With Gouves Mayor Yiorgos Nikolakakis passing the halfway point of his four-year term, The Khronicles decided to ask his honour to comment on his first two years in office, and to find out what action has been taken on several important community issues, such as the sorely-needed pedestrian crossing for the Gournes bridge, which is used by hundreds of school children.

 Following is a summary of that exclusive interview:

The Khronicles: Mr. Mayor, after two years in office, do you feel you have achieved your objectives – or at least half of them?

The Mayor: I have not yet begun my economic assessment. However, what we have done during this period is to showcase all the problems that in my opinion exist in the municipality, and to emphasize the ones which cannot wait any longer.

We have dealt with the city planning and will have the final signing next month (March). It will limit the illegal building phenomenon, while it will also deter the further raising of prices for building plots, with regard to the final cost on the acquisition of a residence.

Also, at this moment we are ready to join the new European programme for biological treatments. One of the biggest, the eastern biological treatment, which covers an area from here to Aposelemi, is ready to enter into the Cohesion Fund. This is a special community fund financing environmental and infrastructure works, and we have followed all the required specifications and we shall have the financing.

Let me also add that the biological treatments for the hinterland are being built with the municipality’s funds. However, the ones for the beach fronts are far too expensive to be built on our budget. Imagine that a study just on the half part (the area from here to Aposelemi) costs more than 11 million Euros. You can’t charge the public with these costs.

The Khronicles: That's for the major problems, but there are many smaller issues which have been around for some time and the local government has gone on record promising more rapid solutions. For example, in February, 2008 we were told a temporary solution to the dangers of pedestrians crossing the Gournes bridge was in the works, but nothing has been done thus far. Why is that?

The Mayor: Thirty thousand Euros were budgeted last year and again this year for the pedestrian bridge.  Last year BOAK (road agency) included the pedestrian bridge's study and construction in one of its biddings but it didn’t pan out. This year we are trying ourselves with an engineer. We also believe that the pedestrian bridge is sorely needed.

Now with regard to the royal road (the temporary solution), in a best case scenario it could only have been a very temporary solution. Besides, local residents have encroached many sections of the royal road itself, making it very difficult to redefine the right-of-way.  

But let’s speak about something positive. Just today I contracted for around 60 dead palms in public spaces to be cut and correctly disposed. Unfortunately, we don’t have the means to help our citizens with their palms. The district holds seminars, the prefecture goes on television and I have been making noise for two years now. But no one from the central government has ever given us one penny.  So I was forced to budget it myself.

The Khronicles: What about the dangerous open ditch alongside the heavily travelled Kato Vathia road? We were told by a councilman in October, 2007 that "the work will start shortly."

According to vice mayor Evangello Hatzaki, this road and its relative study is included in the network for the rain waters project in Vathiano Kambo with a 30,000 Euro budget which is expected to start in the near future. It includes laying the pipe for the rain waters, and covering and adding shafts with grills every few metres.  

Let me stress upon some of the problems the municipality encounters with cementing and asphalting roads. 

The contractors have formed a price cartel. During the first two biddings initiated by the demos, all contractors abstained, claiming that prices for asphalting were very low while everything else had tremendous price increases. Four months ago, after the ministry approved an increase of 100 percent on their price list, the contractors gave the Gouves Demos only a 10 percent discount to pave the roads, while the same contractors give Iraklion a 30 and 35 percent discount. The municipality’s budget to pave its bumpy and full of potholes road network was budgeted for 450,000 euros but with the newly increased prices that amount became 1,000,000 and the demos doesn’t have it.  A new bidding will take place soon.

The Khronicles: Do you expect the second half of your term to be easier or harder?

The Mayor: I believe easier because we have learned certain things. When you begin, you know very little of the endless bureaucratic and legal obstacles. But, of course you learn as you go and use that knowledge.

One of the things we learned is that there are many absurdly demanding people around, when they were the ones who came here, built illegally, did not allow enough meterage for legal roads, and yet they believe that the local government is responsible for their misfortunes.  Quite often I hear local businessmen complain that there is no business and yet I can’t find a correct and legal establishment I can frequent. I will never knowingly patronize an illegal business. In our demos we also have very expensive establishments compared to what they offer.  Why do you think Iraklians go one hour out of the city travelling west, to eat at those tavernas and they don’t come here where it’s closer?

The Khronicles: As a professor, how would you grade your performance in your first two years?  

The Mayor: Just a passing grade I would say. I want to add that all things need time and good collaborators.  A municipal council many times is not based on abilities, but more on large families that get you elected. Of course, these people can be very nice but do they really want to help or even have the capability?  

There is a plethora of new residents who may have a completely different culture but have no voice in the Demos yet. Could these people be elected? I have tried to help with those who wanted to go with the local councils, but I believe only Mr. Zouros represents their voice in Gouves. Right now the percentage of new residents is perhaps more than the one third of the 8,000 registered in the Gouves Demos. It makes sense then that one third of the Demos council comes from that class.

And let me also add that we can certainly have non-Greeks for councilmen because there are so many who have lived here for many years, understand the needs, have an opinion, want to help and have the capabilities.