It is with pride that I am here today at the ceremony of the laying of the Foundation Stone for the New Cyprus Museum. I dare to say that this is a historic day for the culture and cultural heritage of Cyprus, as this Museum will be a benchmark for our country and the capital city.
The construction of the New Cyprus Museum is a response to those who claimed that culture is "the poor relation" for the state. The New Cyprus Museum with a budget of approximately 144 million euros including VAT is the largest project in the state's budget.
This proves in practice the priority that the President of the Republic, Nicos Anastasiades and his government gave to Culture and even in an admittedly difficult period in which one could invoke the pandemic and its financial consequences to put such a project on ice. We will create a landmark, which is defined as a building that, with its particular aesthetic, architectural or historical significance for a region, is a landmark.
The museum will even operate with free / free admission since as the Government we have established free admission to the museums of the Department of Antiquities.
The museum will operate with free / free admission since as the Government we have established free admission to the museums of the Department of Antiquities. This is yet another cultural breakthrough that the Anastasiades Government is leaving as a legacy to future generations.
I firmly believe that it will attract a significant number of visitors to the capital with significant economic, social and cultural benefits. I humbly say that we also aspire to make it one of the most important museums in Europe for both its unique architecture and its exhibits. Cyprus, with this museum, will acquire an identity on the European cultural map.
Allow me to give one more dimension, which concerns the vital sector of tourism. Coming from the Famagusta District, and having served as Mayor of Ayia Napa, I was and am an advocate of the integrated tourism experience strategy, which aims to create experiences and positive memories for tourists, turning them into repeat visitors. In order to achieve this goal, visitors must "take" something of our Cyprus with them when they return home.
A prerequisite to achieve the integrated tourist experience is to create landmarks, parks, monuments and museums such as the New Cyprus Museum in Nicosia, which will be the flagship of culture and landmarks in our country.
The project has been awarded to the consortium "Iacovou - Cyfield (M) Joint Venture" for a contract amount of €143,924,216 including VAT.
The project has been awarded to the consortium "Iacovou - Cyfield (M) Joint Venture" for a contract amount of €143,924,216 including VAT. The construction works of the project will be completed within 42 months and the contract foresees a maintenance period of two years and a provision to negotiate a 10-year maintenance period. After the completion of the construction works, a period of 18 months is foreseen for the completion of the museographic works, including the transportation and installation of the exhibits.
The detailed design of the project was prepared by Theoni Xanthi XZA Architects LLC following an Architectural Competition coordinated by the Department of Public Works. The project was bid by the Department of Public Works, which will be responsible for the coordination, supervision and management of the contract.
Your Excellency Mr. Chairman,
Dear Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In recent years, the development budget of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works has increased by 450%, from €32 million to €32 million. from €32 million in 2015 to €176 million in 2023.
The reason is simple, we have achieved and have under construction important and long-awaited projects, which have been demanded by local communities and stakeholders for decades. These are projects that were announced by the President of the Republic and set among his priorities.
Today, the projects under the responsibility of the Ministry of Transport exceed €1.9 billion and if we add the investment in the Port and Marina of Larnaca amounting to €1.2 billion, these projects exceed €3.1 billion.
We delivered the Larnaca and Kyperounda Hospitals, the Geroskipou bypass, the New Limassol Stadium and the renovation of the Preservation Building of the Old Supreme Court as well as the Famagusta District Court and we signed and implemented the investment in Larnaca Marina and Port, the largest investment in our country today.
We have also installed the Light Marking System which has led to a drastic reduction in road fatalities.
Also under construction are the Mental Health Centre, the Blood Centre, the dialysis unit in Paphos, the Central Land Registry building and many more.
At the same time, however, we have all the important and long-awaited road networks under construction, such as the Pafos-Polis, Limassol-Saita, Astromeritis-Eurichos and the Nicosia perimeter motorways, the road networks Yermasogeia-Akrunda-Dieron-Arakapa, Larnaca-Dekeleia, and Deryneia-Sotiras, while in a few days the Nicosia-Palichorio motorway project (Anayia-Agrokipia section) will be signed.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
There is no doubt that today we are implementing the biggest development policy the country has ever had. Never in our history have we had so many projects under construction at the same time.
Your Excellency President, Your Beatitude, Dear Friends of Culture,
Throughout these years, we have worked hard, with zeal, joining forces with departments and services, always with a view to improving the quality of life of the citizen. We have had to fight battles, overcome adversity, sometimes not being liked. But always with the good of the country and the future of our children in mind.
At this point, I would like to congratulate all those involved in this successful course that led us today to the Foundation Stone for the construction of the New Cyprus Museum. First of all, my predecessors, Mr.
I must also congratulate the Department of Public Works which undertook the whole process of maturation and tender of the project and especially the Deputy Director Ms. Antonis Koutsoullis and Mr Socrates Zapitis, Ms Chrystalla Malloupa as well as the former contract coordinator Mr Phoebos Iakovidis and current Ms Eva Iordanous and the 1st Architect Mr Michalis Papageorgiou.
I would also like to congratulate the Department of Electromechanical Services, especially the Deputy Director Mr. Markos Markou, whose department was responsible for checking the electrical and mechanical designs. Warm congratulations also to the Department of Antiquities, whose role was of paramount importance in the whole project. But especially the Director, Ms Marina Ieronymidou, the former and current Curators of Museums, Ms Despo Pilidou and Ms Eftichia Zachariou and the Curator of Monuments, Mr George Georgiou.
I also thank the Administrative Staff of the Ministry, the First Administrative Officer, Mrs. Afroditi Koufterou, the late Senior Administrative Officer, Chrystalla Christou and the Administrative Officer Mrs. Alexia Christofi who supported the whole effort.
I would also like to thank the architect of the Museum, Ms. Theoni Xanthi, as well as the Minister of Health, Mr. Michael Hatzipandela, who resolved the issue of moving the medical services which was necessary before the signing of the contract.
Your Excellency, Mr. President, because this is the last foundation stone of your term of office, as far as the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works is concerned, I want to thank you for the confidence you have shown in me, I want to believe that I have lived up to your expectations.
Dear all,
It is with emotion that I welcome this ceremony of laying the foundation stone for the cultural jewel that Cyprus will acquire, it is with emotion that one day I will be able to tell my children and grandchildren that I, along with all of you and the President of the Republic Mr. Thank you.
(ΘΓ/EΠ/ΣΧ)
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