Cyprus-Forum.com

[Nikitas]

Cyprus Transport Minister Mrs Markoullis stated in Politis paper today:

"It is incomprehesnible that as an island we do not have sea transport connectiosn to other countries".

The Cypriot tax payer is paying this minister's salary! After eleven years of total suspension of ferry routes, with the excuse that the ships could no longer go to Israel, Cyprus woke up only as a result of the Icelandic volcanic ash problem. If that had not occurred we would still be with no ferry links.

This is an example of "strategic thinking" that is rewarded with fat salaries and generous pensions. Instead of reversing this policy in 24 hours Mrs Markoulli went to Greece to talk to that other paragon of strategic thinking, Mrs Louca Katselli. Together they decided that at least one law and one presidential decree must be amended inorder to allow 12 passengers per ship to go to and from Cyprus.

With that kind of civilservantish approach to strategic matters no wonder we are stuck in the same rut for a generation.

If we had any brains at all we would have had four ferries a day linking Cyprus with neighboring countries even if the ships travelled totally empty and heavily subsidised. It is a matter of strategy, not convenience.

Is this woman the same Markoulli who was foreign minister?

[DT.]

Cyprus Transport Minister Mrs Markoullis stated in Politis paper today:

"It is incomprehesnible that as an island we do not have sea transport connectiosn to other countries".

The Cypriot tax payer is paying this minister's salary! After eleven years of total suspension of ferry routes, with the excuse that the ships could no longer go to Israel, Cyprus woke up only as a result of the Icelandic volcanic ash problem. If that had not occurred we would still be with no ferry links.

This is an example of "strategic thinking" that is rewarded with fat salaries and generous pensions. Instead of reversing this policy in 24 hours Mrs Markoulli went to Greece to talk to that other paragon of strategic thinking, Mrs Louca Katselli. Together they decided that at least one law and one presidential decree must be amended inorder to allow 12 passengers per ship to go to and from Cyprus.

With that kind of civilservantish approach to strategic matters no wonder we are stuck in the same rut for a generation.

If we had any brains at all we would have had four ferries a day linking Cyprus with neighboring countries even if the ships travelled totally empty and heavily subsidised. It is a matter of strategy, not convenience.

Is this woman the same Markoulli who was foreign minister?

Is this woman the same Markoulli who was foreign minister

yes

[Gasman]

I remember enquiring about the ferries some years ago. The short response I got was 'suspended indefinitely'. I had to search on the web to find out why (the reason being their ultimate destination was Israel).

[Nikitas]

Now think that the two nations that suspended the ferry links betweeen them are Greece, which controls the biggest merchant fleet in the world, and Cyprus, which maintains the largest shipping registry in Europe.

If these two could not figure out the strategic value of a ferry link who else should?