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loans. Savings Banks do have access to CTCCB funds but mostly provide their
loans from their own reserves. If they have their own reserves, personal loans are
approved by the local committee, but if they need access to CTCCB funds, credit
needs to be approved by the CTCCB Board of Directors.
There has reportedly been equal access to the credit facilities of local co-operatives
though, when it cornes to personal loans, there has been a distinct urban bias in
terms of the resources and the co-operative's main function. Access to credit
facilities are also strictly controlied and highly centralised. Any credit deriving from
the CTCCB has to be approved by the elected Board of Directors. Any credit
provided by an independent co-operative, from its own reserves and over a certain
limit, has had to be approved by the office of the Registrar of Co-operative
Societies, in the Prime Ministry. That independent credit limit has always been
relatively low. In 1994, the largest single individuai credit that an independent cooperative
society could make from its own reserves, before referring it to the
Registrar for approvai, was 4 million Turkish Lira (approx. US $114). The
Registrar of Co-operative Societies also has other far reaching powers, being
theoretically free to discharge the elected council of the CTCCB, and appoint a new
one, if it is believed that the CTCCB is not carrying out its duties efficiently.
Originally designed to facilitate the provision of agricultural credit, the functions of
the CTCCB widened considerably after 1974. With its increased scope, the power
of the CTCCB within the co-operative movement in northern Cyprus and the
economy generally, has increased considerably. For a time it was the main importer
of food, groceries and construction materials, working alongside Eti through two of
its commercial divisions and maintaining over a 60% gross share 24 . From around
1983, after the immediate disruptions which followed war and de facto division had
24 Interview with Mr Gulhan Alp, op. cit.
178