|
Attacked
for
making
an
honest
living!
REVELATIONS
OF A
CONSCIOUS
ATTEMPT
TO
DESTROY
A
COMPETING
BUSINESS.
“I WAS
PERSONALLY
ATTACKED
FOR
MAKING
AN
HONEST
LIVING.”
The
story of
Chris
Andreou
is one
that is
seemingly
occurring
island
wide and
on the
increase.
Commercial
competition
should
be
considered
a
challenge
for
improvement;
not an
ambition
to
destroy
another’s
prosperity.
Chris
Andreou
operates
a small
car and
bike
rental
company
close to
Paphos
Harbour.
He
recently
received
licenses
from the
Cyprus
Tourist
Organisation
(CTO)
and
Municipality
to hire
out
watersports
equipment
from the
beach
area
close
by. His
business
expansion
success
was a
result
of hard
work; “I
have
always
operated
my
business
with a
strict
formal
approach,
ensuring
licenses
and
relevant
official
documentation
is
acquired.
So
naturally
when I
was
granted
these
licenses,
I was
eager to
get
started,”
says
Andreou.
“My
business
is based
in front
of a
small
hotel,
who too
hires
out
water
sports
equipment.
At
first, I
did not
see this
being a
problem,
it was
healthy
competition
and in
some
respects
we could
have
collaborated
with the
same
intentions
to
provide
safe
water
sport
facilities.”
Andreou
ordered
jet ski
equipment
and
built a
small
beach
hut.
Returning
from a
short
lunch
break,
the
beach
hut had
been
destroyed.
Tourists
within
the
vicinity
confirmed
that
they had
seen
workers
directly
come
from the
adjacent
hotel
and
deliberately
cause
the
damage.
In an
attempt
to open
reasonable
dialogue
with the
hotel
Manager,
an
oblivious
response
was
given,
equally
disturbing
was the
police
demonstrated
no
concern
or made
a
suggestion
for
appropriate
action.
The
following
day, two
Romanian
boys
innocently
spoke
about
the
situation,
confirming
their
belief
that the
Manager
had
organised
destruction
to the
hut.
“Each
time I
made an
attempt
to
promote
my
business
with
promotional
literature,
my
displays
were
removed.
It was
becoming
more
obvious
that
this was
a
conscious
effort
to
destroy
my water
sports
business.
I had
regular
police
visits
requesting
documented
evidence
that I
had a
right to
operate,
this is
strange
when
there
are so
many
other
real
criminal
activities
that are
current
in
Paphos,
or is it
a
question
of who
you know
in
Cyprus
and who
can join
forces
in an
attempt
to
destroy
healthy
competition?”
bluntly
states
Andreou.
“July
should
have
been my
best
seasonal
month
with
more
tourists
arriving,
though I
did not
earn a
cent,
other
than
from one
tourist
who came
for jet
skies.
Amazingly
within
five
minutes
the
police
arrived
and
insisted
that
number
plates I
was
waiting
for were
required
for
display.
More
time
lapsed
which
had a
serious
effect
on my
seasonal
business
income.”
Andreou
commenced
refurbishment
work on
the
beach
hut
erecting
a small
tent
enclosure
with
plans to
stay
overnight
at
random
to take
guard. A
sea
platform
was
built
too
which
was a
preferred
option
to
walking
through
stony
waters.
The
morning
after
all the
new
building
work was
complete;
Andreou
arrived
to see
it all
in
pieces.
Local
tourists
from the
hotel
duly
informed
him of
an
incident
that
took
place
late in
the
evening
with
hotel
workers
seen
intentionally
destroying
the
platform.
Imagine
the
disappointment,
all that
hard
work
destroyed,
leaving
Andreou
no
option
but to
work
without
the
platform.
One
afternoon
two
British
boys
rented
jet
bikes
and
deliberately
crashed
them.
When
asked to
pay for
damages
Andreou
was
physically
attacked
in the
presence
of a
Life
Guard
who was
trying
to calm
the
situation.
The
Police
attended
the
scene
shortly
after
the
event
and
insisted
Andreou
go to
hospital
for
treatment.
“British
soldiers
were
arriving
from
Akrotiri
for quad
biking
and my
wife had
to make
plans to
manage
our
business
whilst I
was
recovering.”
Andreou
says.
After
recovery,
Andreou
heard
that the
hotel
Manager
had
given a
Police
statement,
the
English
boys had
not been
asked,
which
was
strange
to
Andreou.
Shortly
after, a
Police
Officer
presented
a Court
Order
stating
that he
was to
attend
Court
within
three
days for
a
related
hearing.
It was
made
clear
that the
English
people
could
not
attend
the
hearing
due to
leaving
Cyprus
to
return
to
England.
As a
result
of this
information,
Andreou
decided
not to
appoint
a
representing
Lawyer
and
attend
the
hearing
merely
as a
formality
in the
absence
of the
accused.
Unexpectedly
at the
hearing,
the
English
people
did
attend
and with
legal
representation,
admitting
to all
criminal
claims
of
intent
to
destroy
and
destruct.
The
Judge
applied
a fine
which
they
paid
immediately
in cash.
Andreou
believes
the
hotel
manifested
this,
assuming
that
eventually
the
English
people
might
publicly
speak
about
the
incident
to the
detriment
of the
hotel.
The
final
outcome
has been
that
Andreou
who has
worked
incredibly
hard as
a Life
Guard
for over
15 years
and an
honest
business
owner of
equipment
hire and
rentals
to
tourists
and
locals
has sold
his
equipment
at a
devalued
price.
“I fear
that
attempts
to
destruct
my
business
will
continue
without
limitations
causing
personal
harm and
injury
to me
and my
family.
“Nothing
is
greater
than the
welfare
and
safety
of my
family,
nothing.”
Andreou
compassionately
says.
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