But there is an up-side. In some cases, while the 'exiles' are physically separated from their from their home, their emotional links are still strong enough to want to be involved in its continuing development.
Eleni Kritikou's story (see page 4) is a classic illustration......She still works hard for Symi's interests, and provides a ray of hope for the future with her ambitions to open up the possibilities of business evolvement through EU grants.
Merkouris Moshouis, who came back to organise the successful Festival youth basketball tournament in July, and the Symi marathon from Panormitis to Yialos last month, is another..
Then there are those who have to leave in order to get their professional qualifications, but return to Symi to practice - dentist Charalambos Volonakis,chemist Yiannis Tsavaris and architect Lefteris Hatzipetrou are good examples. More recently, Dimitris Antonoglu who went to a Scottish university to qualify in computer skills returned to open the Island's first computer-serve business; others have left and then returned to come back as teachers.
These and people like them are Symi's future. The more that can be done to encourage others to follow in their footsteps, the more prosperous that future will be.
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However, some people are still not happy, and the extremist critics would like to see a permanent ban all around the harbour - and even on the Numbers road - all through the season.
Better to take the balanced view of Councillor Diasinos (see page 9) who says that there must be a middle way. Meanwhile the mid-term solution, it seems to us, is the Town Hall proposition that most goods transfers could be made by delivery boats, collecting from a peripheral point, combined with the provision of sufficient parking around the perimeter of Yialos for local vehicles.
Meanwhile, Rhodes where the traffic is diabolical
and
non-stop, is having its most successful tourist season ever.
Tony Easton
Editor
Drawing The Winner
Mayor Militiadis Sarrisis picks the winning ticket in the
Symi Visitor millennium competition. the winner was subscriber Paul Pedersen from Denmark.
Pictured with the Mayor are Visitor Editor Tony Easton and Wendy Wilcox.. Full story next month.
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