North Cyprus - Trevor's Tips - May 2016 - Sharing News

By Trevor Hughes……

Citizens Advice Cyprus

I have it on good authority [Pembe herself] that she has now given up running the Citizens Cyprus Office in Çatalköy. For those who wish to retrieve their personal papers they should go to the Bloomsbury Properties office on the other side of the road, next to Capital Bank.

Bloomsbury Properties can be contacted by email at info@bloomsbury-properties.com

Second hand Car Purchases

I have said many times before, buying a second hand car here is fraught with danger. As an example, there was a used car for sale on a car lot in Alsancak, which would have been a category D “write off” in the UK.

I know that because the car was written off by Dagli Sigorta. The car being sold had no airbags fitted and the mileage turned back [clocked]. The nature of some of the damage was all the “A” and “B” posts being damaged to the point of being unsafe. The “A” and “B” posts are vital to the safety of the driver and his/her passengers. This is only one of many cars being sold which should not be on the road.

Please make as many checks as possible on the vehicle before you purchase it!!

Passport Entry Stamps

For those who do not wish to have a TRNC entry stamp in their passports, you now have a choice. The options are now, having an entry stamp in your passport or completing a visa sheet which overcomes having a stamp entry.

Güven Hospital

Having trained and worked as a paramedic for over 8 years in the NHS, and Mary my wife, also working for the NHS for over 23 years, gave me some headway on judging the standard of service on offer from this hospital. Having visited them, I must say the Güven Hospital facilities are extremely impressive and some of the best I’ve ever seen.

Staff commitment and enthusiasm is overwhelming from the moment you set foot in the hospital campus. MRSA, don’t even think about it, because the cleanliness of the hospital equals that of a 5 star hotel.

The staff are forever smiling, enjoying their chosen career, and are proud to work for such a wonderful hospital.

The hospitals ethos is that every member of staff is of equal status, serving their patients to their best endeavours.

So what’s in it for you?

A world class team of highly trained doctors and nurses.
No waiting lists for both diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
Consultation/diagnosis from the comfort of your own home, if you chose.
A second opinion, free of charge.
A guaranteed and fixed pricing structure.
Blood transfusions, where necessary, unlike in the TRNC, the patient or their family are not required to arrange replacement blood donations to the Turkish blood bank.
Freereturn flights for both you and your spouse/partner.
Your very own chauffeur driven car to collect you from the airport and for your return journey.
Your very own spacious room with free wifi, television (in your chosen language) and free local telephone usage.
A dedicated team of staff, all English speaking, supported by an interpreter if required.
Free sleeping arrangements for your partner/spouse if required.
Home cooked a la carte menu for both you and your spouse/partner.
All blood units and plasma products supplied, making the search for suitable donors a thing of the past.

You would have great difficulty in trying to match what’s on offer here.

Why put up with second best? Give Güven Hospital a chance to prove themselves. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain?

The name Güven even means TRUST.

The Hospital is hosting a one day seminar, well worth a visit, see below.

WHERE: Cratos Hotel, Çatalköy (Molière Room)

WHEN: Wednesday 4^th May. 09.30 till 5pm

Coffee breaks and free buffet lunch provided

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL YASMİN ÇALISKAN: 0533 842 7349

Starting: 9.30: opening (9.30 to 10.00 o’clock just coffee service while they are waiting for other people to arrive)

At 10.00: Visual presentation and introduction of Güven Hospital.

Dr. Mehmet Emin – Korkmaz Valvular Diseases of Heart
Prof Dr. Deniz Yamaç – Cancer
Prof Dr. Teslime Atlı – Dementia
Dr. Cenk Öztürk – Knee-cap and hip operations

12.30 : Yasmin and Nedim Calıskan from the Cyprus Kyrenia-Bellapais office will close the conference by introducing the Güven Hospital attorney.

12.40 to 14.00 Lunch open Buffet.

14.00: 17.00 Face to face doctors meetings.

For more detailed information go to cyprusscene.com web site to read the article of our joint visit to Güven Hospital, Ankara by clicking here or download a hard copy by clicking here.

Temporary Residence

The annual cost of a Temporary Residence Permit has risen to 233TL per year.

New Location for the DHL Office

The new DHL office is now located on the mountain side of the Çatalköy main road and is run by “HIRE IT” which is opposite “Pit Stop” on the other side of the road. Click here for more information.

Useful Phone Numbers

These phone numbers may come in handy sometime.

Larnaca Airport Information Desk 00 357 251 230 22

British Airways [BA] 00 357 240 0841

Lost and Found Luggage 00 357 248 047 16

UK Income Tax Rebate.

My wife and I tried to apply for some income tax rebate.

This is the reply we received……

“From the information provided we would be unable to help you claim a UK tax rebate for your UK pensions. The reason for this is that, there is no double taxation agreement between the UK and Northern Cyprus which allows for tax relief for this. If you require further clarification on your particular situation we suggest contacting HMRC directly regarding your UK tax affairs.

I am sorry we are unable to help further on this occasion and thank you for contacting tax rebate services.

Kind regards.”

So much for being a diligent tax payer for over forty years. Oh to be an illegal immigrant in the UK and sponge off them for the rest of our years

Cyprus Marble, Girne

I have recently had a new fire place supplied and fitted by Cyprus Marble in Girne. Their quality of service was very good indeed and the quality of the fitment, excellent. I have negotiated up to 10% discount for Dagli Sigorta customers who want a high grade product with excellent service.

Well worth considering if you require either a marble or granite work surface for your kitchen, or even matching floor/wall tiles.

Bayram Holidays

May 2^nd Labour Day

Labour Day, also known as May Day, is celebrated in most countries of Europe. It is billed as a holiday that resulted from efforts of the labour union movement, to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers. In North Cyprus, however, it represents a movable public holiday. Only the government officials are closed on this day.

May 19 – Atatürk Commemoration and Youth & Sports Day

This annual Turkish national holiday is celebrated to commemorate the beginning of the Turkish War of Independence launched by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk landing in Samsun, the best landing point on the Black Sea coast on May 19, 1919. The day commemorates the liberation of Anatolia and Istanbul which were occupied by the naval forces of foreign countries.

Atatürk himself proclaimed May 19 as “Youth and Sports Day” and it thus serves to honour the country’s founder. During this holiday ceremonies are held across all Turkey as well as North Cyprus and top civilian and military officials attend a ceremony at Anitkabir, Atatürk’s mausoleum in Ankara.