesn't sort out the 'let's have kids to avoid work and get a flat and benefits' brigade. Don't worry though, I've got a solution:

First you cut down the benefits. No more handouts forces the parents to 'need' to work. Then you deal with their excuses. The main argument these people have is 'if I get a job, I wont earn enough to pay for childcare, let alone living expenses'. My idea would be to build care centres in every community. These would be funded by the council with professional staff employed to look after kids of all ages, from babies to teenagers. This way, instead of just paying out cash to the parents, you make sure that it's going towards the kids.

While in the care centre, staff would look after the younger ones for most of the day and then make sure that the older ones do their homework assignments etc after school.

You could even have a service that picks them up from the centre in the morning, drives them to school and then takes them back in the afternoon. It would mean kids get looked after properly and aren't encouraged to stray around the streets. The parents go out to work and every week they cough up a percentage of their wage to the care centre, a fraction of what full-time childcare would cost.

Magnus, your proposals make perfect sense, unfortunately the 'PC Brigade' might raise a few objections and in so doing, probably create more problems than your suggestions would solve.

[Magnus]

Magnus, your proposals make perfect sense, unfortunately the 'PC Brigade' might raise a few objections and in so doing, probably create more problems than your suggestions would solve.

I've thought about that too. I reckon it's all just about 'spin'. You don't say 'listen you scroungers, get your kids in here so we can raise them properly and you can work and pay for it seeing as you can't do it yourself.'

Instead you just use something a little more palatable like:
'Great news! Having kids doesn't mean the end of your career! We've just started this fantastic new service that will enable you to get back to work, safe in the knowledge that your kids are being looked after by trained professionals who will even help them with their schoolwork. Best of all, it won't cost you as much as a child minder!'

It's all just about presentation...

[purdey]

Sounds good, but yet again the working families would have to foot the bill for the child care centres, in the shape of higher council tax.
Forgive me if I am wrong, but aren't contraceptives free to the unemployed and those on low income. I realise you cannot buy common sense but you don't need it when the workers pay your bills...On yer bike..(Tebbit)

[Magnus]

Sounds good, but yet again the working families would have to foot the bill for the child care centres, in the shape of higher council tax.
Forgive me if I am wrong, but aren't contraceptives free to the unemployed and those on low income. I realise you cannot buy common sense but you don't need it when the workers pay your bills...On yer bike..

Well if you take away the amounts you give in benefits and redirect it into day care then you're essentially not spending any more and you get the fees paid by the parents to contribute towards costs. The more they earn, the more they pay.

If you can get the right balance you can minimise the contribution from the taxpayer. Besides, at least it'll benefit society as a whole by encouraging people to work and raising a generation of well-adjusted individuals rather than dole-scroungers and hoodies.

Obviously there are a few details to work out, but I reckon I could sort it.

The trouble with free contraceptives is that short of turning up and putting it on for them, there's no guarantee the buggers will use it.

[Oracle]

Sounds good, but yet again the working families would have to foot the bill for the child care centres, in the shape of higher council tax.
Forgive me if I am wrong, but aren't contraceptives free to the unemployed and those on low income. I realise you cannot buy common sense but you don't need it when the workers pay your bills...On yer bike..

Well if you take away the amounts you give in benefits and redirect it into day care then you're essentially not spending any more and you get the fees paid by the parents to contribute towards costs. The more they earn, the more they pay.

If you can get the right balance you can minimise the contribution from the taxpayer. Besides, at least it'll benefit society as a whole by encouraging people to work and raising a generation of well-adjusted individuals rather than dole-scroungers and hoodies.

Obviously there are a few details to work out, but I reckon I could sort it.

The trouble with free contraceptives is that short of turning up and putting it on for them, there's no guarantee the buggers will use it.

Why take risks, add the "progesterone" to the water ... (Mind you those dioxins should be helping with this .. )

BTW Magnus talking of "drinks" ... what is your favourite tipple (or pint thereof ....)