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Here's a copy of an article from SceneTheNews.com
October 2007
Paphos Roadworks cause local business closure
By Janice Philippou
The recent roadworks in Paphos are causing local businesses serious problems in trading operations, causing temporary closure.
Sirpa Jukarainen, owner of Sandalwood Beautiful Indian Products, Agias Kiriakis Street, Kato Paphos states ?my takings have dropped to zero since the disruption of these road works, all the fine dust has destroyed my soft furnishing products on display and I have suffered serious breathing difficulties as a result.? In a personal interview with the Mail she continued to say ?I have wanted to close and if it had not been for my regular customers giving me support in their attempt to climb over dangerous walkways to get to my shop, I would have.
The crossroads Pafias Afroditis and Agias Kyriakias were both closed at one point, leaving no access to my shop. During the last two and half months, these vital link roads have been closed and opened constantly, sometimes even on the same day.?
Mrs. Jukarainen saw her Lawyer to discuss compensation and was informed that there was no law in Cyprus upon which she could seek it, other than make an attempt for court proceedings for damages after completion on 3rd August, which will take infinite time and expense. On the 27th April 2007, a formal letter from Lacovou Brothers (Constructions) Ltd, 2 Socratous Street, Larnaca, was received by businesses within the vicinity stating; ?the road works in Pafias Afrodites, Minoos Agias Kyriakis and Agiou Antoniou streets will commence 3rd of May 2007 and will be completed in three months.
Late June one of the construction company?s representatives came to the site for general inspection. Mrs. Jukarainen in outrage claims ?what did happen was the ?big boys? of the company were here last month and I asked them not to block again both door ways into my shop. The answer was; you little lady go back to your shop, we do whatever we want to, if we want to block your entrances to your shop we will, now go so we men can do the real work.?
Her endeavours to contact Project Manager Constantinos Papoutsas and consulting Paphos Municipality Mr. S. Savva to attend the site and discuss the matter have been to no avail. ?I have been infinitely telephoning, leaving messages for a call-back, but they never respond to my plea, I can only assume that their plan for major road works during the height of the tourist season has been a bad decision and I am sure they are inundated with complaints from local businesses as a result. I had greater trade in the winter months which are often off-season.?
Suffering from the same consequences in a significant drop in trade is Aresti Kouridi, owner of the Paradise Supermarket, Pafias Afrothitis Street, Kato Paphos. He clearly states ?I am closing. After three months of continual works outside my shop and now information from the workmen that a further three months is necessary, which doubles the original time plan, I can no longer sit here all day long waiting for customers who cannot gain access by foot or car.? He continued to say that Petrinos Bar opposite his shop was newly owned by British people who often closed as a result of the roadworks.
In am impromptu interview with tourists around the site, Peter and Karen Shirley from Liverpool stated ?we were recommended to come to Paphos for our annual holiday and informed that local walking within the town would be pleasurable, but with all these road works we cannot even gain secure access, it has destroyed our holiday and we are planning an early return. What we find hard to believe is why the CTO and Cypriot Government would plan such a large scale project in prime tourist season when the local economy relies on this seasonal industry.?
This type of complaint has been communicated to local Restaurants and Bars who have seen a low in business with tourists often complaining of dangerous access which is seemingly conflicting with the CTO plans to increase tourism. Utility supplies have been cut off with no prior notice and exposed pipes cause inevitable dangers. The local church St Paul?s Pillar, Kato Paphos is amongst one of the most popular for marriages, with couples arriving from Britain with large wedding parties to be faced with building works and insecure passage-ways.
Andrie Laourie, who owns Kyra Frosini in Pafias Afrothitis Street, Kato Paphos has recently undergone treatment in Nicosia for breast cancer. ?I returned to find my popular ladies? only Kafeneio virtually hidden behind road work rubble.? Consulting with the local Mare, who she knows personally proved superficial, he could provide no immediate comfort as to the finalisation of the works, though agreed to make further endeavours on her behalf. ?I could not wait to return to my Ladies? only Kafeneio after my surgery and the treatment in Nicosia; it has always been a tranquil spot for me and my customers. If I had envisaged this reception, I may have decided to go on a long holiday and close.?
What has infuriated local businesses who are of the same corporate opinion, is that why are major road works taking place in the height of the tourist season, surely the project should have been started in the months when often businesses are seasonally closed.
Answers are inconclusive and currently under discussion with the Secretary of the Municipality who at present has no comment, pending further investigation.
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