“The Turkish Cypriot people are looking at the future with confidence”
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Road signs about dumping rubbish to be installed by the TRNC Environmental Protection Agency
The Environmental Protection Agency, which is part of the Ministry of Tourism and Environment, has started to place informative signs in the regions to draw attention to environmental issues.
This practice, which will be carried out in order to raise awareness with the desire to create a more beautiful and more livable environment, will spread to all the provinces starting from the capital Lefkosa.
In this project, all the road roundabouts will have installation of these informative signs.
In the declaration made by the Environmental Protection Agency this indicates that the amount of garbage or waste is less than 1 m³ – Monthly minimum wage is ¼, Monthly minimum wage is 1 – 10 m ³, and 10 m³ it was reminded that the monthly minimum wage is 2 times as much.
Editor’s Note:
Our understanding is that there will be penalties for people abandoning rubbish in public areas as shown above.
Nitovikla Garden Hotel – Cypriot Cuisine and Cultural Learning Project
Nitovikla Garden Hotel – Cypriot Cuisine and Cultural Learning Project
Minister of Tourism and Environment Fikri Ataoglu congratulated the owner of Eco-Agro Nitovikla Garden Hotel, Zekai Altan and his team.
Zekai Altan informed the Minister about their activities and said that they are proud of creating a first with their own possibilities and that in 2013, with the promotion and encouragement of the Honorary President of the Primary School of Mormenekşe and the Peace Hoca, the Cypriot Cuisine and Cultural Learning Project started with 60 students.
Altan stated that they provided significant contribution to the students with the Cyprus Cuisine and Cultural Learning Project which was implemented with the cooperation of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Environment, KTOES, teachers, parents and businesses. For the Primary school, year 4 Altan noted that the project covered Cypriot Cuisine, Handicrafts and Environment and for Year 5 this was also included with the subjects of the Social Studies textbook.
He said he believed that the interest of local and foreign media in the project would make a significant contribution to the continuation of the project.
Fikri Ataoglu, Minister of Tourism and Environment said “As of May, the Ministry continued to increase the contribution made to this project in a sensitive manner, expressing satisfaction with the increase in participation by 31%. This is a very significant increase. This project is also very important from an economic point of view. In a sense, we have also created our economy. There is no need to have a large budget. Everybody is winning. The most important contribution is the practical training provided to our students”. Ataoğlu also continued to say “we will continue to give support as the Ministry of Tourism and Environment”. In addition to this, Ataoğlu continues to contribute to the students: transportation sector, all food and beverage sellers used in the menu, presentation of Mehmetcik Municipality and the region and the introduction of the Karpaz Olive Oil Plant. There is great pride in this service.
Tourism and Environment Minister Fikri Ataoglu said “the contribution to transportation to the project will continue in absolute terms and the necessary development will be done. We are very happy to express that the support of KTOES will continue to be developed with the same sensitivity and wishes to all employees on behalf of our culture and students”. He also wished to continue his work in this field by thanking the project volunteer Zekai Altan for his pleasant visits and gifts.
In the project implemented within 2014-2015 academic year; from 8 primary schools there were 630 students and 49 teachers. In the 2016 academic year (March to May) there were 1,343 students and 105 teachers from 23 primary schools and in the 2016-2017 academic year there have been 2,500 students and 225 teachers from 24 primary schools.
Ataoglu concluded by saying “The project is a first. There is creativity and sustainability. There is self-sacrifice, labour and seriousness. It breaks down the crime of hatred and enables the implementation of Cyprus cultures to continue. In addition to supporting the project, our efforts and support for the development will continue”.
Editor’s Note
In March 2017, during an impromptu visit to the Nitovikla Garden Hotel with our German friends, Chris and Fred, we were delighted to find a group of students from Atleks Sanverler Orta Okulu in Nicosia, who had been enjoying a couple of days with the Cypriot Cuisine and Cultural Learning Project and we were invited to join in with presenting certificates to the students. We felt very honoured. To see this article, click here
TRNC Ministry of Tourism reaction to new decision on Pegasus flights to the UK
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus reacted to the decision of the new arrangements by the UK in respect of flights from the TRNC via Turkey.
The decision of the United Kingdom for passengers to disembark for security control in Turkey was on the agenda at the meeting of the Ministry of Tourism and Environment on Friday 26th May 2017.
Ministry of Tourism Undersecretary, Ismet Esenyel, said that the decision was unacceptable and that a letter would be written to the authorities and an explanation about the matter would be requested.
In the statement made by the Ministry of Tourism, it was pointed out that the decision was a political intervention in the country’s tourism.
A meeting was held at the Ministry of Tourism and Environment regarding the new arrangements brought by the UK authorities in respect of flights originating from Turkey, and that passengers flying from Ercan to Stansted with Pegasus Airlines would have to disembark at Sabiha Gökçen (Istanbul) and Adnan Menderes Airports (Izmir) in Turkey for security control checks.
According to the information given by the Ministry, the meeting was attended by the Undersecretary of Tourism and Environment İsmet Esenyel, the General Director of Pegasus Cyprus Zeki Ziya and the Chairman of KITSAB Orhan Tolun and the NGOs ‘British Residents Society’, ‘Anglo Turkish Association’, ‘Russian Speaking Association’, ‘Foreign Residents in the TRNC’, ‘Cyprusscene’ and ‘Cyprus Today’.
At the end of the meeting, it was stated that the decision of the United Kingdom was absolutely unacceptable and should be questioned.
Undersecretary Esenyel said that the passengers who will travel from the TRNC cannot understand or see any sense in having to change planes and to go through security control in the Republic of Turkey. Esenyel said, letters should be written to the authorities by the expatriate NGO’s in which an explanation for the new ruling should be requested.
Esenyel noted that a decision for the NGO’s to contact the British High Commissioner should be made to question the purpose of the officials who have signed such an unfortunate decision which has been taken in respect of the so-called security of the TRNC.
Esenyel stated that the decision has been taken as a political intervention in the tourism of the country, which has had a significant rise in recent years, and this decision is unacceptable. The people living in the TRNC, and the NGOs they are affiliated with, will be followers of this issue.
Editor’s Note: To read the cyprusscene.com review of the meeting (which they attended) click here
Pumping Station reconstruction in the Girne area
The waste water pumping station in an area on the outskirts of Girne has been renewed.
In cooperation with Environment Protection Department of the Ministry of Tourism and Environment, the work initiated recently with the cooperation and contribution of Girne Municipality, Lords Palace Hotel, Oscar Hotel and Girne University has been completed.
A new pumping station has been built next to the original pumping station which caused waste water to overflow into the sea from time to time. The pumping station, which also includes the Scada automation system, can be monitored 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can be intervened immediately in case of a possible failure. In addition, in order to avoid problems in electricity interruptions, the existing generators have been supplemented by adding a new generator.
A meeting was organized by the Director of the Environmental Protection Agency, Abdullah Aktolgali, for the evaluation of the last stage. Representatives of Girne Municipality, Lords Palace Hotel, Oscar Hotel and Girne University participated in the meeting. In March, information about the newly established system was discussed and the issues to be resolved were discussed in order not to repeat the problem again.