The Greek island of the blind!

Biggins

Heard the one about the Greek Island where they have blind taxi drivers, blind shop keepers and blind farmers?
Well as it turns out its a massive scam of epic proportions that someone had been turning a... well... ...a blind eye to - till now!

Even by the extravagant standards of Greek corruption, the scam uncovered by Stelios Bozikis is so brazen that it is hard to credit.
Nearly 600 people on the Ionian island of Zakynthos - of which Mr Bozikis was recently elected mayor - managed to have themselves falsely declared blind, entitling them to fat monthly cheques from the state.

They included taxi drivers, shopkeepers and restaurant owners, farmers tending the island's patchwork of vineyards and olive groves, and a few amateur hunters, whose purported disability did not stop them from spending their weekends shooting rabbits and birds in the rugged mountains of the interior.

Other "blind" locals have been seen cheerfully playing cards and backgammon in the tavernas and bars of the island. "Out of 650 registered blind people on the island, we estimate that at least 600 are fraudulent claims," the mayor told The Sunday Telegraph in his office overlooking the boats crowding the port of Zakynthos Town, the main settlement.

Article continues: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/greece/9233670/Greece-tries-to-crack-down-on-fraud-as-mayor-of-Zakynthos-faces-revolt.html

When the mayor tried to put a stop to it, he got pelted with eggs.
...I assume they were thrown by the blind people! :pac:

The EU didn't see that coming!

Ghandee

Bet the islanders are all walking on egg shells now the scam has been rumbled.

Duggy747

Oh, those whacky Greeks and their crazy get-rich quick schemes.

phill106

I can't see how they got away with this!

Dyr

Bet they smell great though

juan.kerr

I think the key to this is 'managed to have themselves falsely declared blind'.

So corruption in the process of getting declared blind and their own moral bankruptcy.

keith16

Bambi wrote: »

Bet they smell great though

Or hear things before they happen?

token101

Ireland is hardly one to talk about welfare fraud in fairness!

billybudd

If you ask me, they played a blinder

ejmaztec

billybudd wrote: »

If you ask me, they played a blinder

AH gets cornea every day.

billybudd

ejmaztec wrote: »

AH gets cornea every day.

Ah its pun, you know what some people are without the p but add a c & t.

mike65

I saw Greek Island of the Blind on VHS years ago.

GetWithIt

The Greek island of the blind = The Irish island of the children with ADHD.

ch750536

You think that's bad, I went to Lesbos and was very disappointed.

Biggins

ch750536 wrote: »

You think that's bad, I went to Lesbos and was very disappointed.

Your were hard up and done by? :pac:

HazDanz

There must be a bunch of guide dogs going "ah fcuk we have to actually go work now!" after this news.

WoollyRedHat

Biggins wrote: »

Heard the one about the Greek Island where they have blind taxi drivers, blind shop keepers and blind farmers?
Well as it turns out its a massive scam of epic proportions that someone had been turning a... well... ...a blind eye to - till now!



Article continues: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/greece/9233670/Greece-tries-to-crack-down-on-fraud-as-mayor-of-Zakynthos-faces-revolt.html

When the mayor tried to put a stop to it, he got pelted with eggs.
...I assume they were thrown by the blind people! :pac:

Talk about the the blind leading the blind.

ejmaztec

HazDanz wrote: »

There must be a bunch of guide dogs going "ah fcuk we have to actually go work now!" after this news.

..and the owner of the "White Sticks R us" shop isn't too happy either.

Stinicker

Feckin Greeks!

ejmaztec

Stinicker wrote: »

Feckin Greeks!

Not satisfied with just inventing gayness, they had to invent blindness as well.

Stinicker

ejmaztec wrote: »

Not satisfied with just inventing gayness, they had to invent blindness as well.

They invented lesbianism too I think