During the visit by Prime Minister, Alexis Tsipras to Agios Nikolaos yesterday, 21st December 2016, and the meeting held at the Hermes Hotel, The Mayor of Agios Nikolaos, Mr. A. Zervos, raised all the issues that are high priority for the area, in plans for growth and development. He asked for his help in unblocking certain projects that are causing delays in procedures.
The subject highest on the agenda, which is non other than the tragic understaffing of the General Hospital in the Capital of the Prefecture of Lassithi, was discussed in depth. The only way that the problems, due to this lack of trained staff, can be overcome, is by employing at least the basic numbers required and changing the contracts for doctors to three years instead of one, which is the case today.
Mr. Zervos made specific reference to to the Rehabilitation Centre in Neapolis, the plans for which are being held up without obvious cause over the last few years. It is a shame that the amount of 5 million euros is already available in capital from the Organisation Friends of the Children of Crete, but the project is on hold all this time.
The matter of higher education in the area was the next priority discussed between the two men, the Mayor asked that the equal or more fair spread of Higher Educational Institutions over all of Crete should be considered immediately – the other 3 Prefectures have both University Schools and Departments of the Polytechnic of Crete. We have the building in Lakonia which houses the departments of the Technological Institute of Crete only. In fact, he proposed that more departments should be based in Lassithi and the main seat of the ATEI should be in Agios Nikolaos.
With regard to the Higher School of Tourism Training of Crete in Agios Nikolaos, the lack of both administrative and teaching staff is causing serious problems in it’s operation and requested the upgrading of the School with highly trained and qualified lecturers and the addition of a department for higher level of study for Master degrees.
Already, the Council has invested a lot of money in the Tourism School, including the building in which it is housed and for the initial set-up with all the needs of the building in furniture, equipment and services, being covered from the local Council budget.
There is a building available on the campus in Lakonia and to move the school there, would not cost more than any alterations and interventions on adapting older buildings in town.
The fact that although the Aposelemi Dam is now fully functional, there are still many areas in the Prefecture that it cannot supply due to the lack of sufficient pipe network and storage tanks. This, as a result means that by still relying on underground sources the cost for the Water Company is higher than acceptable.
In terms of the road network, Mr. Zervos said that he believed that the only way to finally finish the huge task of building a safe and modern Northern National Highway, is through funding from the European Investment Bank. For years now, this vital project has been dragging on and now requires the cooperation of the Region of Crete to approve the funding.
The file for the creation of a diving park in the area is ready, according to the Mayor and must be given high priority for the continued growth and improvement of the tourist sector in Lassithi.
Finally, he could not fail to mention the need for improvement of the infrastructure of the existing airport in Heraklion, but that the plans for the new International Airport in Castelli, are vital in the face of the volume of tourists now visiting Crete.