Filenews 10 April 2023 - by Dora Christodoulou
2023 finds Pafos leisure centres proceeding with significant innovations required in their operation regarding the issue of sanitary conditions set by the Pafos Municipality. At the same time, chronic issues of the industry are still pending, such as various certificates and licenses, sunshades and others.
These issues were extensively analyzed for the first time at a recent event organized by the Pafos Association of Leisure Centre Owners (SIKAP). The president of the Association, Angelos Onisiforou, told "F" that the problems raised by the members of SIKAP have to do with drink, music and operation licenses, with the health certificate, windows and pergolas and the general issues created for hundreds of recreation centres by the redevelopment of Kato Pafos despite the Theoskepasti area and the surrounding streets.
This event was also attended by the Director of the Health Services of the Municipality of Pafos, Christos Christou, who spoke about securing the Health Certificate, proposing that the submission of supporting documents be done en masse through SIKAP and specifically that the executive secretary of the Association, Petros Kechriotis, undertake them.
Mr. Christou spoke about food safety and hygiene, noting that it is now legislation and it is imperative that each centre has managers who will pass the relevant seminars. He also stressed that for the members of SIKAP, the health services of the Municipality of Pafos undertake and organize the seminars free of charge, giving those who will attend them the relevant certificate. In this context, three seminars have been held since the beginning of the year.
Regarding garbage, Christou noted that garbage will now be sorted, a process that needs to be fully implemented by 2030. For this reason, he added, an organic garbage bin will be placed free of charge in each center, while compressors and presses will be placed at various points.
"For all these health issues, for which Mr. Christou informed us in the first phase", stressed the president of SIKAP, "a special meeting of the two sides is expected to take place in a very short time so that the industry can be informed in detail on all issues. In particular, however, with the license for drinks and music, SIKAP will request a meeting with the Mayor of Pafos."
Angelos Onisiforou spoke about difficult situations that the industry is going through as a result of the pandemic initially and the war in Ukraine later. All this, he said, created huge problems in the operation of leisure centres. The positive thing, he noted, is that the messages we are receiving regarding tourism in Cyprus for 2023 are very positive:
"The reopening of all hotels in Paphos that had closed is slowly being completed, as tourist arrivals are increasing spectacularly. Related to this development is the issue of personnel in our industry, which continues to concern us. Right now it is the main problem in our industry. SIKAP through its dynamic interventions, managed and succeeded in employing asylum seekers in cleaning and even with summary procedures. It's not a solution to the problem, but I think it has helped.
It also succeeded in employing students from third countries who, apart from the cleaning sector, are now also employed as waiters and bartenders.
We also succeeded in employing employees from third countries with visas for all categories of centres. The process here may require the completion of several documents, but those of us who have done the paperwork and submitted them to the Department of Labor, have received approval and hired such employees.
We achieved the same with the Ukrainians, since from the first moment we took the appropriate actions and achieved their easy employment."
For all cases, SIKAP has the necessary documents that it can provide to its members, Mr. Onisiforou said, but also inform them about the supporting documents needed in each case.
