construction work

Huge row over construction works at children, ’s hospital

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Huge row over construction works at children, ’s hospital

Tensions have arisen over planned construction works at Makarios children’s hospital, with concerns raised by parents, doctors, and the Cyprus Paediatric Society about potential negative health consequences for patients, especially immunocompromised children in the oncology clinic. The State Health Services (Okypy) has faced criticism for not adequately informing stakeholders about measures to prevent such consequences, but has stated that decisions made by an interdisciplinary committee will ensure the safety of patients and staff during construction.

Housing scheme for mountain and rural areas extended

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Housing scheme for mountain and rural areas extended

Newly revised housing plans were approved by the cabinet to regenerate mountain villages, rural areas, and areas on the Green Line. 1,500 applications have been approved under the schemes, corresponding to the granting of €55 million in financial assistance. 14,000 households, corresponding to 29,500 people, benefited from the allowances in 2023, with a total grant of €7.5 million. The plan has been extended until December 31, 2025, and becomes a two-year plan to allow interested parties sufficient time to secure the necessary planning and building permits required to apply.

Cancer charities raise concerns over hospital improvements

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Cancer charities raise concerns over hospital improvements

Child cancer charities are deeply concerned about changes planned for the Makarios children’s hospital in Nicosia, specifically regarding extensions and upgrades that may affect the health and safety of children in the paediatric oncology clinic. They are worried about high levels of dust, toxic gases, and microparticles created by construction, as well as the risk of aspergillosis. The charities are calling for active and passive protection measures to be implemented before construction begins.

Larnaca marina construction , ‘to begin in June’

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Larnaca marina construction , ‘to begin in June’

Construction work on Larnaca’s marina and port will begin in June. The guarantee for the project must be paid immediately by Kition Ocean Holdings, with a total of €4.2 million paid out of a total expected amount of €10m. The construction license is set to be issued on April 26.

Larnaca port and marina financial guarantee still not received

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Larnaca port and marina financial guarantee still not received

– Transport Minister Alexis Vafeadis stated that the contractor company’s guarantee for the unified development of the Larnaca Port and Marina has not been received yet.
– A two-day deadline will be granted for the guarantee to be provided, after which instructions will be sought from the Legal Service.
– The financial guarantee under the contract amounts to €10 million, with the consortium having placed €4.2 million so far.
– The consortium filed a case against the government for causing delays and breaching the contract.
– The guarantee is an essential term of the contract and needs to be submitted for the project to move forward.
– Competent committees require time to review the contractor’s requests, which may take longer than a week.
– Larnaca’s Mayor emphasized the need for timely action to ensure the commencement of construction work on the project.

Five accused of working illegally in Paphos

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Five accused of working illegally in Paphos

Five people, aged between 19 and 28, were charged in writing of working illegally in Paphos. They were carrying out construction work without being officially listed as employees and without having work permits. The man who allegedly employed them, a 36-year-old, was also charged in writing.

Kition agrees to , €4.2 mln guarantee for Larnaca marina

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Kition agrees to , €4.2 mln guarantee for Larnaca marina

Construction of the €1.2 bln Larnaca port and marina project is back on track after the operator and the Cyprus government reached a compromise agreement over a financial deadlock. The company agreed to provide a letter of guarantee of €4.2 mln instead of the €10 mln required by the state. Once the guarantee is submitted, construction work is expected to resume in June. Failure to provide the guarantee could result in Kition having to pay damages to the state.

€50 million investment drives luxury housing in Livadia

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€50 million investment drives luxury housing in Livadia

Livadia is one of the most rapidly developing areas of Cyprus, with significant investments and construction growth. The area has seen a surge in interest following the removal of oil tanks and the lifting of the Seveso directive. A €50 million investment from an Israeli company is underway for luxury apartments, with plans for a boutique hotel. Road works are needed to accommodate the population increase, including the completion of Panagouli Avenue. The area also requires new schools, with projects underway for a regional Primary School and redevelopment of the traditional core of the community.

St Habakkuk fundraisers under scrutiny

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St Habakkuk fundraisers under scrutiny

– A fundraiser was conducted by the Saint Habakkuk Monastery between May-November 2021, raising €85,000 for construction work within the monastery.
– The Ministry of Interior required a building permit for the fundraiser, which the monastery did not submit.
– The monastery’s application for a second fundraiser was rejected due to the lack of submitted documents.
– The Ministry of Interior sent eight letters to the monastery requesting documents, which were eventually provided in 2023.
– Among the documents were receipts for expenses, which may be investigated by the police.
– There is a question regarding how €85,000 from the fundraiser grew to €807,000 found in the monastery’s safe.
– Two applications for a fundraiser to support a monastery on Mount Athos were submitted through the Archbishopric, and a third application was rejected.
– The Ministry of Interior stopped considering applications for the support of churches and monasteries due to citizen complaints.
– Priests can request donations within churches without a permit, but fundraisers outside require a permit.
– The Ministry of Interior grants approximately 80 permits annually for fundraisers, with proceeds amounting to about €10 million.
– There is a phenomenon of illegal fundraisers, which became more noticeable with stricter controls.
– The “Law on the Conduct of Fundraisers of 2014” defines a fundraiser and excludes activities within religious institutions and/or their precincts.
– Activities coordinated by the Commissioner for Volunteering and NGOs or the Pancyprian Coordinating Council of Volunteering involve addressing emergency needs and do not require a permit from the Licensing Authority.
– Anyone wishing to organize a fundraiser must obtain a permit from the competent Licensing Authority.
– The Licensing Authority may license organized entities for fundraisers within church precincts with the consent of the Ecclesiastical Authority.

Christodoulides visits LNG terminal as work restarts

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Christodoulides visits LNG terminal as work restarts

– President Nikos Christodoulides visited the liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal to mark the restart of construction work.
– The government aims to reduce electricity prices, with the LNG terminal’s operation playing a key role in this effort.
– Other actions to reduce electricity costs include renewable energy sources and a proposed electrical interconnector connecting Cyprus, Greece, and Israel.
– Construction of the terminal is set to recommence, confirmed by Energy Minister Papanastasiou after a meeting with the Chinese-led CPP-Metron Consortium Ltd (CMC).
– The ministry has not entered any new contractual obligations as the meeting was between the ministry and CMC, without the involvement of the Natural Gas Infrastructure Company (Etyfa) and the Natural Gas Public Company (Defa).
– An action group will be created to monitor the project from the ministry’s perspective.
– The floating storage and re-gasification unit, part of the terminal’s contract signed in 2019, is almost complete and will be discussed further via a video call.
– The goal is to reduce the cost of electricity production in Cyprus by switching to natural gas, which is more environmentally friendly and expected to reduce the cost of pollutants by about 40%.