Newsletter

Spring 2008

Acting Chairman’s Chat

Since the last issue of the News Letter our Chairman Alan Aldridge because of ill health resigned his position as your Chairman. I am pleased to say that after treatment in the U.K. Alan & Linda have decided to stay with us in the TRNC. We wish Alan well in his recovery. If sighted I can assure you it is he.

 I am afraid I am not so tolerant as Stuart in dealings with the government. Sometimes the logic and forward thinking is breathtaking in its execution & timing. This was born out recently over the matter of Property Contracts & Stamp Duty. As you are aware it was decided that a copy of all contracts submitted irrespective of when they were signed had to be in Turkish, so as to enable five pieces of relevant information to be gathered for our protection. Questions we asked were, why backdated as  retrospective laws do not work, cause lots of unnecessary work and anguish and simply make matters worse We suggested that a pro-forma could be produced with this information.  This was refused, however after a week of meetings and further representations they have come up with the good idea to attach a pro-forma to the contract signed before 2^nd Jan.08 What a good idea. However contracts after this date will still require a copy in Turkish

By these actions it puts extra work and worry on the very people who are prepared to invest in property and support the economy in a big way.

Maybe the best course of action is to delay purchasing property until the whole mess is sorted out. (2 to 3 yrs waiting for permission to purchase for example is not acceptable) it may take a few weeks if the will is there, but maybe this is too logical and not too important    

I am hoping that before the A.G.M. we will have reached a significant milestone in membership by reaching 1,000.

It has been noticeable that in the last year not only newcomers to the TRNC have been joining but also people who have lived here for some considerable time. Maybe there is strength in numbers.

Seriously I believe that it has been found to give valuable help and support, quietly goes on its way to improve our situation when required.

Finally the A.G. M. will be my last meeting as Chairman, Vice or Acting. I wish the new committee well for the future and the BRS going from strength to strength.

You will find me on............ “The Road to Mandalay”

Government Business

ONE PROBLEM SOLVED AT LEAST

It has been troubling me for some weeks now. Almost every time I enter a government Office a tune comes into my head. You must know it the first line is  “We’re busy doing nothing working the whole day through trying to find lots of things not to do”

Questions come to mind. Who sang this song and where does it come from? And why does it come to mind in government offices. Perhaps it is because easy problems, which should take 5 minutes to resolve, tend to take hours and with difficult problems it can often take days to obtain all of the correct stamps and signatures. Yet there is usually some kind of logic albeit questionable to all the steps involved so please be patient. I must admit however that I have yet to find a reason for the residency ‘Pink or Blue Book’ which is considered most important and also for the need to provide postage stamps when this cost could be included in the overall cost. My message to members is please be calm, keep smiling and eventually you will make it through the system.

LEGISLATION HAS NOW MOVED FORWARD ON RESIDENCY

It has now been finalised it would appear, that after 5 Years Temporary Residency applications can be made for Permanent  Residency  which will be granted at year six. People living in rented accommodation can now apply. This may lead to an application for citizenship being considered. It is more likely that developments on membership to the EU will overtake all of this legislation.

Less clear in application, but clear in law is the regulations for crossing the Green Line They are regularly being adjusted at the whim of the authorities on duty. The attempt to exclude certain items from the allowance of 135 Euros seems to be a matter of who is on duty on a given day. We are led to believe that the currant 135 Euro limit is under review by the EU and the government, but seeking clarification is like trying to grasp smoke.

Future Trips

  In the B.B.C.Series “Unforgettable Places To See before you die” there are many places you will remember for the rest of your life, but they are more than that. They are so special that when you discover them they are truly unforgettable and the memories will last with you forever.

The B.R.S. trips have been fortunate to visit some of these Unforgettable Places over the last 4 years. Petra in Jordan, Karnak Temple at Luxor Egypt. In China The Great Wall, Terracotta Soldiers and The Bund at Shanghai. In 2008/9 we have the opportunity and privilege to visit more. In Syria Krak Des Cavalliers and Palmyra. In Thailand & Cambodia in late October, The Phra Kaeo Temple in Bangkok and Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

In February 2009 to India & Nepal the Taj Mahal at Agra, The Ghats at Varanasi, Jaisalmer Fort, In Nepal Kathmandu, Makalu, Patan, and see Mount Everest in the Himalayas Any Member wishing to join us for these journeys of a lifetime, please contact me

mike01@superonline com or Tel 8252031 or 0533 8651227