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Timor - Leste International and Local Media Monitoring for October 26, 2004

NGOs do not heed government policy Timor Post

The president of the National Parliament, Mr. Fransisco Guterres, alias Lu Olo, warned that NGOs to provide their services as non-profit organizations and serve the community without interfering with government policy. He said this in relation to criticisms made by some NGOs regarding budget allocated by the government on purchasing firearms for National Security.

Mr. Fransisco also said that the government took this decision to anticipate any instabilities that might happen in the country.

Kuluhun Primary School facing difficulties Timor Post

Although the Primary School no. 4 Kuluhun passed the school year 2000/2004 successfully, there are still difficulties faced by the school in terms of the small number of Portuguese teachers and lack of textbook supplies and other facilities such as students' desks, said the Director Rita da Concecao Rodrigues. She noted that these situations affected the students? punctuality in coming to school.

Ms. da Concecao added that the Ministry of Education has not paid any attention to the difficulties that the school is currently going undergoing.

Task Team Leader of the World Bank arrives in Dili Suara Timor Lorosa'e (STL)

Task Team Leader of the World Bank for the Small Enterprise Project (SEP), Mr. Bernard Drum, arrived in Dili on October 25 together with his team. The team plans to stay in Timor-Leste until November 6 to hold meetings with the government, small businesses and cooperatives, said Mr. Abel da Costa Freitas, Vice-Minister of Development and Environment.

Mr. Drum and his team will also conduct field trips to certain districts: Liquica, Bobonaro, Suai, Manufahi, and Aileu. Mr. Abel noted that the aim of this visit is to closely observe, monitor and evaluate the all activities included under SEP II.

No laboratory in Viqueque CHC Suara Timor Lorosa'e (STL)

Head of Viqueque District Health, Ms. Maria F. Belo said there is only one laboratory at the district level, but each of the four Clinic Health Centres in the sub-districts of Uatolari, Uatocarbau, Ossu and Lacluta (CHC) do not have their own laboratory.

Ms. Belo added that there is one NGO, Global Fund, that provides support in the district and funds multi-skill training in the Dili national laboratory to four staff members who are to be placed in the district CHCs.

East Timor Ups Ante in Border Dispute East Timor News

East Timor has raised the stakes in negotiations with Australia over a permanent seabed boundary between the two countries. The tiny nation is demanding that production of the vast Greater Sunrise field be based in East Timor.

Talks have resumed in Dili this week to resolve the dispute over oil and gas revenues in the Timor Sea.

The two countries are inching towards an agreement that would most likely see East Timor give up its boundary claims in return for more revenue.

But officials in Dili are now demanding that all production of the Greater Sunrise field be based in East Timor, with a massive seabed pipeline built to bring the gas onshore. They have yet to decide how they will develop Greater Sunrise field and have warned the project could stall for years if the two governments do not agree by Christmas.

Note: The World Bank welcomes comments and suggestions, as well as information about errors that call for correction. Messages may be sent to Sildonia Sarmento who can be reached through e-mail at ssarmento@worldbank.org or telephoned at 332 4649, extension 304.

David de Araujo Receptionist World Bank, Dili Office