By Bejay Browne
THE APPLICATION by PrimeTel to build a fiber-optic landing station in Yeroskipou in Paphos has been declined by the municipality.
Tassos Kouspos, the mayor of Yeroskipou, has said he is supporting the decision of the council to prevent the telecommunications company from completing the project. Kousopos had previously been in favour of it.
The Hawk fiber-optic landing station is part of a global project, which would upgrade the telecommunications abilities of Cyprus. Locals and landowners had vehemently protested against the plans citing health reasons along with the devaluation of their land. But PrimeTel assures the project is completely safe as fiber- optics do not pose a hazard to health.
Outside plant network manager for PrimeTel, Theodoros Loucaides, told the Cyprus Mail, "we now have no other option open to us other than to do this the hard way. We will now go through the courts."
Loucaides pointed out that PrimeTel’s legal advisors are fully aware of the situation and proceedings against the decision of Yeroskipou council will now get underway.
"Our legal advisors have a better understanding of the legalities than me, but as I understand it we have been granted all the relevant permits from the government and the local council has no right to reject the application. It’s not under their jurisdiction to decide."
According to Loucaides, Primetel has yet to receive a formal rejection letter from the municipality.
"It might take some months for the case to go to court, but we hope the court will understand the importance of this project and how critical the timeframe is. This is holding up the entire project."
Telecommunications provider PrimeTel in co-operation with Reliance Globalcom, recently began the landing of the submarine ‘Hawk’ fiber-optic cable in the municipality.
The ‘Hawk’ cable system is part of the world’s biggest submarine fiber-optic cable system network around the globe.
But, work ground to a halt after the Yeroskipou municipality finally refused a building permit for telecom provider PrimeTel, after a six-month wait.
Four Yeroskipou council members have family members with land situated next the landing station site, and a further fifth council member, who is also in the same predicament had refused to take part in the discussion.
The ministry of the interior had sent a letter to the council, asking them to reconsider and re examine the basis of what they are allowed to examine and reject.
Municipalities are answerable to the ministry of the interior.
Work on the project has stopped and the entire scheme has now been frozen.
According to Loucaides the municipality of Yeroskipou is aware of the millions of euros budgeted for the project and the claims, also running into millions, which will be presented by PrimeTel. The deadline for the project had originally been set for June 2009.
There are only three areas designated suitable for landing stations by the government for the installation of sea cables in Cyprus. The one for the Paphos region is in Yeroskipou.
Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2009
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old news...
Ofcourse is corrupted and i hope Cyta will get fucked over this together with other officials... i am not defending primetel, infact i disconnected primetel a month ago and the reason was 300Kb internet for 42 Eur! Well, without installing that cable they will not be able to offer cheaper prices and faster internet. But i am 100% sure this will be solved and Cyta or Government will have to pay a lot of money in damages for stalling the installation. Actually the way it goes: If cyta uses fiber optics landing terminal in Geroskipou and citizens are so concerned - as soon as they halted Primetel's project o install similar cable then Cyta should also be suspended untill investigation is over.
