Subject: Timor-Leste Local Media Monitoring March 24, 2004
Timor-Leste International and Local Media Monitoring March 24, 2004
Timor Post
EC supports the Health program in TL
The government of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, the European
Commission (EC), and the World Bank have signed a grant agreement to support the
Health sector project in Timor-Leste. The Grant amounts to €16,5 million (USD$
21 million approximately), and will be administered by the World Bank. The EC
grant will support the rehabilitation of 4 hospitals in Oe-Cussi, Maubisse,
Maliana and Dili. The hospitals will be equipped to provide obstetric and
gynaecological, and emergency surgical care. The EC grant will also fund
pharmaceutical supplies for 2 years and training which will include the support
of Timorese medical students and Timorese doctors studying abroad for
specializations.
20% of rural areas with clean water
The Chief of the Community Water and Sanitary Division (CWSD), Elias Moniz,
said that since achieving its independence 20% of the population in the rural
areas have access to clean water and 12% to sanitation facilities. He said that
to develop water and sanitation services in rural areas is very difficult
because most of the people live far away from the villages. Mr Moniz said that
an information campaign is urgently needed to educate people to not damage the
water systems and to pay their water bills.
Health training for midwifes and nurses
The Coordinator for the Basic Training for Midwifes and Mental Patients,
Virgilio Gomes, said that the Ministry of Health is conducting basic training
for nurses and midwifes in the District of Bobonaro. He said the objective of
the training is to work in collaboration with the community on how to treat
mental patients as well as pregnant women. Mr Gomes said that the mental health
training was financially supported by the Government of Australia. He said that
1,148 patients that had received treatment and 75% of them are much better.
STL
Community behind construction of school in Laga
The Sub-District Administrator of Laga, Baltazar Belo, said that the
secondary school in the sub-district of Laga was built by the community because
the community could not afford transportation fees to take their children to
school every day. Mr Belo said that the community applied the procedures as per
the Ministry of Education, and the school has enrolled 25 students and has seven
teachers.
100 houses destroyed by gusty wind and rain in Ainaro
A Member of the National Parliament, Alexandre de Araujo Corte Real, said
that due to heavy rain and strong gusty winds 100 houses in the District of
Ainaro were destroyed. He said that the natural disaster in the area also killed
over one hundred cattle. Mr Corte Real said that the population had requested
urgent attention to meet their needs from the Secretary of Labor and Solidarity.
5 types of corruption found in TL
The Executive Director for the Timor Institute Development Studies (TIDS)
(he's from East Timor Study Group but the newspaper gave him a different name),
Joao Saldanha, said that up until November 2003 his Institute was able to
identified 5 types of corruption in Timor-Leste including: financial fraud,
recruitment fraud, abuse of power (authority), procurement process and theft and
mismanagement of public funds. He said bribery is just another way of finding a
job, especially those who can afford to pay. Mr Saldanha said that people used
their power to acquire petrol for their personal use without going through the
procedures. He said this is a type of fraud against the Government. Mr Saldanha
said that in many cases, procurement contracts were given out to family members
without advertising for tender.
Counterfeit Timor Telecom cards
A Member of the National Parliament, Francisco Geronimo, said that there are
counterfeit Timor Telecom cards circulating in Timor-Leste that need to be
investigated by the authorities. He said that the counterfeit cards pose a
hazard to consumers. Mr Geronimo said that he heard from a person from the
District of Liquica who bought a recharge card but after scratching could not
find any number, to recharge his mobile phone.
Jose Filipe External Affairs World Bank, Dili Office Ph: 723 0554 Tel: 332
4649 Email: ffilipe@worldbank.org
