ISLANDSBC Swiss Team Result & Lost Passport Journey

an imageISLANDSBC Swiss Team Result & Lost Passport Journey

Readers mail…..
From… ISLANDSBC Bridge Club

The 13 May 2026 at the Korineum Golf and Beach resort saw 6 teams competing at the 4^th Swiss Teams tournament writes Colin Pearson. The eventual winners were led by Sue Starling for the 3^rd time, and the result was only settled on the last board when she held her nerve to make 4H redoubled vulnerable with an overtrick against the Centkas team.

The full results are as follows:

First Place Trophy – Sue Starling, Colin Pearson, Phil Dolni and Steve Stockwell

Second Place Plate – Jenny Armstrong, Tony Armstrong, Peri Wing and Mike Bezzant

Last Place Consolation prize – Dick Sandeman, Jane McVey, Lalitha Scott and Pam Engels.

Runner up Team led by Jenny Armstrong

Lalitha Scott holds the last place consolation Prize

One of our visitors, Jane McVey, apart from the indignity of being placed last at the tournament, also suffered the misfortune of losing her passport. The ensuing events – coupled with an appropriate soundtrack – are partly to entertain (although not at the time) but also inform, should such a thing happen to anyone else in the future.

Thursday 14 May 2026

(19^th Nervous Breakdown – The Rolling Stones), having surfaced from the excellent buffet (where over 16 participants/partners attended) the previous evening, Jane, on reaching checkout, discovered her passport was mislaid. Searches of all baggage then followed, but to no avail. The Korineum Golf and Beach Resort had no record of anyone handing anything in. It was surmised that the passport may have dropped through an open zip of a side baggage not long after arrival on the early morning of Tuesday, 14 May. The conclusion from this was that the passport was lost and not stolen (an important distinction – see police later). Immediate scouring of local websites (BRS in particular – they should consider including this information for their members) ultimately led to Gov.UK which gave a South Cyprus number for the High Commission. Three calls and many diversions down rabbit holes eventually got her to speak to a Consular assistant.

She was advised to apply for an emergency document to travel, and an email link was sent immediately. The consular assistant advised that since she was unable to travel to the South, she should request a courier to deliver in the North. The consular assistant was asked if it was necessary to report this to the police and the answer was it wasn’t but might be useful. The hotel advice was more direct in encouraging a visit to Lefkosia and not a local police station.

Aided by my wife and I, Jane travelled with her sister Liz to Girne Police station arriving at 12:30 just in time to see said police officers disappearing for their lunch. No matter a quick trip to a café outside the Dome Hotel allowed sufficient refreshment for coming interview. After a short wait Jane and my wife spent a happy half hour being quizzed by a lady policeman. Once it was established that the passport hadn’t been stolen (big procedure of photo’s, forms involved) the police lady advised that she could provide a handwritten letter, but it really wasn’t necessary. Jane decided to accept her advice and to proceed with her next stage of her holiday to Famagusta.

Later that evening back at her hotel La Regina Veneziano in Famagusta Jane proceeded to fill in the online forms for an emergency passport but when it came to putting in an address for courier delivery in the North for an application from Cyprus the system refused to accept any address in the North. In desperation Jane switched the application to Turkey and this time the address for courier delivery to the Korineum Hotel along with online £100 fee was accepted. She was unable to complete the online documentation for describing her travel back as the form wasn’t interactive and therefore required printing before completion. This she arranged for a colleague to bring it to her the following day. After a large glass of red wine, Jane retired to bed.

Friday 15 May

(Against all Odds – Phil Collins) Having spent a relaxing morning Liz and Jane visited the Varosha site and whilst waiting for a buggy Jane received the news that her Turkey application had been rejected and her online fee refunded. Panic was stifled by a (long) call again to the Consular office where they expressed surprise that she had been unable to give an address in the North for the courier service. After long pauses and consultation with her superior the Consular assistant advised that she should resubmit her application via Cyprus but not to seek a courier service but to say she was willing to pick up at the UK High Commission residences at Shakespeare House in the North. The Consular assistant also promised to monitor her application. On her return to her hotel in Famagusta, Jane resubmitted her application as directed.

Saturday 16 May

(It’s Getting Better – The Beatles from Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Heart Club Band) the system seemed to work efficiently as her application was accepted by 02:00 a.m. Early that morning an email link was received enabling an appointment to be made at Shakespeare House in Lefkosia which was confirmed for Tuesday 19 May. Sufficiently reassured Jane and Liz spent a day travelling to Karpas and in particular enjoying a Kleftiko dish at the Boylu restaurant recommended by her hotel proprietor.

Sunday 17 May

(All along the Watchtower – Jimi Hendrix) Spent a happy morning touring the sights of the old walled town of Famagusta. Thought about activating her travel insurance but decided the £200 excess made this unrewarding.

Monday 18 May

(Step On – Happy Mondays) Back to the Korineum Golf and Beach Resort Hotel to play bridge – this time with success coming first with her partner with a 58% score. Received a call from the British Consul confirming the appointment for the next day.

Tuesday 19 May

(Heroes – David Bowie) arrived at Shakespeare House in good time and within 15 minutes emerged with a shiny new light blue temporary passport. Mission almost accomplished. Then visited the old city especially Büyük Han and the associated markets.

Wednesday 20 May

(Should I stay or Should I go? – The Clash) Both Jane and Liz set off for the Pyla crossing by taxi to discover that the Turkish customs at the border were unwilling to let her through as they had no police report! Quick thinking by the Esentepe Taxi driver took them to Pyla police station where 4 policeman debated whether they could issue a report or whether it needed to be handled by Girne. Eventually said letter materialised describing the loss as an incident! This in turn led to another long discussion at the custom border office whether they could accept the report without a Girne stamp. In the end common sense prevailed and Jane and her sister were let through the crossing. There was no issue at the SBA custom point or on arrival at Larnaca airport although the emergency passport did elicit some queries at the airport desks.

Thursday 21 May

(It’s too late – Carole King from Tapestry) The Korineum Golf and Beach Resort contacted Jane/Liz to advise the old passport had been handed in and could they collect it!

And the end of all this and safely returned to England Jane was asked if she had been put off coming to North Cyprus in the future. It was an experience I would rather not repeat she replied but nothing could keep me away from playing in the Swiss Teams Tournament next year – it will be my 5^th year. Except this time, I will be keep my passport close to my person.