Liopetri fishing pier modernisation project put on hold

On Tuesday 12 November an earlier contract with the company carrying out repairs to the fishing pier at Liopetri was terminated.

This was announced by the Cypriot Ministry of Interior.

According to the ministry, the main reason was the continuous delays in the construction works and the postponement of the delivery date of the equipment. The MIA said that neither the contractor nor the engineer were fully meeting their obligations.

The contractor's staffing levels were consistently minimal and inadequate based on the work schedule,' the Auditor General said, citing problems with payment processing and warning that the constant postponement of the work had resulted in reduced quality and increased costs.

It should be noted that the works to improve the Liopetri fishing port started in September 2020. The foundation stone of the new Liopetri port was laid by the then President of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades. At the ceremony, he stressed that the idea to modernise the port came from the late head of the Liopetri Municipal Council, Kyriakos Trisokkas. He stressed that the new port could change the life of the whole village.

It is worth noting that the project, which is due to be completed in March 2023, is currently only 38% complete. The contractor has already postponed the schedule several times. As a result, the deadline was postponed to 14 January 2025, following regular requests. However, after considering numerous complaints from local residents, the Municipality of Liopetri and the Government had doubts that the work would be completed by that date. As a result, it has been decided to terminate the contract and find a new contractor. A new tender is expected to be announced soon.

Interestingly, members of the parliamentary committee criticised the government's handling of the situation and called for compensation to be paid to the affected fishermen, citing the 'inability and inadequacy' of the state to manage public contracts. Incidentally, the project to modernise the Liopetri wharf affects 40 professional fishermen and shopkeepers in the area.

It should be remembered that the restoration of the Liopetri riverbed is one of the largest projects in the fisheries sector in Cyprus.

The main objective is to transform the jetty into a modern, safe and organised workplace for professional fishermen. According to the vision, the project includes the creation of:

1. A bridge connecting the two banks of the Liopetri river;
2. More than 130 platforms and new berths for the safe mooring of boats and launches;
3. A perimeter cycle and pedestrian path;
4. A fisheries training centre;
5. A multi-purpose office building;
6. Fishermen's service area;
7. New car parking;
8. A café-restaurant;
9. A nature observatory;
10. recreation room;
11. a kiosk.

There are also plans to install launching and hoisting facilities for boats and dinghies, an outdoor catch sorting area and storage facilities. The cost of the project is estimated at €11 million.