Dead end

The picture on Vassilakis blog of a sign reading "Dead End" was a great comment.

When returning visitors from Athens are targeted by the police for parking tickets (Anatoli), the season is expected to last until 18/08/09, we have turds floating in the sea and half the town is not being paid or collecting IKA stamps, it is no wonder that the more intelligent ones among us are preparing to leave.

Already many people who have supported the economy of Agios Nikolaos for many years have decided to leave the area. Even natives of the area, born and bred in Agios Nikolaos, are leaving because there is no work for them and no future for their children.

A financial expert from the U.K has recently left for Portugal because he sees no future for his child in Agios Nikolaos. Prices (the highest in Greece) have driven away the retired people and the businesses can no longer afford to pay their rents. One of my friends is leaving, taking his business to another area. Disillusioned with the lack of planning and modern thinking in this town. He spends over 60,000 euros a year in this town, all of which comes from outside Greece and is injected into the local economy. Just these two people leaving Agios Nikolaos have reduced the money taken by shops by over 100,000 euros per year.

It is too late now. Too late because of the talking, the delays, the lack of action, the lack of vision, the lack of control of noise pollution, the lack of control of parking, the dirty beaches, and most of all because of the old men who are controlling the town with ideas that were out of date in 1980.

This town is dead, and it is the end. Have fun, because, along with many other people, I won't be here to sit by the hospital bed to watch your tourism take its last dying breath.