The minor opposition party «Free Kythira» issued a strongly worded press release early this morning, referring to «political deception» regarding the sewer system project in Kapsali. The faction completely refutes claims of «unforeseen delays,» emphasizing that the winter did not see extreme rainfall, while denouncing that the project costs more than three times the national average and was awarded with a discount of just 1%. At the same time, he attributes the chaos to disorganization and the lack of oversight of the contractor by the supervising authority, while linking the situation to the mayor’s refusal, one year ago, to vote on the «Nuisance Control Regulation» requested by the professionals’ association Cerigo. «The contractors» coalition had anticipated the unforeseen,” the faction concludes, expressing its support for the residents of Kapsali.
The following is the relevant press release:
The Unpredictable Events of Kapsali
Since, as the Mayor says, delays did indeed occur, the Municipality should have already drafted a technical extension request (100%) documenting what these «unforeseen delays» were. Instead, the municipal authorities waited to see IF and how the residents would react and had a ready-made excuse: it promised to «forward a detailed protest request to the ministry» to be drafted by… the citizens themselves.
The political deception described above occurred because it was impossible to draft such a scientifically substantiated request, since the delays were anything but unforeseeable:
1. Rainfall. Last winter was nothing out of the ordinary. We had good, soaking rain, but it wasn’t heavy at all (especially compared to previous years, when we suffered damage from heavy rainfall). Unpredictable—but only for those who have no connection to nature, the island, or the execution of technical projects. And, in any case, when it WASN’T raining, why were you digging in the wilderness and leaving Kapsali for the summer?;
2. The severe labor shortage. This is a valid reason for a delay in a project that was priced at a normal rate and awarded after a 15% discount-20%, but by no means for a project that costs more than three times the national average and which the contractor secured with a discount of… 1%
3. Problems with road repairs. Is it really so unpredictable that a complete lack of organization would lead to chaotic consequences? Is it any surprise that supervision can be manipulated by the contractor, that the implementation study provides no guidelines for the project but is used… after construction as a get-out-of-jail-free card, if the transportation study was deemed unnecessary by those in charge, and if the mayor’s highly paid associates lack suitable credentials?;
Fellow citizens, the above is not the sole responsibility of the mayor; he simply thrives in the position as a suitable person with his own ethics and conduct that do not threaten the parasites of public works. It is first and foremost our own responsibility: when we vote without realizing that our choice at the ballot box has consequences for our lives, and we fail to unite in taking local government seriously, then we will continue to fume individually every time we realize that their greed affects not only those who resist but also those who go along with it. If we don’t blow this system away with a single breath, it will divide us, buy us off, blackmail us, and do its work by any means necessary.
P.S. In any case, the main reason has come to light as to why, one year ago, the mayor refused—without any justification—to bring before the City Council a vote on a Regulation Governing Nuisance from Construction Projects (a regulation first requested by the Cerigo professional association and subsequently by Free Kythira). It seems that the contractors’ coalition had anticipated the unforeseen….
Eleftheria Kythira is located next to Kapsaliotes.
