AN INTERVIEW WITH MANOLIS PLEVRAKIS:
CITY PLAN IS VITAL TO FUTURE OF GOUVES
By Lou Duro

       
  (Editor's Note: Mr. Plevrakis is a leading businessman and an outspoken member of the Gouves town council. In this interview he provides readers of The Ko-Go Khronicles with an insight into the community's problems, an outline of current and planned improvement projects and his views on the role of the Demos in the future.)

With the local elections set for Oct. 15, Manolis Plevrakis met with The Ko-Go Khronicles to discuss some of the more important issues concerning the Gouves Demos (township). Mr. Plevrakis, although not candidate for mayor himself, has a thorough knowledge of the workings of the community, and is an indefatigable town committeeman.

"Our Demos is very big in area and population – and it's a mess!" Mr. Plevrakis said. "We can't even keep our streets and beaches clean all year. There's an effort, right after Easter, to get things clean for the tourists, but for the rest of the year – for our own citizens – there's litter everywhere.

"At the root of most of the problems, and the reason it takes so long to try to get things accomplished, is the fact that we still have no overall City Plan," he explained. "Before you can do anything positive, make any serious improvements, you must have a master plan – for streets, beaches, buildings, sidewalks. It is imperative to see how everything comes together in the overall scheme of things – the big picture."

In regard to the upcoming elections, he said the constituency should "vote for the Demos, not the party." In other words, he advised voters to look at the candidates, and support the one who they feel will accomplish the most. Those running for mayor include Nikos Amanakis, Giorgos Nikolakakis, Mihalis Plevrakis and Antonis Vasiliou. While Mr. Plevrakis has not yet endorsed any of the candidates, it is noted that Mihalis Plevrakis is his father's cousin.

"The order of priorities is simple," Mr. Plevrakis reiterated. "As I said before, first and foremost is the City Plan, which we've been trying to get for the past 16 years. Finally, it is almost completed."

Actually, according to Mr. Plevrakis, it's a three-phase City Plan – for Kokkini Hani, Gournes and Gouves – dating back to before they were incorporated into one Demos. The Gournes plan is complete, and already in operation, such as the improvements to the beach road. The Kokkini plan has been approved by all the appropriate ministers, and it now must be signed by the court. Final approval is expected by the end of the year. The Gouves plan, however, is more complex and is not expected to be approved until some time next year.

Because of that, it is said this election will be the most important one for Gouves in many years, since the new mayor will have the Demos' first-ever combined City Plan to work with.

Number two on Mr. Plevrakis' list of priorities is the local water problems. "Gouves is the only Demos on Crete that doesn't have its own biological water processing plant," he said. "A study shows it will cost about 15 million Euros to build the proper system, with the sewers, and that is only for the community of Gouves, not for the entire Demos. Studies for the other communities have not yet begun."

 In regard to relieving traffic congestion in Kokkini Hani, especially the horrendous summertime log-jam where Anopoli Road intersects with Main Street in front of Hatzis supermarket, Mr. Plevrakis said there is a plan to construct an on-off ramp on the National Highway in the vicinity of the Kamari Hotel. "A new north-south road, running from Main Street, in front of Knossos Beach, to the New Highway, will handle the flow of traffic," he explained.

With the expanding population of the township, proper education facilities for the children are of utmost concern, he said. "The new high school complex at the former base in Gournes, complete with music and art schools, is working well for the 1,200 kids in attendance. Now there are plans to construct two elementary schools, one in Kokkini Hani and the other in Gournes. The Kokkini school will be built about 500 meters up the mountain and will have 16 classrooms, plus an auditorium, and will accommodate 200 children."

With so many important issues pending, Mr. Plevrakis urged everyone to get out and vote on Oct. 15. Although the foreign vote has been totally ignored by the current administration, he endorses the campaign of The Ko-Go Khronicles to get foreigners registered to vote. "It's too late for this election, but by the next one it would be nice to see a substantial number of foreigners registered to vote. When Greeks move to other countries, they form political associations and make sure their voices are heard – so why not here?"