Residents in the Cardinals are outraged. After a personal promise from the Mayor of Kythera that their village road would be cemented by Easter 2024, they took matters into their own hands, investing €5,000 of their own money to prepare the road for cementing. Their goal? To stretch the municipality's budget and ensure that the maximum distance is paved. Instead, their efforts were literally washed away.
The 3-Alpha gravels they placed - at their own expense - are now being washed away with the flows of heavy winter rains. Residents had persistently asked the municipality to act before the weather changed, but their pleas were met with an ever-evolving series of excuses. First, it was too dangerous in the spring «because it might rain.» Then, a city inspection postponed the project. In the summer, the heat made pouring cement «very difficult.» And now? The rains have begun, and the silence is deafening.
As the road deteriorates even further, residents not only lose their initial investment, but also face ongoing costs as their cars and tyres are worn out by the dangerous condition of the road. For some, this is no longer just an inconvenience, but a significant financial burden. In addition, the condition of the road deters professionals, delivery drivers and even social visitors from venturing through.
What will be the city's next excuse? Perhaps they suggest waiting until the rainy season is over - until then the road may look like a riverbed. Residents in the Cardinals wonder if their efforts to support the municipality were in vain and if their trust in local government was misplaced.
Will this false promise go down in history or will the city finally roll up its sleeves? For the residents in Cardinals, time - and the road - is running out.
James Prineas
