Taxi Serviced Cyprus, a hindered model of growth
The
basis of this outlook on Cyprus was stimulated by recent declarations made by
Central Bank Governor, Mr Orphanides who, in defence over responsibilities said,
'here
we are talking about legislation which has essentially served us well for 40
years', with regards to the political row over announcements by Marfin Popular in moving its
headquarters out from Cyprus in search of unhindered growth opportunities.
Are these
declarations not a helpless attempt to convince us of the emperor's new clothes?
It is my belief that these embody more the current attitude of institutions in Cyprus which
have become symbols of asynchronous management of the 21st century. Similarly, pretending that a taxi service can efficiently remain the preferred public transport infrastructure for tourism in Cyprus, how is that fitting in with aspirations for receiving 3.5 Million visitors a year?
The country is being lead by a blizzard of tactical actions and patches to overcome the economic stand-still
in benefit of a few and an obstacle to change; a very high price to pay for an
inherent capacity for being inflexible, reactive, uncaring and blind as to the
evolution of government in business since the last decade.
Voices are
appealing to calm and cohesiveness; noble gestures such as those made by
institutions like the C.I.P.A (Cyprus Investment Promotion Agency), which undoubtedly
recognizes the lack of collaboration and synergetic efforts to improve the investment
climate in Cyprus. But how can we pretend to be a regional force
attracting foreign investment, if Cyprus hasn't been capable of
efficiently resolving inland transport from airports for tourist and residents?
40 years of ubiquitous taxi service may
have served the country well, but it hasn't resolved why dining at the Baths of
Aphrodite or exploring Wine tourism in inland Limassol remains today so
inaccessible.
While the
Cypriot Finance Ministry is about to discover that subsidized tour operators
are contributing to growth of the tourism industry in the north, our local
tourism enterprises maintain a blind eye of what it means today to be visible
on the internet and with it raising the costs which the country maintains for
externalising the island's travel trade marketing efforts to 3rd
parties abroad.
It is my hope
that the symptoms of tactical failures will energize leadership now about results and less about actions.
For how can you blame management for its tactical effectiveness when it has
yet to convincingly lay out its strategic plans and the results it should be
achieving? Next Stop >>