Cyprus Mail newspaper

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HAPPY AS A PIG...

SOMEONE’S WATCHING INSIDE

New EU rules will better living conditions but can Cypriot farms survive?

Island’s drivers beware. Your selfish parking habits could end up on the Internet

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TV and lifestyle supplements to see you through the week

www.cyprus-mail.com

December 23, 2012

€1.60

COFFEESHOP: THE FOUNDING FATHERS OF DISASTER ECONOMICS PAGE 17 INSIDE Cyprus School land lease sours long-time friendship 3

World ‘Vatileaks’ butler gets Christmas pardon from Pope 8

Reportage Greek triangle of power brought it down centre

Feature The man who spent over £120,000 on drinks 20

Sport Barry leaves it late to rescue Citizens back

Little sign of festive cheer ‘It may look like Christmas but it doesn’t feel like it’

Killed by a drunk driver as she swept pavement

By Poly Pantelides and Christos Theodorides

T

HE CHRISTMAS lights are on, though in less abundance than last year, and the streets are crowded, but fewer and fewer people are willing to spend their money, yet some shopkeepers remain hopeful for today and tomorrow. Colourful window displays may create a warm and cosy atmosphere as they try to lure in custom, but it is the shops which have lowered their prices which obviously have the best chance of making sales. Nicosia’s Ledra Street has been packed all week – the numbers bumped up considerably yesterday with lengthy traffic jams snaking through the municipal market area at Ochi roundabout – but other than for food and bargains, people weren’t buying. “It might look like Christmas, but it certainly doesn’t feel like it,” said Christina 36 who did not receive a 13th salary. “I haven’t even put up the tree yet. It’s going to look a bit stupid with hardly anything under it.” Few on the street yesterday were carrying bags, and those who were, were those with children. Most were just looking around or shopping for the basics, especially after Debenhams announced a

Nicosia’s Ledra Street is busy but it’s all window dressing last-minute 50 per cent sale on clothes and homewares. “Now that we’ve advertised the sales, we’ve had more people coming in,” said a Debenhams sales assistant yesterday. One middle-aged shopper there yesterday said that she was lured in because of the sales. “It goes without saying that we’ve been shopping less,” she said. Even those who have now received their 13th salaries for all too many people this year the Christmas bonus will never arrive – were be-

ing careful. “I’m only shopping for what’s necessary, and that for my children and grandchildren,” housewife Toula Constantinou said. Her husband got his 13th salary, so she finally got some shopping done for her two sons and three grandsons, she added. But many walked out of Debenhams with shopping from the food hall rather than with bagfuls of clothes or gifts yesterday. One woman was carrying only one bag and some wrapping paper. “I’m mostly just looking around,” she said,

(Christos Theodorides) adding that she did get some gifts “but only for my family”. Aside from Debenhams, only Mavros toy shop was teeming, with many shoppers saying they would only be buying gifts for their children. “Christmas is about them anyway,” said Maria, 26. ‘Bata’ shoe shop sales person Mzia had a similar view: “People are going to spend their 13th salaries on Christmas dinners and children’s gifts. We expect purchases to be fewer around this time

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A 28-YEAR-OLD Filipino domestic worker was killed yesterday morning in Limassol when she was sweeping the pavement in between two parked cars when a drunk driver hit one of the cars, throwing her onto the other vehicle. The accident happened at 6.40am. The driver, a 26-yearold Cypriot man, was over three times the alcohol consumption limit, with a final breathalyser test showing 72 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres, although the legal limit is 22 microgrammes, police said. The domestic worker from the Philippines was taken by ambulance to Limassol hospital, where the doctor on duty announced her dead on arrival. The driver, who reports suggest was devastated, was taken to Limassol district court yesterday where he broke down in tears, still drunk but aware of what had happened, state broadcaster CyBC said. The court remanded him for two days. The police said they needed to wait for the man to sober up before they could question him but said they would aim to get their investigation completed within two days, to enable the 26year-old to spend Christmas with his family, CyBC said. TV footage showed the two cars parked on the pavement outside the entrance of the Limassol home. The cars were parked on either side of the front gate. The one to the left hand side of the gate was hit at the back, and its back left wheel had shifted. When the driver hit that vehicle, the collision pushed it forward hitting the woman who was thrown onto the other car.


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