Government cracks down on expat singers
Reported by: Cyprus Today newspaper
By Chris Elliott
Reading the front page of the Cyprus Today newspaper of the 12th September we are greeted with an exclusive report that the Government is cracking down on illegal entertainers and those who use them.
Wherever we chose to live and perhaps work around the world, there will be a black economy which is driven by those who do not wish to obey the laws of the land and contribute to the country’s economy.
So is it any surprise that suddenly the TRNC authorities have started to crack down on illegal entertainers and those who use them?
No is the answer and this action has been brought about by a bitter campaign by a few illegal entertainers who tried every trick in the book to denigrate and bully some legal entertainers using social media and also newspapers to justify their cause. How can you do this and justify being illegal and expect to remain unnoticed by the authorities.
The fact is you can’t and a few foolhardy individuals have brought the whole question of illegal entertainers working into the authority’s radar zone and now action is being taken to control these illegal activities.
Just reading this self same newspaper week in week out, we have seen adverts for restaurants some of which seem to include illegal entertainers who are also seen from time to time being featured on leisure pages and if you and I can read about them, so can the authorities!
One thing is for certain if All Stars Agency Promotions closes at the end of October or later in the year, at that time, there will be no legal expat entertainers so then we can look forward to being entertained by our Turkish Cypriot friends which is no bad thing although choice of expat entertainers would also have been nice.
You are right Chris. A few bitter, for whatever reason, people have put paid to the ex-pat entertainment industry here. Hope they are happy now.
Sadly you are right Sue and it will take a miracle to change the future prospect and perhaps it’s ASAP that could pull it off.
As for the gang of discontent, they have exposed themselves so much they cannot hide away now and justice may come their way courtesy of the TRNC.
There are very few ‘entertainers’ here that I would bother to go and see anyway. Quite why people from UK suddenly think they have a voice is beyond me. But at the end of the day I know lots of folk like to listen to this rubbish…and it all comes back to the fact…..when you are in a country you abide by the rules. I am very happy if some of these so called entertainers cannot perform any more because they will not pay for a permit.
Well said Mrs Gee,
Did I see one character in this article who is constantly courting the news to justify his activities and claim he is sneaky clean, and say he did not know the rules???
Pull the other one Mr ……..!!!
How bloody ridiculous, what’s the world coming to when people can’t perform without all that fuss – we have an open mic night in our small town everyone who can perform do so. If you like to perform what’s the problem – I thought I had seen every bloody stupid thing in my life but this caps it all. We have had people from all parts of the world performing here, even some from Africa – UNBELIEVABLE!
Hello Joolsdarling
It would seem from your computer IP address that you are perhaps commenting from Wales in the UK.
Like it or not a few foolish people who are consistently breaking the law and brazenly broadcasting the news of their activities, have created a situation where rightly so, the authorities are clamping down. . If they had kept their activities quiet this situation would not have developed but NO they had to give the two fingers to everyone and as they say the rest is history.
No doubt you and many others like you in the UK pay for your TV licence, car tax, council tax etc, etc so is it any wonder if the people in the TRNC demand action to stop these activities.
Sadly all this has a detrimental effect on the genuine charity events that are so important for those in need.The recent backbiting and shambolic actions of a few so called professional entertainers is causing great concern and already some charity events are being cancelled.The entertainers just don’t want the hassle associated with the current infighting and adverse publicity.
Dead simple really, pay your dues and go out and gig!. Your audience will decide your worth.
If it were that simple many more would be happy to do so. Most entertainers would be happy to register and pay taxes, insurance etc if it meant they could travel the country and perform at any venue but my understanding is the entertainer must have a separate work permit for each venue. That is why ASAP came into existence with an agreement with the government that covered the entertainer to perform at any venue, at a cost of course!!
It is up to the bar or restaurant to provide work permits, or any place of work, that is why the black economy here is so huge with the building sector one of the worst offenders. Just imagine the cost to a bar having 2 or 3 different entertainers during a week ensuring the customers do not get bored with the same act every night. A few changes in the law to allow entertainers to be effectively self employed, responsible for all their own government taxes etc and life would become a lot easier for the bar and entertainer. It would also ensure that more revenue went into the government coffers.
I think I have my facts more or less correct but I am sure I will be corrected if wrong.
Hello David from our understanding of the situation, you seem to have summed it up pretty well.
Some 3 years ago an opportunity developed whereby it was legal for an agency to be set up to employ expatriates as entertainers and 2 companies were formed but today ASAP is the only company still in existence.
The concept it would seem for those entertainers who registered with an agency, was for them to be able to perform under a work permit obtained for them by the agency at any number of venues. Since this time they are now being viewed as full time employees and taxed accordingly.
We also understand that only Turkish Cypriots as allowed to work part time.