Cyprus-Forum.com

[Free Spirit]

trust me not in the next 20 to 30years if ever will they hand back the SBA to RoC its probably not that much of a financial burden as the american's will be paying most i bet.

Are you suggesting that Obama will be paying the Salaries of thousands of British soldiers, housing for their families, schools, weapons etc.

Have you been to Episkopi lately it's like a ghost town? The same applied to Dhekelia (Spelling), the houses are mostly empty.
Happy Valley and Tunnel beach are the same.

So what are you saying ... the evacuation has began?

The financial burden must have been so enormous; with the UK completely bankrupt, Bases abroad are a luxury (and archaic relics), they could well do without!

We returned to Cyprus in 1989 having left in 1967.
Our regiment was disbanded in 1969 with Cyprus being its last overseas posting.
In 1989 the bases were mere shadows of former times, you certainly would not have been able to house all the personel from 60s on the bases as they do with the few that are left now.
The cuts have been brought on by the collapse of the former Soviet block,
the prescence in Cyprus no longer has the importance that it had in the past where the radars on Olympus were used to penetrate the under belly of the Iron curtain states.
The main sufferers with the decline of the bases were the Cyriots themselves; thousands earned their living from the prescence of UK forces.

[DT.]

trust me not in the next 20 to 30years if ever will they hand back the SBA to RoC its probably not that much of a financial burden as the american's will be paying most i bet.

Are you suggesting that Obama will be paying the Salaries of thousands of British soldiers, housing for their families, schools, weapons etc.

Have you been to Episkopi lately it's like a ghost town? The same applied to Dhekelia (Spelling), the houses are mostly empty.
Happy Valley and Tunnel beach are the same.

So what are you saying ... the evacuation has began?

The financial burden must have been so enormous; with the UK completely bankrupt, Bases abroad are a luxury (and archaic relics), they could well do without!

We returned to Cyprus in 1989 having left in 1967.
Our regiment was disbanded in 1969 with Cyprus being its last overseas posting.
In 1989 the bases were mere shadows of former times, you certainly would not have been able to house all the personel from 60s on the bases as they do with the few that are left now.
The cuts have been brought on by the collapse of the former Soviet block,
the prescence in Cyprus no longer has the importance that it had in the past where the radars on Olympus were used to penetrate the under belly of the Iron curtain states.
The main sufferers with the decline of the bases were the Cyriots themselves; thousands earned their living from the prescence of UK forces.

This crap about 1000's of Cypriots being employed by the SBA's thus saving the economy of Cyprus is ridiculous. There are currently 300 employees at the SBA's of which 90% are Cypriot (both GC and TC). Considering that 75% of the employees are customs and police employed how many more do you think they were in the 80's and 90's?



http://www.sba.mod.uk/admin.htm

COSTS AND STAFF
The SBAA budget is about £10m per year. Approximately 80% covers salaries and the remainder covers works services (mostly roads) and miscellaneous civil government expenditure. The military authorities supply goods and services to assist the SBAA in performing it's tasks.
The SBA Administration employs over 300 staff, over 75% of which are Police and Customs Officers. 90% of the staff are local employed Cypriots from both Greek and Turkish communities.

[CBBB]

trust me not in the next 20 to 30years if ever will they hand back the SBA to RoC its probably not that much of a financial burden as the american's will be paying most i bet.

Are you suggesting that Obama will be paying the Salaries of thousands of British soldiers, housing for their families, schools, weapons etc.

Have you been to Episkopi lately it's like a ghost town? The same applied to Dhekelia (Spelling), the houses are mostly empty.
Happy Valley and Tunnel beach are the same.

So what are you saying ... the evacuation has began?

The financial burden must have been so enormous; with the UK completely bankrupt, Bases abroad are a luxury (and archaic relics), they could well do without!

We returned to Cyprus in 1989 having left in 1967.
Our regiment was disbanded in 1969 with Cyprus being its last overseas posting.
In 1989 the bases were mere shadows of former times, you certainly would not have been able to house all the personel from 60s on the bases as they do with the few that are left now.
The cuts have been brought on by the collapse of the former Soviet block,
the prescence in Cyprus no longer has the importance that it had in the past where the radars on Olympus were used to penetrate the under belly of the Iron curtain states.
The main sufferers with the decline of the bases were the Cyriots themselves; thousands earned their living from the prescence of UK forces.

This crap about 1000's of Cypriots being employed by the SBA's thus saving the economy of Cyprus is ridiculous. There are currently 300 employees at the SBA's of which 90% are Cypriot (both GC and TC). Considering that 75% of the employees are customs and police employed how many more do you think they were in the 80's and 90's?



http://www.sba.mod.uk/admin.htm

COSTS AND STAFF
The SBAA budget is about £10m per year. Approximately 80% covers salaries and the remainder covers works services (mostly roads) and miscellaneous civil government expenditure. The military authorities supply goods and services to assist the SBAA in performing it's tasks.
The SBA Administration employs over 300 staff, over 75% of which are Police and Customs Officers. 90% of the staff are local employed Cypriots from both Greek and Turkish communities.

More Cypriots do rely on the SBA's as a lot of the services have been contracted out to local companies, but I would agree that it is not that many.

[Free Spirit]

Have you been to Episkopi lately it's like a ghost town? The same applied to Dhekelia (Spelling), the houses are mostly empty.
Happy Valley and Tunnel beach are the same.[/quote]


Idiot if you had read my post properly you would see that I was refering to past times 60 & ealry 70s when thousands were employed all over the island; the town of limassol being one of the main beneficeries due to the fact that along with employment on the bases there were several HM Forces establishments within limassol itself.
Over 95% of the married personel from Akrotiri and Episkopi rented hirings in Limassol, I know because I live there in 1966/7 so cut out the crap and get your facts right, you probably weren't around then.

Each morning thousands of servicemen were picked up on Arch Bishop Makarious Avenue by Civillian busses and taken into the two bases.

[Oracle]

Here is a realistic alternative use: Turn them into EU Bases of which Cyprus is obviously an integral part:

Eurocrats want to snag British bases

THE EUROPEAN parliament wants Brussels to get its hands on British bases around the world, including Cyprus, in a move the British Defence Ministry described as a “twisted fantasy”.

A report commissioned by the Parliament suggested that Gibraltar, Cyprus and the Falklands bases should be brought under the umbrella of the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP).

“Member states of the EU would benefit from placing their overseas military installations and maritime power at the crux of ESDP,” said the report. It said bases belonging to Britain needed to be “Europeanised” as part of an “EU Grand Strategy” and part of a ‘forward presence’ to protect vital shipping routes.

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/news/main.php?id=44967

This way, the EU forces will be at the ready for kicking out the Turks .....

[RichardB]

I know this thread is already old news bt I thought I'd resurrect it anyway

How about affordable housing for young Cypriots who must be dreading trying to get a mortgage? The infrastructure is there for a new town ,Housing, shops , bars , restaurants, Workshops and offices another idea would be to use the existing facilities as a new university campus.

Just a couple of ideas off the top of my kefali

Still think my plan is the best

[Oracle]

Animal sanctuaries ....




http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/8058249.stm

Billy was not a mascot but a ranking member of the regiment.

His main role was marching at the front of the battalion on all ceremonial duties.

He spent two-and-a-half years overseas in Cyprus when the battalion was posted over there and has lived in Chester since their return.

During his time in Cyprus, he was even disciplined and temporarily demoted from his rank of Lance Corporal to Fusilier for not marching in time during a parade for the Queen's birthday.

[Milo]

Living close to the Ay Nick base, I do find them unwarranted now myself this SBA base does seem quiet also.

But my worry is without these bases with the british military presence, smaller that it now is, is,nt it at the moment at least a 'deterrent' for the Turkish military the other side. I too have heard a few American voices lately when I have been there.

The UN taking over the bases are purely a peace keeping force, but seems a good answer until the SBA,s are sorted out legally.

[Oracle]

Just thought I'd revive this thread for any new ideas about what to do with the vacant spaces now that our prognostications have come true ...

[SKI-preo]

Maybe massive reforestation project right to the effing coastline which would resist the salination of the natural aquifers being effed up the backside by illegal water bores... but I guarantee it would more likely be used for something obscene like a tacky Cypriot Las Vegas style Casino hub. Why don't the extremist Turkish Cypriots wanting there own apartheid state fortress themselves there and let the remaining Turkish CYpriots who are democrats can return to the Pafos properties or wherever they came from who want to take part in a Cypriot democracy so I can go to my village in the Kyrenia area. I better get off the internet as I am getting more and more pissed off!. (Just googled earthed my house occupied by thieving fukwits).