Cyprus-Forum.com

[steveuk]

I was talking to one of the airport workers at Larnaca last year and a part of our conversation was talking about homeless people in the UK which he witnessed while staying in Newcastle. He compared that to Cyprus. He claims that homelessness in Cyprus does not exists. Is this true?

Assuming this is the case, what would happen if I put it to the test by getting on the first available one-way flight to your country without a penny, or in your case a euro. I know they cannot send me back to the UK because of Cyprus being a part of the EU. So, my Cypriot friends, what would the authorities do with someone like me with no where to live and not even a pot to piss in.

[Oracle]

How is what you are proposing to do any different to the piss-head Brits who roll around drunk in the streets and call it a holiday?

BTW ... be careful where you bed down for the night ... we have snakes!

[paliometoxo]

yes there are no homes buwe have beggers wh ome round and beg or money

[steveuk]

It's different in the fact that i'm not a piss head. So, getting back to my question, what would the authorities do with me once i have landed in Cyprus. Is it true that there is no such thing as homelessness in your country?

[paliometoxo]

yes its true there is no such thing as homeless. but we have beggers old ladies who beg for money and work on the streets stopping cars at lights..

i dont know what the police would do with you if you came with nothing and lived on the streets

[Oracle]

If you want to reside in Cyprus you have to have above a certain income. Also if you stay out of the UK for more than 6 months, you'll have issues back there.

You may be playing silly beggars, but you do realise there are 200,000 Greek Cypriots who have been forced out of their homes by the Turkish army, don't you?

[Svetlana]

There are homeless in Pafos, mainly unemployed Poles, victims of the downturn in property development in the last year. There was a newspaper article about it a couple of weeks ago. I will try to find it.

lana

[Svetlana]

Shelter plea for Paphos homeless
By Bejay Browne
Published on December 8, 2009 +-Text size

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Thomas in his squat where he and others sleep on the floor and without basic amenities. The mayor is trying to organise a homeless shelter (Photos Stephanos Stephanou)

MORE than 80 people, mostly Poles, are living rough in Paphos, with many of them squatting in derelict buildings with no running water or electricity.

Two men have died in the last twelve months from conditions associated with this harsh life style and there are fears that this number will rise as winter takes it toll.

“It’s not so bad for these people in the summer months, but now it’s colder, the possibility of developing pneumonia and other conditions greatly increases,” said Filaktis Constantinides, the manager of Paphos General Hospital.

“Society must take care of them. We have animal shelters. We must have one for people as well.”

Mayor of Paphos Savvas Vergas said that although many are only temporarily homeless, he was concerned the numbers would increase unless urgent action, such as providing a shelter, is taken.

“They come here to find work, and don’t have money for rent,” he said. “In some cases, they are living rough until their first wages come through. Most only live like this for a few days, but there are some exceptions.”

One of these exceptions is Thomas from the south of Poland. He is 36 years old and has lived in Paphos for five years and homeless for the last year.

“I came here in search of something better. There is nothing in Poland for me. No job and no home,” Thomas told the Cyprus Mail.

He said he used to have a job as a maintenance man in Paphos, but admitted he lost it because he started to drink too much. “Then I lost my home because I couldn’t make my rent payments, and now I live here,” he said.

Home for Thomas is an old building in the heart of the tourist area in Kato Paphos. It used to be a restaurant but is now a filthy hovel without electricity or running water. Shattered windows and doors which are hanging off hinges, barely provide any protection from the elements.

Inside the derelict property, which is situated next to one of the protected UNESCO sites in Kato Paphos, the stench of human waste is overpowering. A few dirty sleeping bags and blankets are strewn in corners of rooms which provide little shelter from the recent heavy rains and strong winds.

Human and cat excrement and urine which has built up over months, cover the faded floor tiles and random pieces of clothing and a suitcase are more evidence that people are living in these squalid conditions.

Vergas said an organised shelter for the homeless is desperately needed. “I want to make a shelter for the homeless people of Paphos to serve all of the municipalities,” he said. “I am speaking with the relevant minister to try and get his support to find a property and give these people a proper roof over their heads, until they are able to sort themselves out.”

Thomas has had a few jobs in the last months but each time by his own admission he has lost them as he continued to drink.

The young Pole now has a new job opportunity as a house painter, which he is due to start in January. He says this time it will be different and he will quit drinking.

Thomas drinks at least one carton of red wine every day and sleeps it off huddled in the corner of a room. He shares this space with two other Polish men who are in their early thirties. They are also homeless and consume large quantities of alcohol on a daily basis. They spend their days in the archaeological park in Kato Paphos.

According to Thomas they beg for money and food, the remnants of which are scattered all over the floors of the building.

“I don’t want to go back to Poland. I have a mother and a sister there, but the situation is worse than here,” he said. “At least the sun shines and there are lots of people here. I will stop drinking this time and keep hold of my job.”

Paphos hospital’s Filaktis said part of the failure to deal adequately with growing homelessness was because it was so uncommon in Cyprus until recently.

“It’s usual for families to take care of each other. But this isn’t the case with foreign nationals who may not have a support network here. These people need help to either find a job and live reasonably or to be repatriated. The mayor along with the EU must take steps now or the problem will get worse.”

Vergas said the municipality was doing all it could. “We are looking into getting help and support from a European programme to help in these cases, as without the support of the ministry and the EU, it would be very difficult to undertake creating and maintaining a shelter on our own.”

Neighbours of the Paphos squat confirmed that the two buildings had been requisitioned by the government, but then had been left to go to rack and ruin.

“We have tried to help some of the homeless in the past, but now it’s got to a stage where there are no amenities in there and more and more people are using the space,” said one who did not wish to be named. “They are getting drunk and go to the toilet wherever they feel like. The smell is revolting and we have to keep our doors shut .It’s a shame for the area as it’s in the tourist area and so many visitors to Paphos have been put off by their behaviour. Something has to be done immediately.”

[CBBB]

Please come and join us steveuk, go straight to the social insurance office and ask for benefits. They will give you cash on the spot!

[Svetlana]

Surely these unemployed people in Pafos can get jobs...as Pole dancers?