The Foreign Residents in the TRNC (TFR)
18th Annual General Meeting
By Ralph Kratzer
The 18th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of The Foreign Residents in the TRNC (TFR) – an association with actually more than 330 members from 26 different nations – was held on Saturday, 24th October 2015, like the years before at the Silver Rocks Restaurant in Lapta, and was attended by more than 80 members.
Heinz Nauroth, Chairman of the association, opened the meeting at 11.35 am and welcomed all TFR-members present.
Ralph Kratzer was nominated as being the Meeting Secretary and former German ambassador Hartmut Blankenstein as the Meeting Chairman for the day.
Mr. Nauroth mentioned the TFR-member Seppo Nikkanen from Finland, who sadly passed away in 2015. It was followed by a minute’s silence for the deceased.
The Meeting Chairman Hartmut Blankenstein then examined the quorum for the AGM. It was achieved as more than 20% of the actual total members of the club entitled to vote were present.
In his Chairman´s report Heinz Nauroth gave a summary of the last year´s numerous events like the Christmas Dinner in December 2014 at the Merit Royal Hotel in Alsancak and also gave a short outlook on the next planned Christmas dinner, now called Year-End Dinner, back again at Deniz Kizi Hotel on 5th December 2015.
He also mentioned other successful last year´s events like, inter alia, the legendary Winter Glögg afternoon, two speeches of the presidential candidates Kudret Özersay and Sibel Siber in front of TFR-members and a very interesting lecture about the Norwegian polar circle. He further referred to an “unforgettable trip” to the Karpaz peninsula, a boat-trip into the sunset, which was in his words “an excellent night in a top atmosphere” and last but not least the very successful second authentic “Bavarian Oktoberfest” of the club one month ago.
The Foreign Residents in the TRNC could also celebrate two festive occasions in the last few months, namely the Diamond Wedding of their members Dorothy and Bill Gallop and the welcome of the 300th member in their ranks.
(Note: To remember the above mentioned persons and events – click on the bold and underlined links)
The Chairman´s report was followed by the reports of the Deputy Chairman, Willy Lindh, about travels and trips of the TFR and the Secretary Ralph Kratzer´s report about the development of the TFR-website. Mr. Kratzer mentioned at the end of his speech the obtaining of a message by two TFR-members about the tragic accidental death of their little son in July.
New member of the Committee, Pamela Tschersich, talked about her function as a Liaison Officer to any member needing assistance in the case of illness and promised to draw up a list with helpful support contacts.
Her report was followed by short speeches of Events Manager Richard Bradley and of Tommy Rognmo, leader of the Cemetery Subcommittee, about his group´s last year´s work concerning maintenance of International cemeteries in North Cyprus, burials and dealing with the local authorities.
Next point on the agenda was the Treasurer´s report and Horst Gutowski gave the audience a summarized insight into the financial status of the association.
The following Auditor´s report given by Lynn Hartill was very short – she and the 2nd auditor Petra Wendt had checked the book-keeping of the Treasurer and had found no problems.
The discharge of the Committee for the period since the last AGM in October 2014 was agreed unanimously by the members present, as well as the discharge of the Auditors.
Last topics on the agenda, “resolutions” and “miscellaneous”, were successfully processed and after that, the official part of the meeting ended and most of the members on site, like every year, enjoyed the ensuing lunch at the Silver Rocks and the opportunity for a relaxed chat among like-minded people.
