Former Shropshire man Colin Dodd writes about his life on the Greek island of Kefalonia where, with lorry drivers on strike, it’s not all sunshine. Far from it.

Finally we have had some rain here – not good for those on holiday, but we who live here welcome it.

The fruit and veg growers needed rain for their crops and, for a few days, it reduced the fire risk. But, the rain is the least of our worries at the moment.

Lorry drivers (mostly owner drivers) on the mainland have been on strike for about 10 days now, which means that as we are an island we are getting no deliveries at all.

Supermarkets are just about out of everything and the petrol stations are either very low or out of fuel.

The catering trade is starting to feel the pinch: people need to eat but where to get the food from? Things are very tight at the moment.

A trucker lies down in protest in front of riot police offices during a demonstration outside the Greek Parliament in Athens, Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2010.

Why are they striking? Well, the transport industry here is governed by the operators. An operator’s licence costs around 200,000 euros , or rather it has done in the past. But now the government is reducing this fee by 70 per cent, and after three years’ transition the fee will be abolished.

Those who have paid heavily for their licence say they have no time to recover their outlay as the reduction is immediate. While this may be true, there have been no NEW licences issued since 1976, new operators have bought existing permits and set up in business.

This change is inevitable as Greece is the only EU country to have a regulated transport industry and the effect of that has been to create a “closed shop” situation, and the truckers have made the most of that. Until now. They can charge what they like for their services as they have united to form a cartel. If you think petrol is too expensive it’s no use asking Costas because he will charge the same, so you either pay or leave your goods in your yard. Not very profitable.

Deregulation was a condition laid down by the EU and the IMF when Greece received its 110 billion euro loan, so this strike will achieve nothing in the end.

In my next blog I will talk about the olive harvest. Anyone who has visited will tell you that you can go nowhere on Kef without seeing olive trees, yet despite the number of trees there are, you will never see a wild olive tree. Every one is owned either by individuals or the church. Many trees are growing on the roadside and, while harvesting, the owners spread a net on the road to catch the fruit as it comes off the tree. It is most amusing to see old men and women picking olives from the net with traffic detouring round them. I wouldn’t do it for a pension but it’s been that way for years and the Greeks will not change for a few cars (or lorries  – if they ever start moving again).

Hopefully I will be able to get a few photos of this hair raising operation (not suitable for people of a nervous disposition).

Goodbye for now, I have to out and beg for sustenance or poach and butcher a couple of goats. Well, a man has to eat.

Colin