Spring-cleaning those dust-filled rugs - Paula Manoli-Gray

If you are wondering why Cyprus is currently so dusty, it's because the rugs of deceit are being lifted and new indiscretions are no longer being allowed to be swept under them!

On the one hand, it is horrible to hear of some new scandal, attempted cover-up, corruption story or exposé every day, and it suddenly makes Cyprus appear to have changed overnight from a charming little isle of warm welcomes, into one big ghetto. But on the other hand, it shows us that all is not lost, and that positive changes can happen even after a long time of ingrained habits.

I have said this before and I won't stop repeating it; Cyprus is no worse than any other country, but due to its size, things can appear worse, or more magnified. And now with the added element of things coming to the surface and those darn dusty rugs being rolled up, it can seem even more hopeless or corrupt. But it has always been that way, since the illegitimate children of village affairs decades ago, to the modern denials that issues like anorexia, bullying and mental disabilities actually exist.

For a very long time, an accepted blanket of silence and a policy of 'we don't talk about these things' prevailed – probably because it was an island of neighbourhoods. Since the financial crisis that brought us to our knees, people have suddenly had the veil lifted, and this abrupt awakening has quickly spread from wanting answers regarding the role of bankers in our downfall, to realising that in every corner of society there is an elephant in the room. 

So far, we have seen videos of police brutality emerge; scandals of the powerful or rich keeping their power or wealth through unscrupulous means; people in authority – ala sewerage boards and municipalities – breaking the trust of their positions in the worse ways; reports of rape, abuse and paedophilia coming out of the woodwork like teaming swarms of cockroaches, and so much more.

These are awful things to happen, but the fact they are coming out is good, for it means we have finally entered the Era of Accountability and Transparency. Yes, it is still in its infancy, and knowing us, it could be a long time before baby steps turn into big strides, but we have reached this point at long last. And it is not going to be a pleasant journey. For some, the 'ignorance is bliss' policy will actually be more preferable than having to face new painful revelations on a daily basis.

For me personally, the area of child safety and wellbeing is my main concern, and I feel utterly sick to the stomach when new cases of child abuse come to light – I desperately want to still feel that my island is the right place to raise my children. And this unease is especially ripe right now as my son prepares to start the first year of state primary school, and I am hearing from mothers everywhere that there is a serious issue of bullying – right from year 1. The horror stories of what so and so's neighbour's daughter went through, or a cousin's son's best friend did are shocking to say the least.

Maybe, if we tackle the 'unspoken' problems from the early years and get issues like bullying, drug abuse and the like under control, then we won't see so many of the next generation becoming the kind of adults who abuse their power, chase wealth at any expense and target the innocence of children. And that really is something to get 'dusty' over.

First appeared in The Cyprus Weekly, 28/08/15

The Cat in the Lab

​Very few things have left me speechless - nothing more so than my first meeting with Doctor Catherine Demetriades.  First impression? Energetic, beautiful and a little weird (in one of those wonderful ways).  There was intensity to her, the kind that draws you in, the kind you can't look away from; when you feel slightly dumbfounded, searching for the words to say.  And as I said before...intense.

I had googled her before we met and she is one amazing woman.  I will skip through her childhood - father an inventor, mother a fashion designer; violin prodigy, learnt the piano in 6 months; attended Saturday morning classes in a University learning to dissect brains in a laboratory aged 11 and the list goes on and on...

She has 4 PhDs in Molecular Medicine, Biophysics, Particle Physics and Quantum Psychology.  But what I thought was really cool about her, was that she also wanted to know about the Ancient Sciences so she became an Egyptologist and Ancient Egyptian Perfumer.  Not only can she read hieroglyphs but she can create her own perfumes, including the hidden formula that Cleopatra had in her perfume.  I don't know if it was exactly that one she placed along my arm, but it was a divine formula, and believe me the smell was both ambrosial and addictive.  

Did I fail to mention that she is a fully functional Autistic Savant!

Anyway, why had this awesome individual come to my house?  Well, she had brought over a ridiculously expensive piece of equipment - I want to say a Quantum Response machine, but I am not sure exactly what it is or how it works.  All I know is that it was jaw-dropping.  All my son had to do was touch these two round sensors for 15 minutes, non invasive and simple, right?  I can see all you ASD parents out there shaking your heads and smiling that knowing smile.  After 3 tries he managed to hold on for about 2 minutes, but only with all of us counting to 100 and me giving him the death stare if he so much as moved his hands (I was not allowed to touch him because the machine would pick me up too).  The results were astounding, for example she told us he had a problem with his left leg, a lingering virus.  My husband froze, as he remembered when my son was about 2 and a half, he had come home limping (the doctor told us it was a virus).  How did she know that and about twenty other pieces of information that only we knew?  What was this miracle machine?  But more importantly, how would it help our ASD son? 

Obviously we have to wait for her to properly study the results, but as I watched her talk and move, I had a strange feeling of the familiar, the way she ate and drank, hungrily yet savouring the flavour (she explained that she like other ASDs never felt full - which totally explains how my son rummages through the cupboards constantly looking for food even if he only ate half an hour ago!), and her mischievous grin, (like when my son is about to do something he knows is naughty) when she talked about things that challenged preconceived ideas about autism.  

I do not know what these results will bring, but I somehow feel a strange, trusting, secure hope that this specific Dr. Cat will find in her lab some way to help bring my ASD son to full function.

LPN MUM - Brand Launch Fashion Show

American Academy Summer School

‘Clamping down’ should be more than just words - Paula Manoli-Gray

It is always pleasant news when Larnaka Municipality states that it will clamp down on certain anti-social behaviours (of which there are many!) But it is never a guarantee that they will put their money (or that of the taxpayers) where their mouth is, so I really, really hope that this time the new law of not allowing eyesores and illegal obstructions on pavements will be implemented.

No doubt there are business owners who are up-in-arms at the new decree that only those with prior permission are allowed to put signs, tables, chairs and decorative items on the pavements and roads outside of their establishments. After all, the sight of a board menu or an 'open' sign is a common sight in town, and within reason, the practise seems fairly harmless.

But, you get establishments who think that they own the pavement and road outside of their premises, to the point that they fill both up either to stop people parking (and thus blocking the sight of their premises), or to extend their services outside. And there are those who go a step further and actually forbid members of the public to park even in metered spaces unless they are visiting their particular shop or restaurant. Not only is this unfair and illegal, but there have been many instances when the establishment owners have actually become aggressive or violent towards vehicles parked outside 'their' premises. I have personally heard of owners returning to egged or scratched cars for refusing not to abide by the establishment's demands to move along.

By claiming the surrounding areas of their business, there are many establishments that are inconveniencing and endangering pedestrians – especially those with pushchairs and wheelchairs - by forcing them to walk on the road. It makes me very cross that any business should take away someone's right to walk safely on a pavement, or abuse them if they try to walk through the obstacle course of pot plants, signs and tables, or dare to park legally outside.

The reason that this clamping down is taking place is actually mainly for aesthetic reasons. As a tourist town, rusty signs held down by an old tire do not look nice! There is no consistency to the type of signs used, and some of them are actually hazardous as well as ugly. Good luck to the municipality, as I really don't fancy their chances of policing an entire town's pavements or finding cooperative business owners!

Personally, I live in fear of parking in a legal spot outside someone's business, as they tend to peer out and give you a dirty look if you are not going inside. I normally park and run out of the car before they spot me. This is crazy but in Cyprus, people are very territorial of surrounding areas that they think 'belong' to them.

Case-in-point is the issue of residential areas where homeowners selfishly plant massive trees in the middle of pavements, or park their car fully on the pavement. It has long been a contentious issue for me, especially as nothing is being done about it.

I for one certainly look forward to a less hazardous town, and kindly request that residential areas are next on the list!

First appeared in The Cyprus Weekly, week 03/07/15