Turkish Cypriot president, Mustafa Akinci calls for time change, as confusion continue to exist in schools

Turkish Cypriot president, Mustafa Akinci on Monday called for the time in the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus, TRNC to be set an hour back to align with European winter time, as Turkish Cypriot unions and high school students continued to protest against the government’s continuing decision not to observe daylight saving time (DST).

“The Turkish Cypriot people should not live in such a mess. This problem must be overcome immediately,” Akinci said.

Akinci's statements comes following confusion on Monday morning as a result of a new working timetable released by the council of ministers on Saturday.

Turkish Cypriot unions and students, last week staged several protest in response to the deaths of three people – including two pupils and a bus driver– killed when a school bus crashed into a lorry last week Tuesday which was in part blamed on dark weather, calling for the time to be turned back by an hour and opposing to going to school and work in the dark.

Demonstrations continued TRNC on Monday

Instead of turning back the clocks, the TRNC government announced that schools and public offices would now open 30 minutes later, at 8.30am rather than 8.00am., which will be applicable December, 2016, and January and February 2017.

Three unions, including the confederation of unions, said they will not follow the new time. Some teachers and public servants followed the time set by the administration, while others followed their union's instruction and kept to the original time, which led to confusions in schools.

“At the school near my house, the bell rang twice this morning, both at 8am and at 8.30am,” Akinci said.

According to Akinci, the best and the most logical thing to do was to follow nature and set the clock according to sunrise, as has been the practice for years.

“I think the most correct attitude is to set clocks an hour backwards according to the European time zone,” Akinci said.

TRNC followed Turkey’s decision not to set the clocks back to winter time at the end of October.

Cyprus Mail