My dear friends,
Taking over duties as the Mayor of Aradippou a year ago, I said my basic priority was to ensure accountability and transparency when it came to the municipality’s performance, by offering you continuous updates – on matters we are called to manage, as well as the progress made in projects we promised to implement.
The economic crisis and the impact it has had on the Municipality’s finances, as well as a large number of our fellow citizens, have definitely forced us to revise our goals and plans, and attempt, as a local authority and as a society, to support our fellow human beings who need it more.
Your response to the initiatives we took, not only to support our fellow citizens but also to send assistance to Greece, was more than moving, sending the clear message that we have maintained our compassion and humanity as a local community; something we are immensely proud of.
Despite the difficult circumstances, we have managed to complete or start a series of projects and set out a plan for our next steps. Indicatively, we achieved the following in 2012, among others:
- To operate a Citizens Services Office and upgrade the Municipality’s website (www.aradippou.org.cy)
- To transfer the local municipal clinic to Apostolos Loukas Square, thus making access easier for our fellow citizens – especially the elderly – and decongesting the municipality
- To implement the Neighbourhood Watch scheme, which is now in advanced stages and has already started operating
- To install a Wi-Fi network at the centre of Aradippou (it has already been put into operation and in collusion with the telecommunication companies, will gradually expand to cover as much of the Municipality as possible)
- To landscape the park behind the Municipality and upgrade Lord Byron Park.
- To expropriate land for a communal football pitch(leased 75 acres) and secure state-owned land to build a Municipal Theatre in the Alona area
- To complete and deliver Aradippou Municipality’s cultural centre, and purchase the old house opposite the Kaimakliotis museum, within the framework of efforts to maintain the area’s traditional character
- To operate the Aradippou Municipality Open University – it started operating in October 2012 and the first academic year will wrap in spring 2013
- To complete the Industrial Area (road network and signs) and register roads for heavy vehicles
Within the framework of efforts to deal with the consequences of the economic crisis, we also carried out a big study into businesses that are based and are active in our Municipality. The aim was to survey the current situation and take measures to help them withstand the difficulties and continue to offer job positions to our fellow citizens and growth to our local community. The findings of the study were presented in an open gathering and we have already launched a series of visits and contacts with the businesses, to examine various individual problems and needs.
In addition to the aforementioned, our Municipality participated in three Co-funded programmes:
- “Integrated environmental management of livestock waste – IMAST”. The aim is to create a complete, functional and tested system for environmental management of livestock waste of Aradippou Municipality’s cattle.
- "Prevention and Management of Natural Hazards at the Municipality of Heraklion, Regional District of Samos, Municipality of Aradippou and Pafos District – FYKISAP”. The final goal is through targeted actions, to obtain the management and prevention of natural hazards.
- “Social Programs’ Development on the Street”. Provides subsidized employment to a qualified psychologist, whose purpose is to enable vulnerable groups to join the economic and social mechanism in order to lift stigmatisation and social isolation.
Furthermore, we continue to seek ways to further reinforce relations with our emigrants, through recording the number of Aradippou emigrants around the world, creating a monument for missing people from Aradippou that was sponsored by emigrants and increasing exchange of communication on happenings on both sides.
As I have repeatedly stressed, we are managing the crisis responsibly and with caution, and we are optimistic that we will withstand it.
We will soon announce a communal gathering, to present our work so far in more detail and our goals for the next period. Please respond to this invitation, because your participation, suggestions and critique are a precondition to further upgrade our Municipality and the quality of services offered to our citizens.
Evangelos Evangelides
Mayor of Aradippou