By Glenn Maffia

THE destruction of Altinkum seafront is apparent to all; familiar landmarks ripped asunder, lying torn and strewn as if in a war zone. While I hope it is also equally apparent that the longevity of these very same landmarks has been all this time illegal. Now what a surprise.

For long, far too long, a shallow minded, ill conceived distain for the rules and regulations of this country has been blatantly ignored by those wishing to impose a laissez faire attitude upon this town. This would be, naturally, for their personal economic benefit, of course.

No doubt there are those that will attempt to continue to circumvent the rule of law. Children, not seeing the bigger picture, are inclined to act in such a manner, so we should not be too astonished. Laughably enough these little uneducated creatures see it as “good business”. Such lack of perception.

It does appear, and not only to Western eyes, that the business ethic of this village mentality is flawed in its idiocy. Though I hasten to add, that I do not perceive all in that same bucolic light; as I hope that the people of Didim do not so likewise perceive all Westerners with the same dim opinion.

Therefore I find it quite disconcerting that the present mayor, Deniz Atabay, who has so courageously taken this legal and moral stance against the cynical exploiters, and has my full support in doing so, I am with him unequivocally, has implemented the construction of new roads (built in the same ubiquitous bland block paving) in the Camlik Mahallesi district?

There are a number of questions which naturally are quite forthcoming: a) Was any consultation with the people whom actually live there undertaken?; b) Was any consideration taken into account of the discomfort of those people who have to wade through a quagmire of cloying mud been considered?; c) If these are supposed to be improvements, now you’ve dug up the perfectly adequate previous roads, why have no drains been laid?; d) Is the road along Sahil Caddesi wide enough for the tour buses going to the Garden of Sun Hotel, and where do the residents of Aytepe/Cennet Sitesi now supposed to park, in the road making it even narrower? e) Why is such a simple job taking so long to complete (four weeks and counting) adding immeasurably to the discomfort I mentioned above? f) Has any planning gone into this fiasco?

Electric, water and internet lines have been cleaved from the ground by diggers under the control of apathetic operators, ditches dug (by Aydem, or so the workers told me) cutting access to people’s homes. Many people have to clamber over garden walls to merely venture out for food supplies; g) If planned why were they then not informatively delivered to the people living there?

This draconian attitude lends light to its motives when dealing with the ‘breakers and twisters and corruptors of the law’ (am I allowed to mention corruption in this town?), but it is oppressive and counterproductive in dealing with the innocent populace. Or, like so much else in this country, is it some perverse ontological joke?

In Western Europe, Mr Atabay, your council would have to pay one hell of a lot of dosh in compensation for the inconvenience you’ve perpetrated. Probably that doesn’t matter even a jot in this country where power is above the laws it sets for other people.

Though I just thought that I would let you know; for where I come from, physically and intellectually, “freedom and democracy” equates to accountability to the people.