Crete News of April 2006 - Page 3

Rubbish in the Streets of Crete

A strike left street bins overflowing for almost two weeks in many parts of Crete during April. Rubbish collectors had been demanding that their jobs, both state employed and local government contract working, be paid to reflect its difficulty and risks to health.

Workers have also asked for temporarily employed seasonal staff be made permanently employed as well as further recruitment of new staff to better maintain the cleanliness of the streets.

From April 5, and lasting in some places for two weeks, rubbish was left to pile up on the streets, causing serious concerns, especially near to schools. When the waste was taken away after a negotiated truce in the dispute, powerful chemicals were needed to clean the residual mess.

Six Villages Face Fires in Chania, west Crete

The Chania region was subject to early fires in April, with flames surrounding the villages of Deres, Meskla, Skines, Fournes, Psathogiannos and Keramia, and a large forested and cultivated area has been burnt. Firefighters fought the blazes against strong southerly winds all day on the 7th April, finally bringing fires under control by nightfall.

Fire Brigades came from all over Crete, supplemented by units of soldiers from Chania. Two Super Puma helicopters, dedicated to the purpose of fighting forest fires, were brought in and fire teams had to work hard to prevent further devastation. Now is the beginning of the dry season. Visitors and residents alike are warned to take seriously the danger of fire in our countryside.

Loss of Life in Dangerous Building Sites in Crete

Once again, a young man has died because of disregard for basic safety procedures on a building site. Press coverage focused on the many losses of life and serious injuries sustained by badly paid and poorly trained workers, many of whom are Eastern Europeans, in the construction business. The monitoring of safety standards and the implementation of existing guidelines are severely lacking. The Employment Centre of Rethymnon, Ergatiko Kentro, has highlighted the death toll and called once again for the government to take their responsibilities seriously and create a department for health and safety in the workplace.
The latest victim was 41 years old and had been involved in a demolition, working on the first floor when the building’s roof collapsed on top of him. Another man was injured.

New Opportunities in Tourism and Manufacturing in Crete

A new round of grants for business start-ups is due to be declared in June 2006, particularly for touristic and manufacturing enterprises. The programmes have the title “Olokliromenes Draseis Anaptiksis-Enishisi MME Matapoiisis, Tourismou kai lipon kladon tou tritogeni tomea”.

This translates loosely as ‘Complete Urban Development Action: Small and medium sized business assistance'. Grants can be obtained for existing and new projects in either sphere. For more information telephone the Communication and Advice organization ‘Anadrasi’, on 210 822 6562 and 6978926693. Ask for website details that might be available and always research any field of business that you intend to enter.