letter sent to BRS replying to their request for info

[dippersgirl]

sent to Mike Diplock at the BRS

Dear Mike,
My husband David and I had our first holiday in North Cyprus 16 years ago. We travelled by bus everywhere and fell in love with the place, particularly the Karpaz peninsula. We stayed at Burhan's Golden Beach, at Big Sands and also at Seabird and couldn't believe there were still such unspoilt places. We made enquiries about buying a property and after a couple of months our friend called us and said he knew of a place we would like. We came and looked at it and knew straight away it was what we wanted, A big garden, a beautiful traditional old Cypriot house. It needed a lot of work as it had never been renovated, no bathroom, a toilet in the garden....
Every year we did a bit more work, but also enjoyed the fabulous countryside, walking and cycling, exploring the whole of the nature reserve.
After six years, we were able to retire and really enjoy our time here and in 2010 we decided to move here permanently and have never regretted it, but this year we are really worried that things will change big time.
The decision by the environment ministry to close all the businesses in the nature reserve is really upsetting to us. Whilst we agree, that there have been bigger expansions in number and size of businesses(how this was allowed I don't know) we still feel, that these places add greatly to the popularity of North Cyprus as a holiday destination, especially the Golden Beach area and photos of the nature reserve and its holiday places and coastline are always used in all brochures.
Tekin, Burhan, Hasan and Hakan, who operate in this area have always ensured that this long stretch of beach is free of rubbish(it gets collected every day) , free of Jet skis and quad bikes. They stop people lighting fires, or using flash or laser lights and playing loud music. We have seen people do all this as well as throwing bottles and other rubbish into the dunes!!
If all the Golden Beach area was cleared, does this mean that the Golden Beach area will be immaculately cleaned and restored and then a 24/7 beach patrol checking that rubbish, jet skis, quad bikes, camp fires, flash and laser lights and loud music will not be used there, because they will always be people who will do all of these things without any consideration to nature and the rest of us
We are told by somebody who talked to the minister responsible, that there will be a new location, where a road will be built with electricity and water connected and then everybody will be transferred there, the cost will be met by asking Turkey for a grant!! Can't imagine where, but it will spoil another area and will be another lot of empty places, because this is not what tourists want!!!! They do not want a huge holiday camp and no beach!!!!
Some years ago they offered grants to the Dipkarpaz people to renovate their old buildings to open as holiday accommodations. They said people will stay in Dipkarpaz and then will be bussed to the beach. Yeah, really????? What bus???
Now in the height of the season, we see nobody in the Wooden Houses, the Arch Houses are closed for 'renovations' and in fact we hardly see any tourist staying in the village other than the 4-5 European families, who have a holiday home here.
The worst scenario of course is that this so called ‘Nature Reserve’ will be seriously developed, like Bafra and the North Coast with gigantic hotels and casinos and car parks and jingly ice cream vans.
We and all the people who love this place, will sell up and all the tourists will find a new place and it won't be the TRNC, because where is there a 'Little bit of Heaven' left??
You are probably aware of the campaigns on Facebook and change.org, were it has been highlighted, that business owners have been imprisoned.
At the end of last month there were the Army, Riot police, uniformed police, plain clothed police, fire engines with water cannons and a prison van to hold strategic local people as hostages, to ensure the closing of all bungalows on two of the sites. There were still some guests and they were told 'You must go and find somewhere else to stay!', we actually heard that!!! All this has gone viral over the internet and why would tourists come to a place full of problems, not to mention that we are now also tarred with the same brush as Turkey.
Our children in England begged us to fly to England via Larnaca and not return for a while. They have postponed their visit to us. We know this is going over the top, but that is the mood with a lot of people in England and in Germany. They say: ‘why take the risk’
There was even a flurry of irresponsible reporters claiming there were bomb threats, because abandoned bags were found. To report and print it before the facts were known is terrible!!!

This is quite a long letter, but as we are the only British Residents in Dipkarpaz, you will only have one letter to deal with from this region.

With Best Regards

[PoshinDevon]

Thanks for the update and chance to read your letter. Like you we love the Karpas and cannot help but view with suspicion the recent events and closure of properties.

We cannot understand why the authorities don't understand the gem they have and that the current properties along Golden Beach are idyllic and what the stressed tourist is looking for. Somewhere to escape to, peaceful, friendly people and away from high rise concrete hotels and casinos. It is certainly a sad time for this area which we fear will decline further and the beaches in time be overtaken by rubbish and become desolate.

We were planning to return to the Karpas for a break this year for a few days but have decided that we will await developments before booking.

Not sure what will happen in the future but it certainly does not look very good at the moment.


Best wishes