“The President at the wedding of Andreas Georgiou, accompanied by his two daughters.” “The President in the football stadium.” “The President conversing with children.” “The President playing basketball.” “The President entering the stadium with a person with mobility issues.” “The President on a TV show, promising a solution to a homeless person.” “The President dressed in the jersey and scarf of his favourite team.” “The President at the Cyprus University of Technology, supporting a student with disabilities ahead of the new academic year.”
We get it; the President has a sensitive side. If we were to browse through his photo album, we’d find more pictures of these human moments, strategically released at regular intervals, as if what we’re looking for in a leader is a nice boy rather than a capable one who can manage the country’s affairs. Unless, of course, he can do it all simultaneously, but his human side seems to overshadow his professional one.
But if that were the case, would we be facing one blunder after another and one scandal following the next? Admittedly, the current scandals are inherited from the past. But how is he handling them? What will he do about the Vasiliko power plant? What are his thoughts on the infamous Cyprus-Greece (and Israel) electricity interconnection cable?
Let’s leave the big issues aside and focus on the daily ones. Schools are about to open, and appointments and transfers of teachers are still ongoing, with many other fronts open. The Education Minister, according to polls, is one of the most capable members of the government.
Similarly, Konstantinos Ioannou at the Interior Ministry, if judged by the ‘Ktizo’ plan and the implementation of local government reform with the District Local Government Organisations (DLGOs) and the introduction of Hippodamus for building permits, may struggle to maintain his popularity.
The Labour Minister was also popular, and we’re still waiting for him to resolve the pension issue. However, his solution for the Cost of Living Allowance provided a monthly gift of €850 to Averof Neofytou, as he informed us, and many others who don’t publicly admit it.
The Transport Minister’s most significant achievements were the ‘Park and Ride‘ scheme and the introduction of cameras. The former resulted in a cost of €33 per passenger transfer (a taxi would have been cheaper and more comfortable), and a 41% increase in fatal road accidents. Perhaps the €300 fines aren’t the solution.
These are the issues in a nutshell. Isn’t it time we saw another side beyond the human one?
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