I firmly believe that restaurants were invented to make the world a slightly better place and that’s exactly what Sala-Thai does. Situated next door to La Vigna, the Italian restaurant which is another great laid back dining station, the Thai is also owned by the La Vigna family, under the excellent stewardship of cousin Panikos Argyrou.

The outside dining area is simple, bone white, very comfy chairs, good lighting and a feeling of space between tables. And now with cooler evenings there is also seating inside, which again has a relaxing atmosphere, not forgetting the presence of some of the friendliest and best trained waiting staff in Paphos, all of whom have knowledge of the dishes on offer so a virgin Thai diner can feel safe in the knowledge that the dishes once explained can then be looked forward to without fear they will not be as described.

Thia food isn’t about simplicity, it’s about the juggling of disparate elements to create a harmonious finish. A bit like a complex musical chord, it has to have a smooth surface but it doesn’t rely on what’s happening underneath. The resident Thai chef is a man who offers food which has a certain necessary precision, it’s also startlingly lovely to look at and is certainly the sort of cooking that really makes you giggle with pleasure.

We kicked off the evening with soup – I had the Tom Yam with prawns, this is soup that can alter your state of mind especially if you ache for a real pick me up as it offers a mildly spicy combination of great broth with mushrooms, shallots, chilli, lemon grass and kaffir lime leaves, which you can have with chicken or purely vegetarian. My friends opted for the Tom Kha, a coconut soup with lime juice, fresh coriander and galangal and again we agreed that as an opening salvo both passed with honours on the taste test and raised the curtain on a performance of memorable cooking skills.

Despite feeling quite full from the soup we nibbled some prawns on toast and crackers while waiting the next course, duck with homemade pancakes. Again a round of applause for duck which did not demand urgent attention by the back molars from melt in the mouth juicy slivers.

A meat eater will also relish chef’s pork balls made with lashings of lemon grass and after a short interval we continued on to what has to be one of the best salmon dishes I have relished in a very long time. Billed as a salmon salad, it sounds modest enough but boy does this chef manage to bring salmon alive, with marvellous bursts of flavour and textures.

Chicken Cajun with hoisin sauce is another deeply smoky and equally delish way to move chicken up the less boring stakes, and there is also a good range of curries, of which I usually plump for either a green, red or yellow but here I tried and thoroughly enjoyed the Massa man curry from South Thailand with either beef or lamb. My friends went for the perfect fillet of sea bass pan fried with garlic and sweet chilli sauce.

I would recommend an immediate visit to SalaThai as this food not only offers fire but also sour and salt, and smoke, and sweetness, and those from the school of ‘I don’t want anything too spicy’ are also well catered for yet do not miss out on marvellous flavours as chef has in his repertoire real Thai basil, lemongrass, mint, coriander, lime juice, fish sauces, plus soothing coconut to lend a calming depth to the evening. I will certainly be returning.

VITAL STATISTICS
SPECIALTY Thai cooking
WHERE Sala-Thai, Coral Bay, Paphos. Next door to La Vigna Italian restaurant
PRICE from €7 for starters, €10 upwards for mains
CONTACT 26 622699

More than 100 refugees rescued on Wednesday evening off the island’s north-west coast — among them a baby born at sea — will be transferred to the Kokkinotrimithia reception centre in Nicosia, the civil defence spokeswoman Olivia Michaelidou said on Thursday.

The refugees – 50 children, 20 women, and 58 men – were left stranded in rough seas in a fishing boat with a dead engine for several hours, as authorities battled bad weather and low visibility to locate and tow them safely to Latchi harbour, in Paphos.

“Upon arrival, a woman and her new-born baby were transferred to Polis Chrysochous hospital. She said she had given birth on the boat. Both the mother and the baby are in good health,” Michaelidou told the Cyprus Mail.

The Larnaca Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) had received information at around 12.44pm on Wednesday that the vessel – carrying close to 130 people – was probably in danger.

The boat was located some five hours later north west of Pomos due to bad weather, low visibility and heavy seas, with the help of a National Guard helicopter and with the use of long range thermal cameras. The boat was safely towed to Latchi at around 10pm.

According to police spokesman Andreas Angelides, officers arrested nine men of the newly-arrived group after identity checks showed they had been deported from the island in the past. Investigations continue to locate the traffickers.

The group – of Syrian origin – had sailed from Mersin in Southern Turkey, reportedly paying traffickers US$2,200 per person to be transported to Cyprus.

“The passengers spent the night in Polis Chrysochous, and after the necessary medical checks, they will be transferred to the Kokkinotrimithia reception centre in the afternoon,” Michaelidou said.

Polis Chrysochous mayor, Angelos Georgiou, said that the refugees were given food, water and milk for the children.

Police dismissed media reports on Wednesday that they were searching for a second boat with around ten passengers that was also seen in the same area.

A 53-year-old Paphos man was remanded in custody for three days on Friday in connection with operating an illegal casino that adjoined his convenience store.

Police said they caught the suspect, using an undercover officer. The establishment has been in operation for at least three years and has been repeatedly raided by police. On several occasions however, officers were unable to catch them in the act since the operators put measures in place to check punters.

Investigator Marios Aristidou told the court that they had received a tip from an informant that computers were installed in the establishment, which were used for games of chance.

The building, police said, is a 24-hour convenience store with an adjoining room hosting computers that were turned into gaming machines.

To arrest the owner, police used an undercover officer who asked to have a go and immediately entered the room without giving the owner time to react.

The officer paid the cashier with a marked bill and asked to play. Several minutes later, the online slot game on the computer was credited with €20.

Three other men were present in the room, the court heard, engaged in online slot games.

The officer notified his colleagues who arrived on the scene.

When the officers arrrived, the owner pretended he was moving some objects and disconnected the power from the computer on his counter, police said.

Officers seized 34 computer towers, 17 screens, two lists with names, two cameras, and €60 in cash, which police said were proceeds from unlawful activities.

The court heard they were seeking four servers, which provided the service.

AN upgrading project dating back 25 years finally came to fruition on Tuesday when officials signed a contract to construct a bypass road in Neo Chorio village in Paphos.

A spokesman for the local community board said that Andreas Christodoulou, the community leader, had signed the papers with Mary Lambrou, the Paphos District Officer, flowing the intervention of Minister of the Interior, Socrates Hasikos, to speed things up.

Shortly after signing the contracts, Christodoulou left for Crete.

The project was held up by a raft of problems during the last two decades, including expropriation of land and design issues.

According to the district office, the problems have been resolved and the tender awarded. The budget for the new road- which is around 1km in length, comes to around €827,553 plus VAT.

The community board spokesman said: “I believe the work will get underway in the next week or so.”

The project will take around a year to complete.

The new road which will run up towards the village, will greatly help the community, as it will aid the movement of large vehicles and encourage development.

Following the contract signing, Christodoulou expressed his satisfaction and thanked the minister of the interior and the Paphos district officer for their contribution which ended 25 years of waiting for the project to come to fruition.

By Bejay Browne

PAPHOS renal unit is appealing to the ministry of health to expand the centre as the number of patients needing lifesaving dialysis treatment is increasing so much nurses are having to work night shifts to keep up with the demand.

Dr Lakis Yioukkas, who runs the renal unit at Paphos general hospital, said the proposed extension has been backed by the hospital director who has written to the ministry of health to request permission.

“At present nurses are having to work night shifts as well, to keep up with the patient numbers,” he told the Sunday Mail.

“We have 12 patients on dialysis machines in the morning, 12 in the afternoon and three times a week, eight at night time.”

He said that an extension, which he hopes will get underway next year, would create at least five more beds, making treatment easier for both patients and nurses.

The unit is now giving regular lifesaving dialysis treatment to 70 patients and the number is continuously increasing.

An additional doctor, recently appointed to the unit, has eased some of the pressure, but the unit still cannot meet the demand comfortably.

“Every month, a couple more patients need dialysis and this number is in Paphos only, and it will continue to increase,” said Yioukkas

One patient that receives regular dialysis treatment at the unit is Graham Brown, the chairman of the Paphos Kidney Association, who has a hereditary condition of polycystic kidney disease. Following the removal of one of his kidneys at a Paphos hospital, he started dialysis treatment in November 2013. He is now one of many patients who need regular dialysis treatment to keep him alive.

A weary Brown told the Sunday Mail his condition has deteriorated dramatically recently and he now also shakes uncontrollably at times. So far doctors have been unable to pinpoint the reason behind the latest development, he said.

Brown now needs a five-hour treatment at the Paphos unit three times a week. He said that dialysis is expensive, it costs around €50,000 to treat each patient a year, and that the association assists the renal unit as much as possible.

“My treatments now take up to five hours to complete and I have completed 460 so far. It’s getting a bit wearing now, but I am still doing all I can to help the unit,” he said. “I don’t expect to be here this time next year though.”

Brown said at one point four nurses had to hold him down as he was shaking so uncontrollably and violently.

Brown was the winner of last year’s Hearts of Gold Award for his work in raising money for new machines and other necessities for the unit. The Paphos Kidney Association is now a registered charity.

The association has done much to improve the unit, by raising money and purchasing a huge amount of equipment since its inception 15 years ago.

“We’ve got 40 thousand euros put aside so far and I will go all out in 2017 to do what I can to ensure we raise funds to provide equipment for the new extension. This will include hemodiafiltration (HDF) units and special beds.”

Each hemodiafiltration unit comes with a price tag of €25,000 and each bed costs around € 2,500.

“We estimate that it will cost around 170,000 euros to fully equip the extension and I hope that we can achieve that.”

Space is now so limited that three of the dialysis machines are now housed into the intensive care unit and patients have even presented a petition to the hospital to improve the situation, he said.

Yiokkas said the increase in kidney problems is a global phenomenon and although patient care has improved dramatically in the last 20 years with machines delivering better results, numbers of patients are still increasing.

The increase is down to a number of factors, including diabetes, lifestyle, diet, obesity, high blood pressure, inactivity, and the overuse of some types of medication, in particular, anti- inflammatory drugs, which are toxic for the kidneys.

“These should be avoided as much as possible and people may not realise how harmful they can be. We are also living longer and this can cause kidney problems as well,” he said.

He added that people should exercise regularly, eat healthily, ensure cholesterol and blood pressure levels are not high, cut down on sugar intake and limit the use of painkillers taken.

If a patient doesn’t receive dialysis when needed, they would be dead in five days.

“When your kidneys fail, dialysis keeps your body in balance by removing waste, salt and extra water to prevent them building up, keeping a safe level of certain chemicals in your blood, such as potassium, sodium and bicarbonate and helps control blood pressure,” Brown said.

Chronic kidney failure is permanent and irreversible and the only chance of survival is to wait for a transplant.

“Unfortunately with so few donors available, the majority of dialysis patients will die whilst waiting for a suitable donor,” he said.

“We all know that we are going to die in the end, but we are helping to prolong life, and the quality of life, which is so important.”

The association is always looking for volunteers to help raise funds and would- be donors may register at the Cyprus organ and tissue donor registry, (similar to carrying an organ donor card in the UK.) To obtain a form, email: cypruskidney@gmail.com. Paphos Kidney Association has a dedicated Facebook page.To organise an event for the Paphos Kidney Association: (00 357) 99244679 www.cypruskidney.com

By Bejay Browne

FRUSTRATED residents of Peyia in Paphos that were so proud of their neighbourhood watch scheme – the first on the island – have formed a new community-based organisation because they believe the original initiative has suffered since being taken over by the local municipality.

The Peyia Neighbourhood Watch scheme took several years to set up prior to its 2010 launch, and although at first it was an independent initiative, it was supported by the Cyprus police who regarded it as a successful pilot scheme.

A government decision to then establish neighbourhood watch schemes all over the island placed their control under the local authorities who were to manage and fund them in cooperation with police.

But Peyia residents say that since the local authorities took over the running of the scheme, it has all but ground to a halt, and they have decided to set up Peyia Community Services, PCS, a website dedicated to community matters, security and information.

“We kept approaching the municipality and the mayor at the beginning to try and support the scheme and offer our assistance and help, but we were shut out completely,” said resident Graham Gurley.

He said that the decision to start the website was taken after he and other scheme members had visited the municipality and the mayor’s office more than 20 times, but that no interest was forthcoming.

“We really feel for the police who are doing their best with limited resources but aren’t given the support from the local authorities,” he said, adding that the police had recently arrested three people, helped by information supplied by PCS.

Gurley said that the municipality has shown little interest in working with the PCS since it was set up a year ago.

The exception it seems is Peyia vice mayor, Marinos Lambrou, who is listed on the site as ‘community liaison’, and is also standing in the upcoming mayoral elections.

“I wanted to join this scheme as it’s important to let the community know what is going on where they live. This could be a model for other towns in Cyprus and is a great help for residents,” he said.

“I support the neighbourhood watch scheme but I don’t know why there isn’t support from the municipality,” he said, “especially as 50 per cent of crime in Cyprus – like burglaries – takes place in Peyia.”

Peyia is home to the largest expat community on the island, and non-Cypriot residents out number locals during the summer months he said.

The PCS website, which carries a section on safer neighbourhoods and security, also has information about local interests, events and news stories.

“We have around eight hundred to one thousand members, a lot from the initial neighbourhood watch are with us. We want to impart local information and keep people up to date. We want the community to come together and we don’t want to have boundaries separating us,” said Gurley.

Peyia councillor, Linda Leblanc, also supports the PCS, and welcomed the community-based scheme. She agreed that since the municipality has taken over the neighbourhood watch scheme, ‘nothing much has happened.’

“Nothing has been done by the municipality and they don’t seem to be interested in cooperating with the PCS.”

Mayor of Peyia, Neophytos Akourshiotis, said he was unable to give exact figures of the numbers of residents that had signed up to the neighbourhood watch scheme.

www.pegeiacommunityservices.com

PAPHOS court on Wednesday ordered that a 54-year-old, being detained in connection with sexually molesting his niece, 12, remain in custody until the next hearing, which was set for December 5.

The man appeared with a new lawyer, Evangelos Pourgourides.

The incident allegedly took place earlier in November in the Mouttalos suburb of Paphos, according to the girl’s family.

The suspect denies the accusations, claiming he had always treated the girl, his sister’s daughter, with fatherly affection and not in a lewd manner.

The girl had been examined by a state pathologist who did not find any external injuries.

Referring to the article ‘Peyia neighbourhood watch a shadow of its original self’ (Sunday Mail, November 20), it has recently come to light that various election candidates may be attempting to mislead the residents of Peyia by reporting misleading facts to the press.

In particular, statements that the current municipality of Peyia has not been supportive of the neighbourhood watch programme are absolutely false.

I would like to address the residents of Peyia and my opposing candidates who have been spreading these misleading and false facts that I, Neophytos Akoursiotis was the first to support the formation of the neighbourhood watch scheme in Peyia. Furthermore, and with reference to the meeting held last year at the municipality of Peyia, the municipality minutes state:

“The municipality has decided to allocate financial aid to the neighbourhood police, who are responsible for the co-ordination of the members registration of the neighbourhood watch association.”

I agree with Marinos Lambrou, that it is unacceptable that Peyia should have such poor crime statistics and I support him as community liaison officer, who for the last five years has been responsible for working to improve policing so that the criminals can be caught or stopped.

I am available to all residents of Peyia, at their convenience, to discuss and clarify the above in order that the truth be known.

It is time for us to look afresh at the safety and security of all who live in Peyia and to insist upon and work with renewed cooperation from the police! Amongst others, one of my main proposals to be implemented during my next term, pending my successful re-election, is to raise the profile and impact of the Peyia neighbourhood watch scheme. I believe that it is time for all residents of our village to work together to turn around the embarrassing crime statistics and to this end, if re-elected, I plan to make security a clear priority.

Mayor of Peyia Municipality Neophytos Akoursiotis

Paphos municipality’s Christmas festivities will kick off with the town’s lights being turned on on Saturday.

“The celebrations are being upgraded this year to stimulate the Christmas atmosphere in Paphos, through various artistic and entertainment events,” a spokesman said.

The festivities will start on Saturday at 5pm when the Christmas village of Paphos will open.

“This will take place at Kennedy Square car park and our Christmas village will operate here until January 10, every day from 10am until 9pm,” he said.

The opening event will include performances by the Paphos municipality band, the municipality children’s choir, the conservatory orchestra, and Studio 6’s Eleana Kostaki.

On Sunday, the 4th Cyta charity Santa Run will be held at the Castle Square, Kato Paphos at 11am, and on December 14 there will be a musical performance by the Paphos youth board at the Christmas village at 4pm.

The village will also host Christmas Melodies by the Annita Taliotis choir on December 16, at 4pm and on December 17th, the Cyprus police band will perform their popular festive tunes at 12 midday.

There will be more musical offerings at the village with Christmas songs by the choir of the Cultural Association Evagoras Pallikarides Paphos at 6pm on December 21, and the annual Christmas Art and culture event will take place at the hall of Archbishop Makarios School at 7pm on December 23.

“The event has established itself as the most comprehensive in Paphos and aims to combine the spirit of the season with music, song and dance,” the spokesman said.

For information and other events organised in Paphos during the festive period contact: 26 932014

Paphos police are looking for a Greek-Cypriot couple in connection

It takes enormous amounts of hard work to seem effortless; artists of all sorts practice and practice again so that when the moment comes they are able to deliver the goods with consummate ease. At Tweedies restaurant in Kissonerga, Paphos there is a lot of that effortlessness in action and it’s all down to a great partnership of Craig in the kitchen and Hilary front of house, both blessed with good taste and a sense of what matters when it comes to being hosts.

This renovated village house is small with an inside dining area that can cope with maybe 30 covers. There is also a rather sweet garden area for those who wish to dine alfresco in this straightforward no-nonsense offering. There is a gastro pub feel about the menu and that’s no bad thing as I would compare Tweedies to a quality French Bistro, a place of safety, somewhere one can relax and eat well.

The menu is short with eight starters and mains to choose from. We kicked off with hot smoked trout with white asparagus spears partnered by a perfectly cooked breaded hen’s egg sporting a lovely texture with a buttery yolk with nearly the texture of pudding. Add to that a light crunchy shell and a touch of Béarnaise sauce that had me sweeping around the plate with the combined resources at hand of delicious homemade bread plus the edge of my fork.

My companions delighted in proper, and I mean proper, creamy risotto with porcini mushrooms, white truffle oil, wild rocket and a parmesan crisp, and the steamed blue crab dumplings in white wine, saffron and tomato and chive. Then there was envious looks and forks hovered when another was presented with her grilled langoustines. We then followed with fresh whole grilled rainbow trout, pan roasted loin of monkfish wrapped in pancetta with a cheesy leek fondue and as a nod to chef’s Scottish roots we all had a try at his veggie haggis packed into a delicious filo pastry and generously doused with whisky set in a mushroom cream.

The a la carte men also offers on a Sunday a roast top side of Black Angus beef with the usual trimmings of Yorkshire pudding and roasted potatoes. Although we as a group went more for fish and vegetarian dishes the menu also offers pan seared calf’s liver, plus a slow roasted spicy lamb shank with creamy polenta in addition to a breast of chicken that has been generously stuffed with buffalo mozzarella, sun dried tomatoes and fresh basil.

The restaurant has over the years attracted a solid expat customer base and Helen assured me that although the array of bobbing ‘snow heads’ was dominant in the dining room the word has got out to a younger set so they are now beginning to fill the chairs.

When the pudding menu was being pondered over and decisions were trying to be made our Cypriot friend announced that he had never tasted a ’crumble’ and duly cleared his plate of every scrap of apple and blackberry crumble with custard, another went for the Thai style rice pudding with coconut milk, lemon grass and mango although this one dish we felt could have had a bit of a bigger punch flavour wise, another plumped for the comfort of warm banana and butterscotch crepes with vanilla ice cream.

I mention ‘punchy’ flavours because there is a tendency to perhaps lower the ‘punch’ appeal for older palates or for those who continually sing the old refrain ‘it’s not too spicy is it’ whenever they encounter an ingredient they are unfamiliar with. Either way, we sometimes got the feeling that Chef may well have held back a bit when reaching out for the seasonings. That said we thoroughly enjoyed the meal, and one could tell our fellow diners were also satisfied as there was a definite overall purr of happy people emanating from the tables. I will definitely return, probably often.

VITAL STATISTICS
SPECIALTY International
WHERE Tweedies, Kissonerga, Paphos
WHEN Thursday to Monday from 6pm. Booking essential. Cash only
CONTACT 99 126590, www.tweedies.com

THE expat vote in the upcoming elections could be decisive in choosing a mayor for Peyia in Paphos, home to a large number of foreign residents, according to officials.

Linda Leblanc, who is standing for re-election as a ‘Peyia coalition of independents’ municipal councillor, said that the race for mayor looks set to be a close one.

“In the election for mayor, it seems that the expat vote will be decisive and could swing the outcome,” she said, adding that the coalition wants to ensure that they don’t lose a single vote due to mistakes or invalid ballots.

The coalition of independents was formed in 2006, by a group of likeminded residents to address problems in the local community and promote transparency and equality. They are not affiliated to any political party, but the Greens have already endorsed the candidates.

In 2006 they successfully elected Canadian born Linda Leblanc, a naturalised Cypriot, to Peyia municipal council, the first foreign-born citizen to achieve this.  In December 2011, Leblanc was re-elected for a second term as councillor.

Peyia resident David Ball is also standing as a prospective councillor on the coalition ticket, as is fellow resident, Yeng Chow, a Belgian national of Chinese origin.

“Every vote counts. We need about 300 to gain a seat on the Peyia council, about 400 for two seats. It’s possible to do this, but we need everyone’s support,” said Leblanc.

In Peyia, nominations for mayor were submitted by incumbent Neophytos Akoursiotis, as well as Pantelis Harpas and Marinos Lambrou.

As well as the three foreign residents standing in Peyia, there are also a number of non-Cypriot candidates standing for election on village councils in Paphos district, such as in Kouklia and Tala.

Leblanc, who is also a member of the Green party, said that as many foreign residents are unable to read Greek well, the coalition will hold a special election event explaining voting procedures on Monday, December 12 at 5pm at Petsas Restaurant.

Paphos District officer, Mary Lambrou, said that everything is ready and in place to facilitate the smooth conduct of the local elections on December 18.

The new mayors and councillors of the four municipalities, as well as members of the community councils in district will be declared at the auditorium of the Paphos Administration building on December 19, she said.

The Paphos District officer added that at around 3.30pm on December 19, the proclamation of the communities is expected, followed an hour later by the declaration of Paphos municipality, and then the municipalities of Peyia, Geroskipou and Polis.

Lambrou said that the municipality of Paphos will operate 34 polling stations at various schools in the town.

As well as the eleven mayoral candidates standing in the four Paphos municipalities, 174 people are vying for seats on all of the district’s municipal councils, she added.

Of these candidates, 85 are standing as councillors in Paphos municipality, 41 in Geroskipou, 22 in Peyia and 26 candidates in Polis Chrysochous.

Lambrou said that registered voters in all four municipalities amounted to 29,063 persons, of which 4,976 are in the communities.

In the municipality of Paphos, 19,405 are registered to vote, 4,799 in Geroskipou, 2,109 in Polis and 2,750 in Peyia.

In Paphos, two candidates are contending the mayoral seat – incumbent Phedonas Phedonos, and challenger Akis Chrysomilou. Three candidates are up for the seat in Geroskipou, current mayor Michalis Pavlides, Giannakis Mallouridis and Andreas Shikkis. In Polis, which has the smallest electorate, Angelos Odysseos Georgiou, the current mayor, is standing against Giotis Papachristofi and Stavros Iakovides.

A SELFLESS life-giving act and a courageous young boy were awarded this year’s ‘Hearts of Gold Cyprus’, at a ceremony held at Palia Ilektriki cultural centre in Paphos on Friday.

The Jasmitha Award for Courage and the Heart of Gold Lifetime Achievement Award, were also announced by Patron Marios Joannou Elia, at a packed ceremony.

In all, the names of more than 30 adults and organisations and 15 children were nominated for this year’s awards.

Anastasia Chapidou Chrysomilou and William Cairns were announced as this year’s adult and junior winners, respectively.

Anastasia donated her kidney to her brother in law, a year and a half ago.

“This selfless act has meant her brother in law is now fit and well and able to return to his previous life of sport and doing and eating whatever he wants,” said one of the organisers, “she has given the ultimate gift of life.”

Chapidou Chrysomilou said that she was overwhelmed with the award and felt humble in a room full of so many others. “These people are all wonderful, it’s so inspiring,” she said.

Eleven year old William Cairns was awarded the ‘2016 Junior Heart of Gold’ for his courage and maturity, and for supporting his family whist his father undergoes cancer treatment.

“Polite, mature, talented, studious and full of love, this young man has also taken on the mantle of the man of the house, supporting his family with a smile. He is an inspiration,” said patron Joannou Elia.

Sham Al Habrat, 10, a gentle, kind and caring young girl was presented with the ‘Jasmitha award for courage’, named after a previous winner who died last year, aged just 15 years. The award was presented by her mother, Satiya.

Ninety four year old philanthropist, Kyriakou Stylianou, was overcome with emotion when she was awarded the lifetime achievement award for dedicating her life to charity and helping others.

Joannou Elia spoke about the importance of humanity and kindness, and that without it society and community doesn’t exist. He also announced that the awards will go island wide for 2017.

“The Hearts of Gold Cyprus will celebrate ten years in 2017, and we will open up the nominations to the other towns. We are very excited about this,” he said.

Nominees, their families and friends and members of the judging panel were all present at the ceremony.

George Michaelides, who represented Cyprus at Junior Eurovision in Malta and his dancers performed his Cyprus entry and the Zingers, an amateur singing group who were also nominated for raising over 70,000 euros for local charities, greeted guests with songs.

All of the nominees received a certificate and a flower presented by British Vice Consul Christina Smith and members of the judging panel, Judith Evans Davies and Linda Leblanc.

The Hearts of Gold recognise children and adults who have shown tremendous courage, strength and determination, worked tirelessly in the community or for charities, overcome tragedies with a smile or simply been a great help and support to neighbours and friends.

Pictures and a video of the event will be available at the website www.heartsofgoldcyprus.com and the dedicated Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/heartsofgoldcyprus/

The annual award is supported by Paphos municipality, the British High Commission, Aphrodite Jewellers, Almyra Hotel, Massiva printers, Kivotos Gallery, the Cyprus Mail, The Paphos Post, Radio Pafos, Flybynite Media, Almyra Hotel, TOTT Events and Joulietta chocolatier and patisserie, and Palia Ilektriki Restaurant. Chris Hopkins was this year’s photographer and Nicky Kirby the videographer.

Paphos police investigating a bomb attack at the home of a state prosecutor have questioned a number of people, without however anything incriminating turning up, it emerged on Tuesday.

Investigations continued into Monday’s blast, which caused extensive damage both to the main entrance of state prosecutor Xenia Xenophontos’ house in Ayios Nicholaos Street, as well as a neighbour’s windows.

Inquiries are so far concentrating on the prosecutor’s professional activity and duties.

Members of the force went to the scene shortly after the 12.35am blast, carrying out examinations and collecting evidence.

Paphos CID said preliminary investigations pointed to the explosive device having been placed on the veranda of the Emba residence.

The Legal Service condemned what it described as a cowardly attack against its member.

“The Attorney-general and state Legal Service officials send the message that such unacceptable actions have no place in a country governed by the rule of law.”

The Legal Service “expresses support and solidarity with the colleague and stands on her side during this difficult hour.”

They also expressed the determination of all officers to continue their duty undistracted, without fear, and with the sense of the high duty they are performing which, despite some setbacks, they will continue to effectively execute.

Police on Thursday released a photo of a couple wanted in connection with theft in Paphos and appealed to the public for help in identifying and locating them.

“Two individuals, a man and a woman, are wanted by police to help with inquiries into a case of theft, which was carried out on December 20 at a Kato Paphos hotel,” police said.

The man is described as being around 1.65 metres in height, of average build with short blonde hair and slightly balding. The woman is also about the same height, again of average build, but with long tawny hair.

Police request anyone with any information which could help find the duo, to contact Paphos CID, their nearest police station, or the public hotline 1460.

Thieves stole a pay machine from a Paphos petrol station using a truck and attempted to do the same in Peyia, police said on Thursday.

“It was reported to police by the owner of a Paphos petrol station this morning (Thursday) that, between the hours of 6.15pm yesterday, and 6am today, unknown persons stole his station’s pay machine.”

According to the report, the perpetrators used a truck to carry out the theft, backing it into the €12,000-machine before making off with it.

The machine contained around €600.

An attempt was also made to steal the machine from a Peyia filling station, police said.

In two similar incidents in late 2013 and early 2014, a man tried unsuccessfully to remove the pay machine of a petrol station in Aradhippou, using an excavator. A digger was also used to remove one from another in Larnaca.

In the first case, the station’s security cameras recorded the man in an excavator trying to remove the machine from its base at 3am. However, the station’s alarm went off, scaring the man who caused damage as he made his escape.

THE traditional Boxing Day swim will get underway in Paphos again on Monday when dozens of swimmers, most of them sponsored, will plunge into the water to raise money for charity.

For the ninth year in a row, the annual tradition will see swimmers, some of them pensioners and some in fancy dress, enter the water off  Vardas Beach in Kissonerga, near Paphos, at 11 am and stay in the water for fifteen minutes.

Dot Bailey, 75, has braved the elements for the last four years, and this year will see her again raise money for Paphiakos and CCP animal welfare.

“I will be wearing my Paphiakos T-shirt over my swim suit as we’re not allowed to wear wetsuits or flippers,” she said.

Bailey said that all of the participants from her charity, there are four this year, will hold hands and run into the sea when the whistle is sounded at 11am and remain in the water until a second whistle is blown at 11.15 am.

Paphiakos and CCP animal welfare is a non-profit charity founded in 1982. It provides numerous services including veterinary clinics in Paphos and Polis, a tea shop, charity shops and a rescue line and a rehoming service. The shelter is a home to numerous donkeys, horses, dogs, cats, rabbits and goats.

This year for the first time, a dog will also be raising money for the animal charity.

Elsa is a German shepherd who was adopted from the shelter by Paphiakos driver Kevin Mulcahy. Bailey said she is a lovely animal and is also being sponsored for her swim. Usually six or seven swimmers represent the charity, but Bailey said only four are able to take part this year.

Dot leaving the sea last year after the 15 minutes swim with Elsa the dog

However, she said one woman who usually swims has already sponsored her 50 euros for every minute that she stays in the water.

“She said, you can’t be beaten by a dog,” she laughed.

Bailey said that it looks like the water will be much colder than last year and she is ‘dreading’ it, but added that she is determined to take part and that it’s all for a good cause.

“All of the money raised by us will go towards the upkeep of the shelter’s 1,200 animals and the necessary upgrading of the quarantine area.”

Stuart Swallow, is also a regular participant. He has taken part for the last seven years, and said that members from the UKCA (United Kingdom Citizens’ Association) would be swimming again this year.

This year, as he has done for the last years, Swallow will be partnering Sean Smithurst, a 48-year-old Paphos resident who will be swimming to raise awareness and funds for the Margarita Liasidou foundation, which supports people which special needs.

“Sean has Down’s syndrome and is a mad keen swimmer, so I do this with him so that his parents won’t worry. Sean and I will swim out to some rocks and back and so are in the water for at least 20 minutes or so.”

Swallow said that there are usually ‘a good bunch of people’ at the event, around 30 to 40 swimmers and hundreds of spectators on the beach and the cliffs.

Sean’s mother, Christine, said that her Elvis-mad son loves swimming and has already raised 500 euros in sponsorship.

“He’s hoping to raise more by the time he swims. He will be dressing up in a satin nightdress.”

Many people take part in fancy dress, some only wear theirs for photos, and then strip off to regular swimming attire to swim, which is what Sean will be doing, said his mum.

Swallow said that he is hoping that the water won’t be freezing this year.

“We have only had one bad year where there was a storm on Boxing Day and last year the water was around 18 degrees, which was nice.”

Tea and coffee at the event will be served by Pafiakos with proceeds going to the charity.

“It’s a fun event and a great way to spend Boxing Day,” said Swallow.

The Boxing Day charity swim takes place at 11 am at Vardas Beach in Paphos

If you are looking for something a little different, a great place to enjoy a coffee while soaking up a creative vibe is Technopolis 20 in Paphos, which has established itself as a go to venue for all sorts of cultural and community events, and its kafeneio is a popular place for artists and members of the public to meet up, share ideas, chat and relax in a welcoming space.

Technopolis is found in a renovated house built in 1920, previously home to shops, offices, a nursery and most recently, a local TV station. There are five different rooms inside, one houses a grand piano. A now defunct soundproofed TV studio, in a separate building, is also utilised for screenings, lectures, and dance and theatrical performances.Centrally located, there is ample parking found opposite the centre and seating is available both inside and outside.

During the summer, the kafeneio GIARTino relocates to the rear garden, which is a haven of tranquillity in the centre of the town. Theme nights and live music often take place.For drinks the fresh lemonade is moreish, as are the homemade cakes. Cyprus beers and excellent coffee, soft drinks, as well as teas are also available. This is also a perfect venue to savour local Cypriot wines, accompanied by a variety of cheeses, charcuterie and fruits.

Every Wednesday, guests can enjoy a homemade breakfast/ brunch from 10am until 2pm, with live piano as an accompaniment.

Also, the café sells a number of Technopolis’ biological products – MaMa – which include jams, sweets, herbs and teas. Original artwork adorns the café walls.

This is a beautiful venue with a heart, run with dedication and supporting the arts; a great addition for Paphos.

Technopolis 20
Where: Nikolaou Nikolaidi Avenue, Paphos,
When: Monday to Friday 10am-2pm and during events
Contact: 70002420, info@technopolis20.com

DISY President Averof Neophytou met with the only Turkish Cypriot community leader in the government controlled areas, Androlykou mukhtar Ezgur Hassan Moustafa on Friday, and pledged to help resolve the problems that the small farming community faces.

Neophytou listened to the villagers’ problems and said every effort would be made to solve them. “They have our support with some problems which are important to them,” he said.

As an example he pointed out that the community, located in the middle of Pahos district, pays €30,000 for electricity to secure water supply, while extending the pipeline from the Evretou dam could save them tens of thousands of euros each year.

Ezgur Hassan’s father, Hassan Moustafa, fell in love with Hambou Pournoxouzi from the neighbouring Greek Cypriot village of Droushia in the late 1950s. Overcoming convention, community, family and religion, they were to become the first mixed couple to be married in the newly independent Republic of Cyprus, although at the time the law did not provide for an Orthodox Christian to marry a Muslim. Their story inspired a Cyprus-made Romeo and Juliet film that was screened at the Venice Film Festival in 2006.

When in 1975, over 600 of the Turkish Cypriot villagers left for the north under the terms of the post-war population exchange, Hassan and Hambou opted to remain in Androlykou, hopeful that the Cyprus problem would be solved soon. He died in 2014, having lived in the village his entire life.

Today, six Turkish families with mixed marriages live in the village, among them the mukhtar, one of Moustafa’s four children.

During his visit, Neophytou, himself a former mayor of nearby Polis Chrysochous, said that the fact that Greek and Turkish Cypriots can live together and have mixed marriages is the best news in a country struggling for reunification, sending the message that multiculturalism and different religions were never barriers to the peaceful coexistence between us.

Androlykou is a village in the Akamas region where the locals, who own more than 3,000 goats, are mainly engaged in farming, and milk and meat production.

I have over the years tried almost every fish restaurant within easy driving distance of my home and after countless forays into what I always hope will be a piscatorial wonderland, I invariably return home disillusioned. Then there is also the problem with the price of fish, it’s also a rule that one can charge stiffly for great sea food, and, given the issues around supply and sustainability it has no real claims on cheapness, but the whole dining experience must then really be spot on, and the Kingfisher gets it almost right in this regard.

Set on the Tomb of the Kings road, I first visited with Cypriot friends over 13 years ago and continued to dine there regularly until I moved away from the area. Returning was akin to walking back in time; very little had changed except the family had grown up and the next generation were now in charge, but they had been taught well by their elders and I can happily report that the Kingfisher is still a good value place to dine.

We started off with a fish soup which was both warming and welcoming on what turned out to be a cold rainy night, then a village salad to follow – I like here that there are also dishes available for those who may well be in the company and not great fans of fish who may prefer grilled halloumi to a plate of shrimps in garlic sauce or shrimps saganaki. From the fish display you can order up some decidedly different species including Crupper, hake, scorpaena and lobster along with the familiar swordfish, sea bass and bream. All are sold by the kilo so, for example, 300g of red mullet will cost you €18 and 400g of lobster around €30.

If you are worried about selecting a fish perhaps having no idea what they look like when not on a plate, ‘fear not’ is the motto here as staff at the Kingfisher are keen to have you return on a regular basis and are as helpful with your selection as possible. They have patience, plus the professionalism that allows you to relax as they recommend fish that will suit your palette so you feel quite safe in the capable hand of this family of fish experts.

Our dinner continued with a plate of Kalamari and chips washed down with a glass or two of white wine, what I consider as proper comfort food on a winter night. This was followed by a rather splendid taste sensation offered by a good sized plateful of snapper and red mullet, all cooked perfectly and by someone who obviously respects the fruits of the sea. There are also seafood platters for two on offer and they do represent good value for money as they range in price from €15 to €26 dependent upon the type of fish ordered, and the couple at the next table told us they come to the Kingfisher every week as both have been told by their doctors that they need to divert from their previous love found down the battered fish and chip route and go for fish that when ‘naked’ are then at least recognisable as proper fish.

I like the Kingfisher also because it isn’t a fancy raised pinkie finger sort of a place, it’s very much down to earth or should I say down to ‘sea’ and even more comforting is they also serve some of our very best quality Paphos made wines.
VITAL STATISTICS
WHERE Kingfisher Seafood restaurant, Tombs of the Kings Avenue, Paphos
CONTACT 26 949459
PRICE platters from €15, fish sold by weight