Filenews 17 July 2024 - by Dora Christodoulou
My focus will be on improving the quality of life of citizens, promoting sustainable development and highlighting the unique characteristics and advantages of the Pafos district. This clear mark is given by the President of the Pafos District Self-Government Organization, Charalambos Pittokopitis, speaking today to "F", immediately after the first meeting of the Board of Directors of the new Local Government Organization that entered our lives on July 1st.
As he did in his programmatic statements during the solemn first meeting of the 16-member council of the Pafos EDA, Mr. Pittokopitis particularly emphasizes the importance he attaches to the issue of the financial management of the new body, referring to the absolute need for transparency in the management of resources.
My highest priority will be to improve the lives of the residents of the Pafos district, by solving the problems that fall within the remit of the EDA, as well as promoting innovative practices to upgrade the quality of life. We will eliminate the complicated procedures and the lack of immediacy in serving the citizen and we will promote the policy of responding to every request submitted to us, within a period of one month. The first President of the Pafos EDA also observes that of major importance for the achievement of the objectives of the Organization will be the utilization of the central system that will provide direct information on citizens' issues and will contribute to the immediate handling of cases that come before him. The aim is for all citizens to have the opportunity to submit their applications electronically, he points out, and to be immediately informed about the progress of the procedure on these applications.
Regarding the issuance of planning and building permits, he said, we are immediately simplifying complex and time-consuming procedures by adopting a new policy with a human-centered approach. An electronic system to simplify submission procedures and speed up authorisations will be put in place immediately. We are enhancing transparency, the Pafos Regional Governor stressed, with the aim of reducing the inconvenience and costs involved in time-consuming and bureaucratic procedures, while at the same time our goal will be to facilitate the acquisition of housing and safeguard the assets of each Paphitis.
A key pillar of the Pafos EDA, its president said, will be the optimal management of valuable water resources. We aim to immediately solve problems with the water supply system, safety efficiency and water quality. This will be achieved, he stressed, by creating a central water supply system in Paphos as is the case in other cities in Cyprus and by replacing obsolete water supply pipes. The implementation of smart water supply with automated systems and sensors, he noted, and the quality of services provided in this sector will be more than noticeable and economically beneficial for citizens.
Charalambos Pittokopitis stressed that the development and modernization of SAPA is a key policy of the Organization. Our goal, he said, is to develop a geographic information system and smart data monitoring system, which will allow timely and efficient problem solving. In the context of new green practices, he said, we aim at the full utilization of wastewater for biogas production and energy and resource savings.
My goal, concluded the first Regional Governor of Pafos, is a better life for every Paphite and a sustainable management of public resources, with the principles of transparency and sustainability being our spearhead.
It is noted that the mayors of the four Municipalities of the Pafos district participate ex officio in the Board of Directors of the EDA.
The Mayor of Pafos, Phedon Phedonos, referring to the launch of the new Agency, stressed the need for good administration and transparency. Internal control and very strict procedures should be institutionalized, he said, given that the EDA will manage tens of millions and multi-million projects will be carried out in the province in the coming years.
The Mayor of East Pafos, Nikos Palios, pointed out that the EDA should effectively address the pathogens that prevailed until now regarding inefficiency and bureaucracy in procedures concerning citizens and will contribute to the improvement of the daily lives of the citizens of the district.
The Mayor of Akamas, Marinos Lambrou, said that the District Self-Government Organization should give a signal to citizens from the beginning that it came to put order and offer solutions to ordinary people, where until now they were involved in labyrinthine procedures.
Finally, the Mayor of Polis Chrysochous, Yiotis Papachristofi, noted that the excellent cooperation of all the bodies coexisting in the EDA is vital in order to provide solutions to chronic problems and to have a practical return for citizens from the establishment of the new Organization.
