What do you do for your country? What does it do for you?

THE WAY THINGS ARE

By Colette NiReamonn Ioannidou

Four Cypriots graced an OPAP sponsored supplement in the Sunday Mail on July 31. Renowned and respected, they have brought credit to Cyprus.

They were Professor Kypros Nicolaides, brilliant fetal medicine pioneer; Kypros Patsalides, world-class tenor; Pavlos Kontides, Olympian silver-medalist sailor; and Andria Zafirakou, world-best teacher. The inspirational success stories of these high achievers, proud of their Cypriot identity, have brought honour to Cyprus. The island doesn’t lack educated talent despite its small population. However, when they qualify, eager with ideas and initiative, the young are often blocked when less innovative, old-ways-mentality stifles them.

The island has people educated in all aspects of film, yet there was a short-sighted failure to grasp a chance with the lucrative film industry given the varied topographical locations we have, and the tourism spin-offs created by successful movies or series. The UK and other parts of Europe burned this summer. How long before people won’t need to travel for sun?

And you. Is your love of country all in your mouth, leaving others to speak internationally on its behalf? Michael Jansen, a respected journalist, covers this part of the world. In her ‘Nicosia Letter’ for The Irish Times on July 19, her headline was “EU member has the highest number of refugees and migrants per capita.” Her objective piece spoke of the Farmer’s Market at Ochi Square, the ancient history surrounding the area, and the earlier Muslim Feast of Sacrifice when scores of African, Asian and Arab men crowded there to celebrate, mirroring gatherings in a Damascene souk or the streets of Mecca during the annual Hajj. She would know.

The next day, a long letter from a Dublin woman wrote of offences by Cypriot authorities on ‘pushing back asylum seekers’. And with regard to Lebanese hopefuls, witnesses said that “the Greek Cypriot coast guard tried to capsize or swamp their boats.” Her letter contains quotes from Human Rights Watch and EuroMed Rights along with non-flattering comments on Cyprus’ attitude to those seeking shelter. This isn’t the first time a Cypriot living in Ireland who surely reads local papers, failed to take issue with bad press, nor did one reply to Ms Hughes’ obvious disdain.

Someone could have pointed out the significance of the date above her letter and reminded Ms Hughes that on 20 July 1974, this island was almost halved. It had its own chaotic refugee/displaced people problem then. Familiar over centuries to being illegally taken over, Cyprus has managed to work itself back onto its feet.

People here as elsewhere haven’t issues with genuine asylum seekers but are justifiably anxious about the many fakers, chancers and crooks coming in over a land border nigh impossible to control, let alone those coming in by sea.

Ireland, as with Pournara, recently saw villagers fearful of a similar centre being set up near them. Not all illegal incomers are either destitute or desperate; smugglers are not charitable entities.

Some poor Cypriots are getting desperate. Consumers pay EU fines on electricity bills, failure of the EAC and the government on polluting emissions. Those who can’t afford air conditioning sweat it out, counting cents. High earners in the above don’t food shop, calculator in hand, or experience extreme summer discomfort. The EAC released energy saving hints. The poor have been doing that habitually for years.

Ireland offers a winter fuel allowance to pensioners, couldn’t the Cyprus government give a cooling bonus in summer, especially now. Who deserves help needs checking as not all apparently low pensioners are honest. There are old cheats who play the system: no serious means test, or hidden income investigated. And ‘vulnerable’ has also more than one layer. While those with laughingly perceived ‘good’ pensions who don’t own their homes pay rent and cost-of-living increases with income unmatched to reality.

While people who could pay for Gesy’s universal largesse with expensive medication don’t have to now, why do count-the-cents old-age pensioners have to hand out for costly but necessary non-Gesy vitamins, bone/ligament and other supplements? The balance of who gets what is off in a system where some are not held to honest account even for criminality, fraud or non-declaration. If Ms Hughes thinks we treat asylum seekers badly, she should see how we sometimes treat our non-elite, non-connected own. A low-pension friend concluded, ‘The well-off don’t understand.’ Is it more they don’t care.