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The elections are over, the muted excitement and resulting disappointment have subsided and as of Monday morning all the new and re-elected mayors and their half-refreshed teams of councilors should have started work. And there is a lot to be done.
Voter apathy should be the first item that needs to be addressed; half the low turnout is blamed on the glum political situation, while the rest of the blame lies in the citizens’ view that “nothing changes” and you only need to know the right people in the right place to get things done. In other words, communication between local community leaders and the public has faded away.
Strategies and plans for major projects should get underway immediately, because any little amount spend by the local administration will generate multiples in economic activity and growth that Cyprus so desperately needs nowadays.
The central government has disappointed more than half the population and it’s about time the mayors thought about transforming their little defensive forts into city governments, where decisions are made under transparent and democratic conditions.
Unemployment and economic standstill are issues that will not go away unless all parties get down to collective work for the greater good of communities and the nation.
Of the four most significant municipalities, Nicosia has a new mayor has vowed to bring the concept of the “capital city” back to the town that seems abandoned by the day. Limassol has re-elected a successful mayo who has pledged to do more to blend community with business needs. Larnaca has a new mayor who hails from among the local entrepreneurs and should know what is the best way to revive the town’s spirit and should push ahead with major projects such as the marina and promenade. Paphos, too, has re-elected a mayor who the locals believe has done good work and wants to place the town firmly on the international map.
But for all of the above to succeed, councilors must also undertake greater responsibilities and become more proactive, as opposed to attending monthly council meetings or following through matters that concern only themselves or their political parties.
Funds are scarce, so everybody should work with greater resourcefulness, constantly having in mind cost savings but with an eye to promoting projects that will benefit the good of their towns.
Citizens should become more alert and keep their mayors and councilors in check, otherwise we are all to blame for the failure of the few, while we should all share in the success of the many.
