By Andreas C Chrysafis*
The other day, I tried to get out of Latchi and found myself trapped in a traffic jam that, unfortunately, is becoming a regular occurrence in the area, especially during the summer. A hedgehog could move faster than the cars.
Why? Because delivery vehicles were blocking the road; irresponsible idiots had parked on the pavements, and nobody gave a damn. Others even stopped the flow of traffic just to buy merchandise—too lazy to find a proper parking space first. This is a classic example of a culture of impunity and arrogance that has become far too common.
It took me a long time to get out of that small strip. In fact, it was utter chaos. This is where municipal planning proves its incompetence in planning and preparing Latchi’s future development, while the police, on the other hand, in such situations, fail to enforce the law. Instead of having officers maintaining law and order and prosecuting offenders—at least during the busy summer months—they were nowhere in sight. Most importantly, no one cared.
The excuse? Latchi is a tourist hub and a holiday destination, so everyone turns a blind eye to antisocial and law-breaking behaviour. That is not acceptable in a state governed by the rule of law. In fact, things will become much worse when the new marina is built.
Why? Firstly, because there is no adequate infrastructure in place to cope with the additional influx of people in Latchi or the inevitable increase in traffic, parking demands or vehicle movement, and secondly, because there is neither transparency nor public accountability from the authorities in charge.
Local citizens are the last to know what is happening—or what will happen—in their own community. Public council meetings to inform residents, or to listen to their views on issues affecting their community are virtually non-existent. No transparency!
That is an archaic Cypriot mentality not to inform citizens because, once elected or appointed, the bureaucrat believes he knows what is best for us—the children of lesser gods.
These issues are critical if the area is to grow into a well-functioning community that offers proper facilities while welcoming the thousands of visitors who come each year to enjoy the crystal-clear sea and the unspoilt beauty of Akamas.
Mass tourism, combined with greed, will surely reduce this beautiful area to mayhem and will certainly not bring the prosperity it deserves. Instead, it will create even greater problems and produce the exact opposite result by destroying the goose that lays the golden eggs.
*Author/Artist/Writer
