SYRIZA Kythira: «Substantial support for Kythira. No more «we’ll»…»

-The government’s announcements regarding efforts to address the aftermath of the recent devastating fire on Kythira were accompanied by 13 «WILLs.» Unfortunately, the citizens of our country know all too well that government «promises» are rarely fulfilled. After all, the recent experience with the (non)implementation of government announcements in Thessaly (the “DANIEL” floods) and Crete (the earthquake-stricken village of Arkalochori) is telling. They’re still waiting…

-The most important thing, however, for SYRIZA in Kythira is that the government (and its local supporters) is not addressing the root of the problem. There is no coherent plan for the protection and development of our islands.

Environmental protection and industrial wind farm parks don't go together.

Tourism development doesn't go hand in hand with ships that «can't dock» when the winds are from the west.

Economic growth and the neglect of critical infrastructure (from the water supply system to the problematic road network) do not go hand in hand.

The government’s grand rhetoric does not align with the reality of a 10% decline in the population of Kythira and Antikythira—especially among young people (according to the latest census).

Support for the island is incompatible with shortages of teachers, shortages of nursing staff, and the closure of bank branches and other essential services.

Mr. Minister, members of the government’s cheering squad, we, the people of Kythira and Antikythira, are not beggars. We are not «pandemic victims» who rely on a «mockery of a pass.» Some of the announcements are positive, but why on earth does Kythira’s 10% have to go up in flames before the government decides to support (again, without any specific commitments) the extension of the runway at the airport?;

The Proposals of SYRIZA – P.S.

So let’s set the record straight. SYRIZA-PS calls for fair, people-centered development. In this context, it has put forward a series of proposals that are worth recalling:

1. The relevant agencies (Forest Service, Municipality, Regional Authority) should be funded to maintain forest and rural roads, clear brush and other forested areas, and acquire all the necessary infrastructure for environmental protection. Within this framework, the necessary personnel should be hired.
2. Large wildfires and the resulting destruction are also caused by accumulated combustible material that ignites easily and is difficult to control. Therefore, it is critical to limit the amount of combustible material derived from biomass. It is an absolute priority to enable property owners to clear their land, whether they are agricultural or grassland areas with low shrubby vegetation, without risking exorbitant fines.
3. A comprehensive program for reforestation and the enhancement of Kythira’s forest resources must be developed and implemented in a manner consistent with the island’s characteristics.We demand immediate funding for the relevant study and its implementation.
4. The revitalization of rural areas and support for primary production are both essential and necessary conditions for environmental protection. Supporting cooperatives, taking measures to improve farm income, standardizing products, and securing designations of origin will help move us in this direction. Immediate funding and rapid completion of the slaughterhouse project will provide a massive boost to livestock farming and related products (cheese, meat products, etc.).

The best defender of the environment is the active farmer who makes a living from that environment.

5. The outdated water supply network should be replaced; water retention projects (e.g., small and larger dams) should be implemented; and all available water sources should be utilized. In addition, the desalination project should be continued and completed. A new project to reuse treated wastewater (after biological treatment) for irrigation is also part of this effort.
6. Provision of incentives/subsidies (e.g., based on the «Exoikonomo») for the installation of underground tanks to store rainwater in existing buildings and for making this a requirement in new construction.
7. Many of these projects require affordable energy to be viable, and affordable energy is certainly needed for economic growth and the smooth functioning of local social life. We categorically reject grandiose renewable energy projects across the entire island. Instead, we propose strengthening the Kythira Energy Community (by finally resolving the grid connection issues with HEDNO) and expanding it to include professionals and residents of the island.
8. The electricity transmission grid also needs to be upgraded, both at the interconnection with the transmission grid (HEDNO or ADMIE) as well as the distribution network on Kythira (which we must gradually push to have fully buried underground—beyond aesthetic considerations, this is critical for preventing fires caused by utility poles)
9. It is also vital to promote volunteerism. Citizen groups that focus on the island’s rich flora and fauna, raise awareness about it, and highlight it as a key element of ecological balance as well as a draw for nature-based tourism, must be supported by every lawful means.
10. Support and expansion of the transportation allowance. The government must put an end to delays in payments to beneficiaries.
11. Deployment of a Class 1 ship on the Piraeus–Kythira–Gythio–Antikythira–Crete route
12. Immediate funding for the extension of the runway at Kythira Airport.
13. Provide incentives for landowners to restore damaged dry-stone walls or build new ones, as well as terraces, which have been proven to have saved properties during the most recent wildfire!
14. Effective coordination between the government’s Civil Protection Agency, regional authorities, and municipalities with the Forest Service, the Fire Department, and, above all, volunteers, to prevent new disasters like the one that occurred on the first day of the fire!

The Kythira Local Organization of SYRIZA-PS emphasizes the need for immediate support for our islands so that other residents are not forced to emigrate for economic reasons. For young people in particular, the opportunity for decent employment is essential. It is the solidarity of our citizens that guarantees that Kythira and Antikythira will continue to be a place worth living in.

The Kythira Municipal Organization calls on the local government to demand substantive solutions to the island’s problems. We await the statements from the opposition municipal factions. We are all being judged here…