Αγαπητέ Εκδότη,

Επιπροσθέτως με το άρθρο του περασμένου μήνα σχετικά με τον προτεινόμενο δρόμο στις Πάνω Γούβες, θα θέλαμε να σχολιάσουμε τα παρακάτω:

Τον περασμένο Δεκέμβριο ο δημοτικός σύμβουλος  κ. Χειρακάκης μας πληροφόρησε ότι αποφασίστηκε από το Δήμο να φτιαχτεί ένας δρόμος που θα διασχίζει την ιδιοκτησία μας, περνώντας σε απόσταση μικρότερη από δύο μέτρα από το σπίτι μας, και ότι ο υπάρχων παραποτάμιος δρόμος (που παρέχει πρόσβαση σε πέντε σπίτια και σε αρκετούς λαχανόκηπους και ελαιώνες), έπρεπε να κατεδαφιστεί για να συμμορφωθούμε με τους κανονισμούς της Ε.Ε.

Όπως είναι φυσιολογικό, τρομοκρατηθήκαμε. Αγοράσαμε αυτό το κομμάτι γης επειδή επιθυμούσαμε να κρατήσουμε τα ελαιόδεντρά μας και να καλλιεργήσουμε τα δικά μας φρούτα και λαχανικά. Είμαστε συνταξιούχοι και προσπαθούμε να είμαστε όσο περισσότερο αυτάρκεις μπορούμε. Αντιλαμβανόμαστε ότι ο μοναδικός δρόμος γειτονικός με τη γη μας βρίσκεται στη νότια πλευρά και αυτό εμείς το έχουμε επιτρέψει, π.χ. ο Δήμος μπορεί να πάρει δύο μέτρα από τα σύνορά μας αν θελήσουν ποτέ να διευρύνουν το δρόμο που τώρα φαίνεται στο χάρτη του χωριού.

Ωστόσο, ο κ. Χειρακάκης μας είπε ότι όχι μόνο θα χτιστεί ένας εντελώς νέος και καθόλου απαραίτητος δρόμος, αλλά και ότι απαιτείται από εμάς να δώσουμε, ως δώρο, κάπου ογδόντα τετραγωνικά μέτρα από τη γη μας ώστε ο νέος δρόμος να έχει πρόσβαση στον παραποτάμιο δρόμο, ο οποίος, όπως μας είπε, δεν αποτελεί  καθόλου νόμιμη πρόσβαση. Επίσης διαπιστώνουμε από Έλληνες φίλους ότι, α) δεν χρειάζεται κανένας δρόμος πέραν από το μονοπάτι όπου κατασκευάστηκε για να παρέχει στους γείτονες στο βορρά πρόσβαση στα ελαιόδεντρά τους, και β) ότι θα έκανε την τοπογραφία μας τελείως άκυρη και την περιουσία μας ακατάλληλη προς πώληση.

Ελπίζουμε ότι αυτό το γράμμα ξεκαθαρίζει την κατάσταση, αλλά παραμένουμε ακόμη σε πλήρη σύγχυση εξαιτίας του κ. Χειρακάκη και από το αν η επιμονή του για το νέο δρόμο έχει καθόλου βάσεις, όσον αφορά και την οικονομική και την κοινοτική επιθυμία.

Douglas και Miranda Brown

Πάνω Γούβες

Αγαπητοί Κύριε και Κυρία Brown,

Σας ευχαριστούμε για τις περαιτέρω πληροφορίες που μας παρείχατε για αυτή τη σημαντική υπόθεση. Το άρθρο της εφημερίδας μας του περασμένου μήνα ήταν μόνο στα Αγγλικά. Η Ελληνική μετάφραση θα υπάρχει στο φύλλο αυτού του μήνα.

Ο Εκδότης

Dear Editor

Further to your article of last month about the proposed road in Pano Gouves, we would like to make the following comments: Last December Councilman Hirakakis informed us that it was decided by the Demos to build a road through our property, passing within less than two metres from our house, and that the existing river road (providing access to five existing houses and a number of vegetable and olive gardens), was to be demolished in order to conform with E.U. regulations.

Naturally we were horrified. We bought our piece of land because we wished to keep our olive trees and to grow our own fruit and vegetables. We are pensioners and try to be as self sufficient as possible. We understand that the only road or street adjacent to our land is on the south side and we have allowed for this, i.e. the Demos can take two metres off our boundary should they ever wish to widen the street that currently appears on the village map.

However, Mr. Hirakakis told us that not only will an entirely new and unnecessary road be built, but that we are required to give, as a gift, some eighty square metres of our land  in order that the new road should access the river road, which he told us is not a legal access at all. We also understand from Greek friends that, a) no road is wanted beyond where a track was constructed to give neighbours to the north access to their olive trees, and b) that it would make our topography null and void and our property unsaleable.

We hope this clarifies the situation, but we are still utterly confused by Mr. Hirakakis and whether his insistence on this new road has any grounds at all, both in economic and a community wish.

Douglas and Miranda Brown

Pano Gouves

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Brown:

Thank you for providing further details on this important situation. The story in last month’s edition was in English only. The Greek translation appears in this month’s edition.

The Editor

Dear Editor:

First of all, congratulations on the 2nd Anniversary of the Khronicles. It's good to keep in touch with what's going on in Crete and particularly in Gouves where we will be holidaying again this coming September for the fourth year in a row.

Hopefully this year we will not have to witness a terrible incident of cruelty which took place in Gouves on 14th September last year opposite the Ariadni Supermarket in Gouves Township. Whilst walking down this street we noticed a cat asleep on the pavement, until a local youth drove up the street on a quad bike and deliberately drove the front wheel over the back end of the cat, which was then trapped under the wheel. The street wasn't busy at that time of the day and he definitely saw the cat – in fact aimed for it. He then laughed, before slowly reversing the vehicle at which point the cat got up and ran away. We could not see where the cat went to check if it was alright. As animal lovers this was a most distressing experience and we have never witnessed such deliberate cruelty in our extensive travels throughout Europe and Africa. Apart from this one horrific incident we love returning to Gouves to meet up with friends old and new.

Catherine Comrie

Dear Catherine:

We’re sorry you had to witness such a deliberate act of cruelty to an animal. As you know from our editorials, our newspaper, along with the majority of the local residents, is actively campaigning for animal welfare. Perhaps, through education, we can bring these acts to a bare minimum, if not completely stopping them.

The Editor

Dear Web Editor:

I have been receiving copies (on line) of The Ko-Go Khronicles, now The Khronicles, since 2006. I enjoy looking at the paper and the areas surrounding the former US Air Force Base at Gouves/Kokkini Hani.
I was stationed there twice, from June 1975-December 1977 and again from September 1980-August 1982. I got to go back one more time in 1986 or 1987, for a short trip from my duty station in Italy.
I loved the island of Crete, the weather, the food, the people, the history, and almost all things associated with the island. Some day I hope to go back for a vacation.
I was under the impression that the Aquarium was built on the former base. Is this not so? It's not that big a deal, I would've liked to have seen the local government and residents take the base and turn it into the town, we Americans had created as our own, right there in the middle of a civilization dating to ancient times. I have seen pictures of the old buildings and am disappointed as to the amount of disrepair and vandalism that has taken place.
Is there any plan to use that site for good use? I would like to see it happen.
Good luck to you. I lived in Hersonissos both times I was in Crete and loved it.

Jim Houle

Dear Jim:

I started Aquaworld many years ago - in 1995 to be precise - and it is indeed in Hersonissos. It is a tiny, individual effort which I have slowly built up over the last thirteen years. I did seek government or EEC help to build a larger place, but was told that the Greek state would never support or sponsor an aquarium here!

Lo and behold, there is now the new CretAquarium in, as you rightly thought, the old base on which you served - and it was built with EEC and Greek state money.

Serving as the web editor of The Khronicles is something I enjoy very much and I'm really pleased that you and so many other ex-servicemen enjoy reading it. Hopefully the efforts of Lou Duro and the rest of The Khronicles staff will prevail and the base will once again be restored to its former pristine state.

Web Editor