Daily Media Review Friday, 25 August 2006

National Media Reports

Reorganization of Defence Will Follow The Commission's Report: Ramos-Horta

Speaking at the Parliament plenary session on Thursday, Prime-Minister Jose Ramos-Horta who is also the Minister for Defense said that the reorganization of the National Defense Forces must await the results of the Notable Commission previously established by the former Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri. Ramos-Horta told the Parliament that the legislation for the Defense Force will be ready by September and it will help with the restructuring of F-FDTL and the new recruits. He added that the government had not forgotten the 'petitioners' case and was putting all the efforts to hold a dialogue with the group.

The Minister also told the Parliamentarians that according to the Government's plans for 2007, the Ministry of Defense will select officers from the national defense force at the Major level to work in Timor-Leste's embassies. He stressed that the purpose is to cooperate with the defense forces of the nations where they will be stationed at in order to have a better Timor-Leste Defense Force in the future.

Jose Ramos-Horta informed the MPs that the government had already approved the budget to build 100 homes in Metinaro for F-FDTL officials, adding that the defense force budget will also include new uniforms for F-FDTL, who had been wearing uniforms donated by various countries. (TP, DN)

International Media Reports

Surgery cancelled for Timor baby August 24, 2006 - The Australian

TINY heart patient Maria Soares is expected to be reunited with her family in East Timor in the next few weeks after the cancellation of further surgery for the six-month-old.

Maria was rushed from East Timor to Sydney for life-saving surgery in April and has remained in the city since being released from hospital in June. She was to have undergone more surgery today to repair a ventricular outflow tract obstruction and a possible residual hole in the heart. However, doctors cancelled the surgery after diagnostic tests showed the obstruction was not as bad as first thought. Dr Michael Brydon, director of clinical operations at The Sydney Children's Hospital at Randwick, said Maria would not need more heart surgery in the immediate future. A tube placed in Maria's oesophagus to give doctors a closer look at her heart showed she was in relatively good health, Dr Brydon said. "We found that while there is a minor obstruction in her outflow tract, it is not life threatening and operating on this area would put Maria under unnecessary risk," he said. "Thankfully there also do not appear to be any residual holes in her heart and Maria and her mother Lorenca should be reunited with their family in East Timor in the next few weeks." Maria, who is in the hospital's intensive care unit, is expected to be moved to a general ward tomorrow and could leave hospital by early next week. Once home, her progress will be monitored by an Australian cardiologist who regularly travels to East Timor, Dr Brydon said. "We are hopeful that she will not require further surgery and may go on to lead a very normal life," he said. (The Australian)

National News Sources

Timor Post (TP) Radio Timor-Leste (RTL) Suara Timor Lorosae (STL) Diario Tempo (DT) Diario Nacional Seminario Lia Foun (LF) Televisaun Timor-Leste [TVTL]

These Items Do Not Reflect the Position or Views of the United Nations. UNOTIL Public Information Office

Back to August menu 
May  
World Leaders Contact List
Main Postings Menu