by MrBill » Mon 14 Apr 2008, 03:46:06
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('eastbay', 'I')nteresting about the water rationing, but I thought Cyprus had always strictly controlling its water. I remember reading it somewhere. I just looked at Wiki and there are no rivers at all, just a few small streams that are dry half the year.
Are you telling me it took a few months of communist government to get everyone there to realize there are no huge year-round free flowing rivers in Cyprus? Maybe the mighty forces of supply and demand can create a nice big river allowing for no more rationing.
So now Mr. Bill, by economist friend, you tell anyone who still thinks Cyprus has huge free flowing rivers from which to drink endless cups of Turkish coffee needs to:
SHUT THEIR TRAPS!!
No, in true Cypriot style they denied they had a water shortage issue;
most of the water goes to irrigation for agriculture, but no one picks the citrus fruit that falls off the trees and rots; they did not build the necessary desalination plants when they had the chance; they waited until after the elections; and then promptly instituted water rationing just in time for summer.
I wonder how many multi-million euro villas they will sell when the rich and beautiful realize there is no water to shower or fill-up their swimming pools with? That should end the property boom for a while.
But don't worry the invisible hand is at work. The Cypriots will just install bigger water tanks on their houses, so that they can have water 7-days per week instead of three. The illusion of uninterupted supply. Gotta love it! ; - )
However, if the Greek Cypriots would SHUT-UP, and learn a little humility, they could broker a deal with the Turkish Cypriots and then get water piped in from Turkey!
Instead they want to bring it over in a tanker from Lebanon; truck it up to the dam; dump it into the dam where there will be leakages and evaporation; probably divert some or most of it to agriculture; and essentially exchange oil for water! How sustainable is that? Do the Lebanese want to give their water away? Ah, political fantasy trumps economic reality everytime!! So I should just SHUT-UP now! ; - ))
The organized state is a wonderful invention whereby everyone can live at someone else's expense.