Shemaine Bushnell Kyriakides
In Cyprus, we seem to have mastered the fine art of spending taxpayer money, even if it’s not exactly for things we need. Case in point: the 36 million euros spent on our photo-identification traffic camera system, which, it turns out, doesn’t have a simple feature—timers on traffic lights.
Yes, you read that right. While the cameras can catch you speeding or running a red light, they can’t tell you how long you have before the light changes. It's almost like the government wanted to keep us on our toes with a bit of excitement during our daily commutes. What’s life without a little uncertainty, right?
Now, let’s not be too quick to judge. The Ministry of Transport, along with the contractors, have assured us that adding timers to the lights isn’t practical. Apparently, the current system is "incompatible" with such a simple, yet crucial feature. So, instead of helping drivers plan ahead and avoid that race-to-the-light feeling, we’re left to guess when it's safe to accelerate—or slam on the brakes.
But wait, it gets better! Some MPs, instead of suggesting a simple fix to the system, have come up with a brilliant new idea: just scrap the whole thing and start fresh with an entirely new system. Of course, this would come at an even higher cost, because, well, who doesn't love a good upgrade, right? It’s almost as if the more money we throw at it, the better it will work.
And let’s not forget that this fiasco comes right on the heels of another government-related hiccup. Just yesterday, the Ministry of Energy, led by George Papanastasiou, defended the “Solar Panels for All” program despite the glaring absence of any electricity storage solutions. Because who needs storage when you can just hope for the best, right?
In the grand scheme of things, it’s clear that Cyprus’ government has its priorities straight. Why focus on practicality or efficiency when we can just make the same mistakes on a bigger scale? Well, at least we’re consistent.
