Cyprus-Forum.com

[cyprusgeoff]

Sorry for the extra long post but this article shows people who want to keep Cyprus in the 18th century so it's worth reading.


Three-line letter halts PrimeTel’s landing station progress
By Bejay Browne

THE YEROSKIPOU municipality has finally refused a building permit for telecom provider PrimeTel’s submarine cable landing station after a six-month wait.

Outside plant network manager for PrimeTel, Theodoros Loucaides, told the Cyprus Mail the company received a letter saying the local council rejected building permission approval for plot number 50 in Yeroskipou,

“This is even after legal advice, expert studies and independent consultants – we believe all of these came out with a favourable outcome weighted for us.

“We have been rejected in a three-line letter without any justification."

“They don’t try and justify this decision, and do not give any reasons,” he added.

Telecommunications provider PrimeTel in co-operation with Reliance Globalcom, began the landing of the submarine ‘Hawk’ fibre-optic cable system last week.

The ‘Hawk’ cable system is part of the world’s biggest submarine fibre-optic cable system network around the globe.

“[Yeroskipou] municipality’s technical department had informed their own council there was no basis for this rejection. Advice from two legal sources, the municipality lawyer and an independent lawyer, were in favour of us and yet they are still rejecting the application."

In a brief press statement, Yeroskipou mayor Tasos Kouzoupou said the municipality rejected the application following an outcry from concerned locals over health fears and the adverse affect a landing station may have on the price of land

PrimeTel had only last week sought to reassure locals over their health fears.

“There are no masts or transmitters; this was an obligation in the terms set by town planning, which enabled us to get our permit and with which we are fully compliant,” said Loucaides.

PrimeTel stressed that although they understood local’s concerns, numerous environmental studies undertaken all over the world have concluded this type of landing station is not dangerous to human health.

According to PrimeTel, the system is fibre-optic and transmits light through glass, which is not harmful.

To erect any building in Cyprus, a town planning permit needs to be secured and then an application is made to the local council, which traditionally is a mere formality.

"We applied to the council after securing our town planning permit and now after being delayed for six months they are saying no,” said Loucaides.

Louciades pointed out that the project is a part of a wider global programme.

"We can’t stop a global project because of problems in one country," he said. “It’s a shame that this is the attitude, as the project involves big new technology and will bring with it many opportunities."

And what of the project?

“I can tell you that the process will not stop, I’m certain of that. We will find a solution and we are now asking our legal advisers to take a closer look at the situation.”

According to PrimeTel, CyTA also has a larger landing station in the area, which has been in operation for some time.

There are only three areas designated suitable for landing stations by the government for the installation of sea cables in Cyprus. The one for the Paphos region is in Yeroskipou.



Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2009


We would still all be writing with quill pens if some of these people had their way. Perhaps they would like Cyprus internet and broadband free and completely out of touch with the outside world.

[CBBB]

These are not old people, just NIMBYs! Cyprus seems to have been breeding a lot of these in the last few years. Nobody wants anything built near them that might affect the real estate prices. They have to put the bloody antennas, land-fills, marine cables somewhere, for God's sake!