Cyprus; Living the Dream, or is it a nightmare?

[josef k]

This was a thoughtful thread concerning the long term issues around living on an island, specifically Cyprus. I for one don't want threads turned into right-wing anti-immigration rants. Given you don't live here and won't be visiting in the future, I'm sure there are forums in Hereford on which you would be better posting your views.

[Firefly]

Josef K

Firstly it wasn't a rant, merely stating facts, in answer to Kili01, and what you want, is totally irrelevant, and of no consequence to me.

Secondly, I don't need your permission to post on PL, if I wish to post on any other forum, I will. You and your ilk, will brow beat, from your chair of course, anyone with an opinion that you do not share, especially if it's by a woman!

I'm sure that if my post is not acceptable, Dominic will remove it, it's not up to you to decide.

[Dominic]

One of the reasons people are rioting now is because people haven't listened to their concerns in the past. Oh for sure, an awful lot of it now is just opportunist looting, and there is an obvious far-right element, but that is by no means everybody who is out protesting. Plus, I hear the weather is nice at the moment.

But going right back to the last labour government and beyond, people have just been brushing aside people's legitimate concerns and calling everybody with an issue a far-right racist. Remember when Gordon Brown was overheard slagging off one of his constituents?

What there needs to be a lot more of, on all sides, is listening to people who you disagree with. There is too much tribalism and not other rational debate. Take a look at this clip from 1978, to see how adults with vastly differing views can debate without the ridiculous shenanigans that occur today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82CmJlf-Deg

The only good thing that has come out of this is that some mosques have been reaching out to some of the rioters and making headway. More jaw jaw, less war war, as they used to say.

[josef k]

Josef K

Firstly it wasn't a rant, merely stating facts, in answer to Kili01, and what you want, is totally irrelevant, and of no consequence to me.

Secondly, I don't need your permission to post on PL, if I wish to post on any other forum, I will. You and your ilk, will brow beat, from your chair of course, anyone with an opinion that you do not share, especially if it's by a woman!

I'm sure that if my post is not acceptable, Dominic will remove it, it's not up to you to decide.

I certainly don't want this to descend into a slanging match. However, Just a few small points in response:

I didn't say you posted a rant. I was referring to rants generally.
What I want is not irrelevant. It is relevant to me. I do accept it may be of no consequence to you though.
I agree you don't need my permission for anything at all. I don't think I said you did.
If I do have an "ilk", I'm not sure what it is, and I really don't think I was brow beating.
I didn't know you were a woman. Is it relevant?
I agree I do not have the ability to remove posts.

Anyway, I hope that clarifies things. I don't propose posting on this matter again. Have a good day.

[Firefly]

Josef k

Re-read your post re right-wing immigration rants, you inferred that, that was the case, in my post.

Your uncalled for comments regarding myself, and my abode, was rude to say the least. Where I live is none of your concern.

As for a slanging match, I don't indulge. I respectfully suggest, that you moderate your future posts accordingly.

[Woody2]

You are obviously still in the honeymoon period in Cyprus, time will tell!
Hold hands with your supporters, most are probably in public denial of making the move too.
[/quote]

Not at all. Many people choose to go back to the UK. And fair play to them if that is what they decide. It is entirely up to them. Better to do that than stay here and just whinge about their lot. But ask yourself this. If you leave one place for another place because you think it will make your life better, and it doesn't, then perhaps the issue isn't one of geography.[/quote]

Don't recall whinging, just our thoughts + those of some in the OP article that are Cypriot born.
I assume anyone with contra-views to the local 'in-crowd', fall into your collective description of 'whingers'.

Maybe it is simply a lack of ambition (or means), after such a long time living in the same place & doing the same things repeatedly, in what is essentially a confined environment?

Just that some people have a lower boredom threshold than others & react accordingly.

[Dominic]

Just that some people have a lower boredom threshold than others & react accordingly.

But you don't though. You just whinge about it on Social Media.

[Steve - SJD]

One of the reasons people are rioting now is because people haven't listened to their concerns in the past.

But going right back to the last labour government and beyond, people have just been brushing aside people's legitimate concerns and calling everybody with an issue a far-right racist.

In fairness we just spent several years extricating ourselves from the EU with one of the repeated central planks being "taking back control of our borders" - people were listened to, voted and the UK left. The self inflicted wound hasn't worked in controlling illegal migration but certainly people were listened to.

We've also had 14 years of a government that has become increasingly right wing in rhetoric supported by a large proportion of the media who play to their audience and have contributed to the toxic atmosphere. Lies, misinformation, exaggeration and racism/islamophobia has been amplified and allowed to flourish both on social media and off - often by those with an ulterior motive.

Of course there are legitimate concerns with some aspects of immigration, but that shouldn't be used to explain away the violence that we saw, which had little to do with anything legitimate.

Cheers

Steve

[Firefly]

You cannot deny the number of illegal immigrants flooding the UK, it's a fact.

If you show concern, you are a far-right racist. Of course it's wrong to riot, and will yobs jump on the band wagon, but British citizens such as I, are truly worried for our future.

Dominic is right.

[Steve - SJD]

You cannot deny the number of illegal immigrants flooding the UK, it's a fact.

If you show concern, you are a far-right racist. Of course it's wrong to riot, and will yobs jump on the band wagon, but British citizens such as I, are truly worried for our future.

Dominic is right.

There certainly is a high number coming in illegally which needs to be brought down but despite the soundbites it's not that easy to control.

You have shown concern - who has called you a far-right racist?

I understand that you are concerned but if the protests were about illegal immigration why were they are attacking businesses owned by immigrants & mosques that have nothing to do with illegal immigration?

There are a lot of British citizens that are worried for their future for various reasons.

Cheers

Steve

[Firefly]

Far-right racist has already been inferred in this thread.

Why yobs are attacking businesses owned by immigrants, and mosques, I know not, you would have to ask them.

You say that illegal immigration is not easy to control, I believe that certain measures would have immediate effect. However, no government to date, has done it. I and many other, law abiding citizens, believe that riots and civil unrest is very likely to continue, unless action is taken.

I don't know if you reside in the UK or not, if not, perhaps you may not know, to what extent the older populations of the UK are worried. My winter fuel allowance was cancelled overnight, it seems that immediate action can happen for some things.

[Woody2]

Just that some people have a lower boredom threshold than others & react accordingly.

But you don't though. You just whinge about it on Social Media.

There you go using your catchphrase again!

In any case you don't know that I have or haven't, just think you do!

[Dominic]

I honestly couldn't care where you lived. But if you had moved then decided to come back to a forum just to have a whinge, then doesn't exactly give you any intellectual upper hand. Quite the contrary. Just get on with your life and stop dwelling on your previous mistakes.

[jeba]

You say that illegal immigration is not easy to control, I believe that certain measures would have immediate effect. However, no government to date, has done it. I and many other, law abiding citizens, believe that riots and civil unrest is very likely to continue, unless action is taken.

What actions would you suggest to be taken?

[Firefly]

Jeba

Stop all benefits for illegal immigrants, if necessary, provide only food and drink to maintain life.

Immigrants to be housed in unused military accommodation, (if it's good enough for our troops, it's good enough for them). With guards, to prevent unaccounted for movement, either in or out. No hotels! fast processing of immigrants, with return to country of origin if applicable, i.e. no valid reason for seeking. asylum.

Les Bean

Your post may be true, it may not, but that said, the riot that took place in Bolton, started with a peaceful protest, until the Muslims rioted, but that was kept quiet. I wonder why, it seems that a lot of things that happen, are hardly mentioned in the media now, unless it suits.

[Firefly]

Well I call a pre loaded Aspen card a benefit!

[jeba]

Stop all benefits for illegal immigrants, if necessary, provide only food and drink to maintain life.

Immigrants to be housed in unused military accommodation, (if it's good enough for our troops, it's good enough for them). With guards, to prevent unaccounted for movement, either in or out. No hotels! fast processing of immigrants, with return to country of origin if applicable, i.e. no valid reason for seeking. asylum.

How much unused military accomodation are there in the UK? Would stopping all benefits include stopping medical care?
Giving them food vouchers seems not a bad idea. Some German states are already providing refugees with shopping vouchers (which don´t allow the purchase of alcohol though).
Returning refugees to their home countries seems to be not as easy as it sounds. Not only do you need to know where they are from (many came to Germany without passports, or destroyed them to make deportation more difficult; I guess it´s the same in the UK), you also need their home countries to allow them in, which not all countries do.

[Steve - SJD]

Well I call a pre loaded Aspen card a benefit!

You also said: "if necessary, provide only food and drink to maintain life."

The Aspen card provides £49.18 per person on a payment card for food, clothing and toiletries (or £8.86 per person if your accommodation provides your meals) per week.

Let's just hope that similar scenes are not played out against immigrants in Cyprus (with one of the highest immigration rates in the EU).

Cheers

Steve

[Firefly]

Steve

My husband and I were two of those immigrants. We had to prove our identity, that we could afford to live in Cyprus, pay for health insurance, and rightly so. We had booklets telling us that we were registered as Aliens, after much investigation.

If the same rules of immigration were applied to the UK, no problem.

For a family of four, the Aspen card would provide just short of £200 per week, or £10,400 per annum, if my maths are correct, not bad for doing nothing.

The questions I ask is, if the life they have left was so bad, how can they afford to pay the people who provide the boats, and why do they dump their mobiles in the sea, and then have one provided by us, and why have they, mainly, left the women children to face conditions that they have left. No-one tells me.

[Dominic]

Not a question of my post being true or not as the post was just a screenshot of a Times leader

That doesn't automatically make it true.