How would you improve the TRNC?

pinkchilli


Joined: 30/11/2008
Posts: 689

Message Posted:
06/01/2009 18:26

Only sensible ideas.

Things that would benefit the TRNC.

Nothing that would involve massive up-front investments.

Nothing illegal.



My idea, not that's its really mine, would be to abolish Permission to Purchase. I don't see too many downsides.



If not, then bring in 99 year leases.



My second idea, would be to have a central booking office to buy boat trips in the tourist harbour.

littlenige



Joined: 24/12/2006
Posts: 3594

Message Posted:
06/01/2009 18:30

Easy declare it an international free port , do away with work permits, scrap import duty and encourage tourism via mass clean up and sensible fuel prices.

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
06/01/2009 18:32

Clear up the rubbish that's nearly everywhere you go. Perhaps even fine people for dumping waste.

Quarmby


Joined: 15/09/2008
Posts: 975

Message Posted:
06/01/2009 18:34

Bring in foreign expertise. Abolish nepotism. Accountability of government income and expenditure. Make racism a crime. Make people take proper driving tests and teach people how to drive with consideration to others. Teach people what traffic lights are for and what a zebra crossing is for. Train people and expats not to throw out rubbish in public places. I could go on!

pinkchilli


Joined: 30/11/2008
Posts: 689

Message Posted:
06/01/2009 18:35

No. 1 Doyen: Clearing up the rubbish could be done by prisoners, or possibly by others as an alternatve to various fines, i.e. Speeding fines, etc.

cronos


Joined: 26/10/2008
Posts: 2093

Message Posted:
06/01/2009 18:36

Pinkchilli.....must agree about the PTP.



Why can't every property have it's own PTP allocated before it can be sold ie permission is already in place for forigners to buy that property in that location.

It could then be just a case of us forigners needing a satisfactory police check to determine whether we are fit to buy.

And all this could be a formality completed in weeks.....before any deposits are even handed over !

cronos


Joined: 26/10/2008
Posts: 2093

Message Posted:
06/01/2009 18:38

EDIT....why can't I spell foreigners today ?

notthereyet


Joined: 26/10/2008
Posts: 113

Message Posted:
06/01/2009 18:41

msg 2

spot on now run for office in the upcoming elections

Barabus



Joined: 04/01/2009
Posts: 163

Message Posted:
06/01/2009 19:11

I haven' been here so don't know enough about all the problems to comment.......all expats go home for 6 months and threaten them that if they don't get their house in order you won't t come back....Personaly lots of my family live on the Turkish mainland and on my frequent visits to where the all live it seems a hell of a lot easier a place to get on, than here.

Hector


Joined: 26/08/2008
Posts: 2352

Message Posted:
06/01/2009 19:20

Ensure that there is swift legal accountability through the courts. Lawyers must be qualified, have insurance and be properly regulated as to conduct, charges etc. All current laws to be published in Turkish and English at least. All new proposed laws to be published in advance for public consultation. Planning applications published and voted on as in the UK. All residents aged 18 & over to have the vote. PTP abolished. Racism & sexism etc to be unlawful. Equal rights & treatment. System of complaints investigation introduced for police and government departments.

KickingK


Joined: 14/09/2008
Posts: 90

Message Posted:
06/01/2009 19:44

I have to agree with the majority. The TRNC is a huge rubbish dump! It is such a shame as the North is such a beautiful part of Cyprus. We have a property in Catalkoy and love our time in Cyprus, but I am sure tourists who visit must be rather disappointed and put off by all the rubbish that is scattered all around. It really is about time the government did something about this, as it must affect tourism. Friends of our visited and were surprised to see so much rubbish dumped everywhere.



I also think they need to consider future price hikes, as this will also have an effect on those who have properties in the north, We have just returned from our 2 week stay over Christmas and the New Year and all seemed very quiet. Pubs and restaurants were so quiet (at times we were the only people eating) nobody on the roads, generally very quiet. Usually when we visit this time of year it is busy.

irishvixen


Joined: 25/05/2007
Posts: 63

Message Posted:
06/01/2009 19:46

Get the beaches cleaned up. Some lovely beaches but full of rubbish its a shame.



Get rubbish bins allocated at roads and beaches.



Make purchasing a property easier not all the extra charges later on and changing the laws to suit themselves ie the VAT payable on properties.



Irishvixen

bachelibelly


Joined: 04/09/2008
Posts: 275

Message Posted:
06/01/2009 19:56

Agree re PTP and rubbish and general arse about way of doing things BUT........



When all that is in place take a leaf out of Australia and New Zealand approach to running a country ....unlike the UK where we accept all the deadwood from around the world with no skills and means of self support,keep all the dropouts,teen mums and druggie sidekicks on benefits whilst the backbone of society abandons ship to places like...........TRNC

fire starter


Joined: 19/06/2008
Posts: 3401

Message Posted:
06/01/2009 20:28

now everyone complains about the rubbish.

well recently our local goverment changed for our village.

we were in the girne district and were passed on to dikmen.

at first everyone though it would be a problem.

in the last 2 months they have put in new roads, cleaned up the rubbish and have been around the village speaking with people.

this month they are on a dog clean up, and registration.

so next time you take the pee out of dikmen, think twice.



Well done dikmen!!

negativenick


Joined: 10/11/2008
Posts: 6023

Message Posted:
07/01/2009 00:18

get rid of the FECKING litter !!







Nick

glw215


Joined: 02/04/2008
Posts: 178

Message Posted:
07/01/2009 00:44

Send the whinging Brits home!!

TimothyCadman


Joined: 13/12/2007
Posts: 1040

Message Posted:
07/01/2009 00:51

Make it compulsory that if you own anything more than a 3 bedroom apartment on a complex in the TRNC, that you need to live in it for at least 180 days a year, or have it taken away by Bylaws that could be introduced to give compulsory purchase orders and given to those who live in poorer, substandard housing.

cronos


Joined: 26/10/2008
Posts: 2093

Message Posted:
07/01/2009 00:53

Tim...msg17...I take it you've got a 3 bed apartment then ?

cronos


Joined: 26/10/2008
Posts: 2093

Message Posted:
07/01/2009 01:10

Whispa....it sounds draconian but it would be fine so long as it wasn't applied retrospectively.



We could then watch the prices of those villas on the dusty pictures in the estate agents windows drop even further as they could not be bought as simple holiday homes but only as residences.

keithr


Joined: 20/08/2008
Posts: 720

Message Posted:
07/01/2009 08:16

Rubbish,rubbish,rubbish. It's like living in a giant landfill site. Makes Birmingham look nice !!

brian24001


Joined: 23/03/2008
Posts: 606

Message Posted:
07/01/2009 09:59

Education

The rest will then fix itself.

Amber


Joined: 26/09/2008
Posts: 561

Message Posted:
07/01/2009 10:10

Train line to run between girne, Famagusta, Guzelyurt. Would encourage tourists to visit other parts of the island.

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
07/01/2009 10:30

Tim. Mess 17. What's that all about? Why should people owning 4/5 bed apartments have to have their properties compulsory purchased. What about all those people with 4/5/6 bedroom houses that only visit twice a year?

brian24001


Joined: 23/03/2008
Posts: 606

Message Posted:
07/01/2009 10:31

Amber, there used to be one many years ago, the main road from Ercan to the outskirts of Nic is the old railway line.

Wonder what happened to all the sleepers?

Amber


Joined: 26/09/2008
Posts: 561

Message Posted:
07/01/2009 10:40

Brian,



Thanks, never knew that. really think it would be a good idea to have a line here. For one it may make the roads safer?

joandjelly


Joined: 24/02/2008
Posts: 2953

Message Posted:
07/01/2009 11:27

Unfortunately I can't see a train line being viable especially when the TRNC has the one of the highest concentrations of vehicles per household in the world (apparently).

pinkchilli


Joined: 30/11/2008
Posts: 689

Message Posted:
07/01/2009 11:39

Many contributors complain about the rubbish/litter.



How would you solve his problem, without too much up-front investment?



If you suggest fines, who would be responsible? how would they be trained?



I keep going back to a days litter patrol, similar to McDonalds, for people who cause this problem.



Let's try and be productive and have some proposals that are feasible.



No one has mentioned anything about stray animals.

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
07/01/2009 11:47

What about Dog Pounds?

pinkchilli


Joined: 30/11/2008
Posts: 689

Message Posted:
07/01/2009 11:48

Looking at this from another angle, as this country is not recognised, does anyone have any ideas that may be practical using non-recognition as a reason to make money.



I am now considering possible illegal/immoral ideas.



Hypothetically, if the TRNC started producing heroin, perhaps the world may decide to "motivate" us positively to stop! There would be not too much more they could do to isolate/punish us.



Then we could move on to the Banking system. Lets have a system like Switzerland had. No account names, just numbers.



Now, how about allowing Companies to have their worldwide Head Offices here. Lets charge 10% Corporation Tax, for an address that is nothing more than a PO Box. Just imagine, Shell Oil having it's Head Office here. How much would 10% Corporation Tax be to the TRNC?

tattlad


Joined: 13/12/2008
Posts: 479

Message Posted:
07/01/2009 11:53

Scrap work permits to encourage experienced people in all fields to help move the TRNC forward would be a start.

AlsancakJack



Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 5762

Message Posted:
07/01/2009 11:59

Brian

'Wonder what happened to all the sleepers?'

They are all working in government offices.

Aussie


Joined: 17/06/2007
Posts: 657

Message Posted:
07/01/2009 12:34

Many of the above ideas are good particularly



1) rubbish cleanup (the army prisoners etc could be used)



2) pre-approve PTP (ex police check) this is the process in Australia for new properties



3) Reduce red tape for residencies electric etc and make charges reasonable and consistent over time



4) Make TRNC a tax haven with just a small annual fee for registration of companies etc.



5) shrink the size of the government/ public service





In addition I think they should



1) improve the sewerage system to accommodate toilet paper as I believe this is very off-putting for tourists etc. especially if you are seeking to attract luxury tourists.



2) Encourage more local crafts and products and use this to encourage more eco friendly tourism both external and internal (from local expats and Cypriots) such as they are trying to do in the Karpaz.



Aussie