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Our
adventures in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus continue....
  
Last week in the newspaper there was much about Mr Gary Robb, wanted for many years in UK and finally extradited from the island. Well today I received mail from Terry Dunne who sent me this e-mail:-
Hello Frank and Joan,
I'd like to bring to your attention the fact that you have another miscreant living among you namely Derick M Coles also known as Lord Harvey Coles, and his wife Elizabeth. Has has embezzled three and a half million dollars of his client's funds and now hides, living the high life on our money, near Kyrenia TRNC. He is notorious for leaving trails of debt behind him so people need to beware of his antics.
Please have a look at my web site about him: www.derickcoles.com
He and his wife are renting a house, If you come across him or his address please let me know, I'd appreciate it.
Many thanks,
Terry (and all his other victims).
So if this guy is living amongst us guess we don't want that sort here, so lets identify him and let Terry know.
Boys night as usual but only four of us so we went downstairs to The Celebrity bar. An interesting evening, listening to Gordon, he and his father own this hotel and also The Chateau Lambousa. He was explaining to us the many ways that this current government is trying to get money out of business here. As ex pats we complain but it would seem that their own people are not above attack.
It would seem that the Cyprus lead to Derick Coles may have gone cold, but it was worth a try as he could just try to sneak in here.
Once again the Thursday gang had to move to Friday and as the owners of The Red Lion are back from UK,we went back there again. Once again great food at reasonable cost, enjoyed by all. When the weather picks up and we are able to sit out on the terraces, I feel sure we will make more use of this place.
Looks like some really lovely weather back in UK and there's me complaining that it was cold here. Having said that, our forecast doesn't look too good for the coming week.
The newspaper is showing pictures of chaos at the airports over there and then going on to say that the current Euro crisis might boost tourism here. Lets hope so as it does get very sunny and warm in a month or two. Hotels are saying that their bookings are up 50% on this time last year and holiday companies are suggesting that they have put together some very competitive package deals. It would be good if some of this is really true as the restaurants etc here sure need a good boost.
Last week I suggested that with Gary Robb gone something might just happen in Amaranta Valley and other sites. It is now proposed that the title deeds will be issued for the properties on this site as a priority. It is felt that this will boost the confidence of buyers and there is to be a meeting early this coming week, with the Prime Minister involved. If they do resolve this, it will go a long way to reestablishing confidence in the construction industry here.
The two presidents are to meet this coming week for the eighteenth time. This is the start of talks on the property issue. At the same time warnings have been issued by "The Think Tank" involved is suggesting that the Greek Cypriot demands for return of properties in the North, whilst not acknowledging any Turkish Cypriot properties in the South, is only harming the negotiations. Long way to go yet.
Looks like a repeat of last years Cancer Charity walk is on for Sunday 22nd February. Best get my boots polished up as it is 10 kms, but over the top of the mountain.
Charles and Yvonne, our soon to be neighbours, are still in their rented apartment, awaiting their container of furnishings. So they invited us for lunch today, which was very enjoyable and gave us a chance to meet their Siamese cat. Typical noisy Siamese, it should be fun when he meets up with Tiggy and Smudge, guess there might be a sort of territorial problem, wonder if the old guard will come out on top?
What lucky boys we were this week. Six of us for boys night out and we went to The Ravine bar again. When we got there we discovered that there was a ladies darts match on and a pool tournament so we sat out in the restaurant extension area for a few quiet beers. Because they were doing supper for all the others we got a big plate of chips and some fingers of battered cod, yummy stuff.
I was sent this funny today by David, another scouser. I thought it was quite amusing and a bit of good advertising by Virgin trains.
Joan and I were at Stewart and Barbara's for lunch today, complete with all our France paraphernalia as they are planning a holiday there in June. We were able to recommend the gite that we used near Jonzac in the Charente area as a great place to stay to commute all the area and with plenty to see. It will be interesting to get their response on their return because they will be reviewing some of the areas we house hunted.
Speaking of house hunting, we have had two viewings lately, both of which came to nothing, but we live in hope.
The Lapta Layabouts decided to give the Sivenna restaurant, on the main road in towards Alsancak, a try tonight. We had not been there for quite some time and their food has always been good, they do an excellent trade in takeaways for the locals, which is always a good indicator.
Eleven of us in total and we think that the restaurant was happy to see us, not many others around but some take away stuff going on. Everybody was very happy with the food and we all enjoyed it immensely. One of the highlights of the evening was Yvonne crawling around on the floor, with the aid of a large torch. She had lost the temporary crown off one of her teeth, heard it drop on to the tiled floor and was determined to find it to take back to the dentist.
Does the cold wet weather go hand in hand with the doom and gloom in the newspapers? I have been of course reading all about the UK and it's financial situation on the internet papers and have to say that it makes pretty depressing reading. But it's no better here as many are suffering too. Some local authorities have been unable to pay some employees as they have been unable to collect tax due from failing businesses, whilst at the same time State sector workers are planning to strike because the government is planning to regulate wages and not to increase the minimum wage. What is the point of that I ask, if there is no money why ask for an increase on nothing.
The problem here is that it has been a handout nation for a very long time. Turkish Cypriots have become used to Turkey guaranteeing them money and State jobs, regardless in many cases of ability or even a desire to work. Result here is one working and three watching, but four getting paid. The rude awakening must be just around the corner.
There is a report in the paper today that the government is to hold an auction of electrical goods etc that have been seized over the years because they would not pass state rules. Now if they are potentially lethal according to the responsible department, how can it now be suddenly OK to sell them off. Shows a certain desperate need for money.
President Talat says that he is still optimistic about finding a solution to the divided island during 2009, but admits that there is much work to be done. At the same time he admits to an over recruitment problem and says that we must find other fields for new employees instead of the public sector. A cabinet member says that the public sector is on the point of collapse and that the government will soon not be able to meet the wage bill every month. Yet those who are supposed to understand call for strikes to claim higher wages and government money to prop up failing businesses, whilst they continue to blindly open up new shops etc, strange sort of uneducated mentality.
A friend of ours who was driving a still UK registered car was semi-arrested this week and the car taken to a compound. The reason was simply that they didn't have written authority from the English owner to drive the car. The owner lives partly in UK and partly here, had done all the needed paperwork to get ready to pay the import tax on the due date, next month and had said, if you need to use my car then that's OK. Now over here the car is insured, not the driver so you can drive a vehicle with the owners permission, but now it appears that doesn't apply if it does not have local plates. Apparently the customs compound in Nicosia was quite full of UK plated and Southern plated vehicles, now it couldn't be a ruse to get some more taxes in could it? Who said cynic?
Had reason to go out with one of the air conditioning engineers today, in between the rain storms. The owner had complained that the machine was not functioning properly so the engineer deduced that there was a shortage of gas in the external compressor. Now this unit was in fact three floors up the outside of the building and of course he had no long ladder so he just applied his own safety rules. He had one of those fancy fold out ladders in his little van, so he folded this over the balcony area and got his mate to stand on the other end whilst he walked out over the drop, complete with gas cylinder etc. European rules apply !!!!!!!
Stewart had been dropping hints about corn beef hash to Pat so she took the hint and made enough for eight of us tonight. Very yummy as usual and Charles and Yvonne's first experience of one of Pat's specialties.
Heard this week that our old mate George is coming over at the weekend so we told them all in The Ravine Bar last night, so that should be good for a larger plate of chips next week.
Boy of boy, does the rain continue here. It has been almost non stop for days and it is very cold with it. The cold is not what you are experiencing back in UK, but the problem here is the houses are not geared up for it. No real insulation and it is often warmer outside than in. But no complaints, we need all this wet stuff.
Remember a couple of weeks ago, I put up an e-mail about a Lord Harvey Coles, who had defrauded $3million of peoples savings in an American green card scam. Well according to today's newspaper he has been on the island, staying in Bellapais but checked out after New Year. So still they seek him.
The Gary Robb saga rolls on. The paper says that the PM refused to extradite him because he believed that he would resolve the Amaranta Valley problem and finish the project, but when he was told that Mr Robb was trying to siphon money out to Thailand he agreed to the extradition. The Prime Minister says that the British Authorities had repeatedly asked for his extradition but he had ignored the requests. This from a country that says "We do not harbour criminals". At the same time, Gary Robb himself, through an intermediary, has posted on the Amaranta Valley blog, that all this is untrue and he was kidnapped and held in custody for two days then forced on to a plane to UK and that he is now planning to sue the TRNC government. The whole thing is just becoming a joke, except for the buyers, and is one pack of lies after another.
Remember also the test that was being conducted on post from UK, as many of us just don't seem to receive what is sent. Well the results are in of the BRS investigation. 82 letters were sent from 16 locations across England, Scotland and Wales, between January 6th and 26th this year. Only 17 arrived, so now there is a formal request for an investigation, first in UK then afterward here in TRNC. Both sides are of course denying any problems.
Well it happened. Public workers went on a one day strike this last week over pay structure. Interesting action in a bankrupt country were some public sector workers are not getting paid at all because of lack of funds.
Senior UN and European Union figures have talked up chances of success in the current peace negotiations. But the Greek Cypriot House President has said there could be a "great historical and political mistake" in accepting any solution.
He said Greek Cypriots should resist any moves to push through a solution just because the world wants it. He said any peace deal should be only for the benefit of the Greek Cypriots.
Now that sounds to me like somebody really wants this to happen, but only if it suits them.
There was another report in the press this week, where the Greek Cypriots want no interference from the Turkish, the British or Greece and want all armies off the island as part of their compromise. This from a country that has just strengthened its army by buying Russian tanks and helicopters !!!!!!!
Ah well it's raining again so it looks like batten down the hatches, cook something nice and watch the telly, type of evening.
According to the newspaper weather forecast today is going to be the only dry day this week. Now that is a good result, as today is also the day when we do the annual Pro Cancer Research Fund Charity Walk.
Joan and I have managed to get some sponsors to put money in the pot and we ourselves have to pay 25YTL to attend.
The walk starts in Kozankoy, a village on the other side of the mountain. Joan and I started with a wait for the bus in Karsiyaka. Actually we had left our car there and were waiting for Pat and Bryan to drive us over the mountain to the start of the walk. On the way up to Kozankoy you get a first glimpse of the summit road. We all met up at the primary school and there you can see people preparing to walk.. Apparently around 120 tickets had been sold, so if everybody collects reasonable sponsorship it should swell the fund considerably.
Around 10 a.m. we set off and immediately you can see us starting to climb. We know from last year that it is 10km to Karsiyaka and a hard climb over the mountain. It was clear from the rock face that in some places the heavy rain we have had, has brought down some lumps of rock. After about one hour in the spring sunshine you can see that we are climbing still. In fact if you look carefully you can see the stragglers with a long hard slog, yet in front of them. I think what Joan said to me was who said it was a gentle Sunday stroll, or words to that effect. The advantage of all this is the outlook as you cross the mountain, some stunning views down to the road which skirts the valley and runs through to Lefkosa.
At the top, thank goodness, we stopped for a sandwich and drink and the whole area under the trees was covered in flowers, what a little rain does. Only a few weeks ago this would have been quite barren. Lunch over and about half way, then the rain started. Waterproof jackets were donned at this time and we spent the next hour walking, but not singing, in the rain. Wet, we were bl***y soaked when we got back to Karsiyaka. Good idea, waterproof jackets, the rain runs off, down your legs and the end result is very wet jeans.
When we got to the Karsiyaka school we reported in, collected my car and headed for home and a warm shower and dry clothes. Only then did I pick up Bryan and drive him over the mountain to collect his car.
All in all a good day out and the four of us completed it at our place for a feast of lambs liver and onions washed down with some nice red wine. Monday morning is stiff thigh day.
Boys night out this evening was attended by our old friend George. He has come over for 6 days to check on his villa and the tenants. We had only one place to go then, The Ravine bar, one of his favourite haunts, there we were welcomed as usual but this week instead of just a free plate of chips we got some battered cod pieces as well. Shouldn't have had that dinner before went out. Nice to see George again and catch up with what he is up to in UK. Seems as if they have settled there quite well and Susan is very happy looking after her grandchild and with another on the way, will probably have her work cut out.
Interesting venue for the Lapta Layabouts night out. Joan goes to a keep fit class on a Tuesday morning at the Green Valley restaurant in Alsancak. Talking to the owner he told her about a full meze evening on Thursday if we wanted at a cost of 12TL per head. That is £5.00 in your money. So we thought nothing ventured etc and we were not disappointed. A buffet table that was groaning under the weight of dishes this was topped off with hot Pide and Lahnmucan. These were just lovely and quickly devoured. With a couple of beers to wash things down the whole came to around £10.00 each including a substantial tip. Must find out if he does this regularly.
Phone charges slashed says the headline in this weeks paper. Now that is really interesting as it is almost impossible to get a phone line these days so unless this is a nice election campaign stunt, can't see the point myself.
Two killed as the island is battered by storms. Thursday was a day of torrential rain and storms with one person being truck by lightening in a field and a motorist died near Paphos when his car went down a precipice. It really has been quite horrendous these last few days and our cats have taken to their bed and only rush out when absolutely essential.
Well the results are out from the cancer charity walk. Apparently a total of 500 eventually did the 10km over the mountain. When you are walking it just does look as if there are so many but between us all we managed to raise over £30,000 for the charity, a great result.
Lots of the same old stories about deeds, builders who have done it wrong again etc but I never cease to be amazed. Maybe because we are trying to sell and therefore have had a few viewings, that I have become more aware. In this day and age with the internet available to all and forums and blog sites warning all and sundry, still they continue to tread were others have been before and learnt and publicised the outcome. They sign up to off-plan projects were the land has not been parceled off to individual plots. Why, probably because the builder does not want to spend the money and maybe wants to raise funds from the bank on a large piece, at exorbitant interest rates that he cannot pay so he will eventually expect the purchaser to stump up. They buy in the middle of building sites that will remain building sites for years to come and were no deeds can be available until things are completed and then they write to the paper and complain. A little internet homework would have saved all that subsequent writing. There is nowt so queer as folk.
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