Kibkom North Cyprus Forum

It's got to be the only way to go !!
Is there any person who could influence the TRNC govt and pass a law to fine people for dumping rubbish ?
Think of the money raised ?? this could easily benefit local council to spend wisely ??
Or help with the expenses of gov officials ?? Lol
Comments any one ?

Those are exactly my thoughts. All we ever hear is the news of the municipalities debts, no money in the pot etc. I have come to the conclusion they like living in a rubbish tip. I was driving behind a flash Mercedes last week and the driver opened his window and just threw out the polystyrene casing from a large purchase he had made. Makes my blood boil. To have such a beautiful country and treat it like that.
If the police started fining people on their mobiles while driving, no motorcycle helmets, unsafe loads etc then this country would be oozing money and they would just have the arduous task of spending it but there again, that requires being proactive and thinking ahead

Nobody here cares a jot about the rubbish. I was driving behind a police car the other day, the driver threw an empty water bottle out in the road closely followed by a cigarette packet. Minutes later he was on the telephone. When I finally got past him he was not wearing a seat belt neither was his colleague, where do you go from there?

Mollie is quite right. The reason they are not fined is because no-one cares a tinkers toss about it. We live on a road going up to the mountains and not a day goes by without at least one lorry driving up to dump into a ravine. Sometimes, just to make themselves feel good, they'll spread some palm leaves or sprinkle of garden rubbish on top, but go for a walk later and you'll see broken baths, tiles, concrete etc etc. The authorities say, photo the lorry doing it with a registration number and we'll contact them. I tried that once 18 months ago and had lumps of concrete thrown at me and my car. I beat a hasty retreat. I repeat - they just don't care. It's in their genes - they don't care.

Fly tipping is illegal so they don't really need a new law - they do need to enforce it vigorously. We have to admit, fly tipping is a problem the world over apart from Switzerland where they only fly-tip other peoples gold into their banks...

The negative impact on tourism should not be lost on them... some of them genuinely have a 'blind-spot' where rubbish is concerned... maybe psychologically they are descended from nomads who simply moved on when a place became unbearable.

The partial solution would be to have proper disposal sites where they can dump for free and then draconian enforcement of the law for anyone found fly-tipping. I would suggest - mandatory confiscation of the vehicle used in the commission of the crime... that would soon get their attention. You don't give the guns back to convicted armed robbers - so why should they keep their cars and lorries? Make it uneconomic to fly tip and they would get the message.

One change in the law needs to be that ownership of a piece of land does not give you the right to fly-tip on it... only the registered approved sites should be allowed - there are too many rich men buying up bits of land near their hotels etc. that use this as a way of fly-tipping into the countryside and spoiling the place for everyone including the wildlife. The ravines are important sites for all sort of creatures, resident and migrating birds. It's a real shame.

I whole heartedly agree with all these postings, but sadly we ex pat will NEVER change this mentality, they don't even see the rubbish!! It is so normal, a part of their lives. We are only

Sadly it is a cultural issue. I come across it many times socially here. I ask local friends their views on the matter, they do the Cyprus shrug and say they don't see it as a big deal, one said "who cares its only rubbish".

When we have friends or relatives over for a holiday they are shocked at what they see. They cannot believe the state of the Island, they go home with a totally different view of what they expected. Should you go South however totally different mind set, yes there is the odd pieces of litter like most countries, but overall a much cleaner environment. I guess if you live here you just have to close your eyes to it and get on with life, I am sure nothing will change anytime soon, very frustrating!!

Owl Lady wrote:I whole heartedly agree with all these postings, but sadly we ex pat will NEVER change this mentality, they don't even see the rubbish!! It is so normal, a part of their lives. We are only

I suppose they are only doing what our kings and queens did for centuries - despoil a place until it's no longer habitable and then move castles!

To be fair there are many locals who despair of their compatriots. Without the political will to tackle the problem they too feel that they are flogging a dead horse... there is no emoticon for that!

Groucho,

Sadly you are right, we have been here 10yrs, the Island has changed a lot since then, some good things, certainly less power cuts, more choice in Supermarkets but, the litter/dumping has not.

I know more of our friends leaving the Island than ever, we cannot keep up with the number of people who have had enough and are off, shame really.

Our new Mayor has already made improvements to 'main''roads in the village, and intends having flower gardens,( rather than plants and shrubs endemic to the Mediterranean areas), on the roundabouts approaching the village, however, if he took a walk around the upper reaches of Alsancak, especially the ravine running from the playground to Old Milos, he would see a quite different world. Many visitors and folk who have second homes here, like to walk the villages and explore, but despite the fact that we have adequate rubbish collection, for just about everything,--any piece of 'waste' land becomes a dumping ground, and that includes some gardens!

How can we ever expect the police to enforce the many essential laws which they themselves break every day?

I think this answers the question!

Art wrote:How can we ever expect the police to enforce the many essential laws which they themselves break every day?

The police in every country do that... Don't do as I do - do as I say!

In the case of rubbish, I think part of the problem is that for reasons beyond their control North Cyprus has lagged behind so called "developed" countries in technology and they still think of rubbish as being biodegradable. Dead donkeys , for instance, used to be left outside the villages for raptors to dispose of - tractors aren't so edible! The earlier Brit expats used to pride ourselves on recycling - reusing glass bottles and jars, burning paper and wooden waste on the winter fire, compost heaps etc. I even re use foil containers for baking, grilling etc. when I havent a suitable size dish. But every week I find my wheelie bin fuller and fuller of plastic and tin foil which is more than I can re-use - an effect of "civilization", and an increase in some more prosperous residents and vistors. on the TRNC and their unrealistic demands..

Also Cypriots do tend to be reactive rather than proactive (again perhaps a result of their sad history). They tend to let a situation develop until it is nearly beyond control, then overact and often the innocent and vulnerable get caught up in the backlash.

Rather than clear up as they go they will leave the rubbish to fester and then send a load of lorries and men to clear up , and block the roads in the process. .

As with driving, parking and dog care, Brits are not entirely innocent in these matters. The only thing expats can do is set an example and try to help and encourage those Cypriots who do care about and understand the environment

Meanwhile can anyone suggest anyone who could use tin foil and ridged plastic containers?

After reading the thread and the responses, clearly there is no definite solution which can result in making the locals clean up their act.

I guess the only answer is to carry an iPhone or a camera, photograph the crime in action "including clear photo of the vehicle and number plate / photo of the offending person".
Print out the evidence and forward copy to the chief police officer, and leave it to the law enforcers to act.

Better, forward a printed copy / email to the local media "newspapers & TV/local radio" leave it to them to name and shame the offenders. Local newspapers always looking for constructive scandals. The more you feed them, the more they want, eventually with a bit of luck public attitude towards waste change.

Do it for the planet sake and not for the sake of humanity
fatsam

Is it because they dont realise we no longer have an Empire that some Brits feel they have to offend the people of the country they have to live in by trying to change their way of life, to the extent of acting as vigilantes?

I visited on holiday several times before I decided to come to live. Not being a very skilled photographer I often found my holiday snaps were spoilt because contained something ugly, often piles of rubbish. On the last visit , prior move, to stop myself getting rose coloured specs about the place I deliberately went around taking photos of ugliness , again, often rubbish. Strange - they always contained something beautiful : mountains or sea in the background, beautiful flowers growing next to a rusting vehicle etc. To coin a phrase "This is Cyprus"

On a positive note, I have noticed that while my wheelie bin is in the street awaiting collection, more rubbish is often added - empty bottles, cig packs, sweet wrapping, fruit peel etc. So some people will obviously use a bin if it is there. Perhaps if people with shops and commercial premises provided brightly coloured sturdy bins with suitable notices in English and Turkish outside their premises (having first sought permission from the authorities and their agreement to collect) it might help - and would create goodwill towards the enterprise with people who deplore litter.

For at least 2 years municipalities have asked people not to dump garden waste and I have found them very helpful when I have arranged collection unfortunately some owners of the villas do not seem keen on the price charged for this service.

I no longer am surprised by the totoal disregard for all the law here. Cypriots just take absolutely no notice af any rules or regulations. They are completely out of touch with the real world. As you say, even the police do just a s they like. When non-smoking came into effect we were in the police station doing residency and the police were lighting up all over the place!
All you hear is "this is Cyprus" and they believe that they are exempt from any laws and lack any form of respect for it or their Island, hence the rubbish everywhere, stray dogs and cats starving to death on every street, driving badly and usually on the fone, kids sitting in the front with the driver, no seat belts and the worst stupid thing I've seen is putting their child or pet dog on the outside of the pavement when walking. No concept whatsoever of the risks and of how to protect their children. Beggars belief

A couple of day ago the other half caught 2 blokes in a pick up truck about to dump a load of stuff on our site, he told them to clear off and would be ringing the Police, came in doors to get his phone and the blokes drove off pretty sharpish, (with their rubbish)

We were talking to a TC friend of ours and the rubbish/dumping really annoys him, he says there are official sites for rubbish/rubble etc in Lefkosa, its just people are too lazy to take it there and also they get charged to get rid of it there.

He says (as Fatsam says) if you see someone dumping rubbish, take a photo go to the Police station and report it.

LL

I still say, we reached saturation point,. Don't belly ache "all falls on deaf ears". Act positive by
photograph and publish the evidence without fear of or hesitation. soon or later offenders will think twice before dumping their rubbish.

I recall how England had its pollution days, it took 100 years to educate the public to respect the environment "recycle, save on heating & electricity, etc., etc.,". I am saying TRNC is going through similar phase / experience, the only difference this country has the benefit of learning from other countries experience.

The TRNC government put in place legislations and offices to tackle the issue of rubbish and pollution, yet the public chose to ignore "leave it to someone else to deal with" "common reaction.

Give up on the humanity and its patronising behaviour, and do it for the sake of this "PLANET".
Record the evidence, call the police when you see someone dumping "don't even warn the offender", caught in the act, let the police deal with him.

fatsam: If you are so concerned about the planet , don't you think that a global greedy, materialistic, "throwaway" society , planned obsolescence, and damaging the ozone layer with carbon emissions , the water table with swimming pools , and the environment with motorways and ill planned housing and other building, do more harm, than some flytipping on a small island.?

The UK and other called "civilized countries" still have forms of pollution - probably more space for space than North Cyprus, and the UK has strict legislation and penalties against fly tipping but I understand it is still quite common there.

You may not like the rubbish in what you seem to see as "your back yard" but the problem for the TRNC is it has no way of recycling and burying it still causes harm. even if it gets out of your sight and mind!

Ragged robin my friend
The issue of the planet and the environment is vast, nor me or anyone else can resolve in a matter of days or years.
Waste, fly-tipping, unauthorised and poorly planned buildings, etc., etc., all are imperative issues, and all are governed by economical and political factors and gains.

I am an ordinary citizen, trying to do my bit for the environment (macro and micro environment). I do it "in a traditional old fashion" way, I don't tell my neighbour what to do, yet I make sure the front of my house is cleaned every other day, and no rubbish scattered across the street where I live. Got the point ????

When I read the thread I responded by suggesting best way to deal with negative behaviour to the problem of fly-tipping/ dumping. don't shout when you have no back up and you know you wont win. just act without aggression, and hope one day something good comes out of it.
I only try to help in a positive manner "using simplest language" to a question (Whay don't TRNC fine people for dumping). We all seen it happening, yet we hoped the authority do something about the offenders.

I am not conversant in Turkish language, yet I look at the local newspapers, every other day I notice photos/ articles on pollution, vandalism, rubbish and lack of pride. The newspapers publish and complain about "its happening in our back yard" with the hope one day an action would be made to clean up the country.
Recycling also mentioned quite often in local newspaper, and we all know it takes time to educate people to behave responsibly.

I still say if you see someone fly-tipping or dumping rubbish, take a photo "caught in the act", and forward the evidennce to the local police, environment protection department and the local newspaper.

all the best
fatsam

Excellent video,if only!!!