Tempo Semanal Edisaun 146

Alegasuan PM foo kontratu Foos ba Ninia Familia

Televizaun ABC kili Xanana Emprezáriu TL Buka Oin ba PM

Dili, Tempo Semanal

Relasiona ba notísia husi televizaun ABC Austrália ninia deskobre alega katak PM kay Rala Xanana Gusmão asina kontratu sosa foos MTCI ninian ho kompañia ida ne'ebé ninia oan feto Zenilda E. B. Gusmão sai hanesan na'in ida mós Nune'e mós kanál televizaun internasionál abc denunsia katak PM asina mós kontratu ho kompañia ida seluk ninia feto foun iha laran i ida seluk fali Ministru Dezenvolvimentu ekonomia ninian kaben nian.

Ministru Ekonomia ho Dezenvolimentu, Joao Goncalves (Kathleen Goncalves nia kaben), no Vice Primeiru Ministru, Jose Luis Guterres.

Hataan ba kestaun ne'e emprezáriu Timor oan sira fahe malu. Balun tenta hatudu katak sira defende kredibilidade lider boot rezisténsia nian ne'ebé dala barak sai hanesan darling ba média iha Austrália Iha tersa feira semana kotuk lider organizasaun emprezariál Timor Leste hanesan Sr. Óscar Lima, Sr. Júlio Álvaro, Sr. Ricardo Nheu ho Sr. Herciu Campos halo konferénsia de imprensa ida iha Dili hodi kondena reportajen ABC ninian ne'ebé tuir sira nia haree diskreta lider istóriku Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão ninia naran di'ak no alega katak televizaun ABC tenta hamonu Governu AMP ne'ebé lideradu husi PM Xanana.

Partisipa mós iha momentu ne'ebá emprezáriu feto lubun ida inklui Cathelin Gonçalves kaben husi ministru Dezenvolvimentu ekonomia ninian. Óscar lima hahi lider istóriku sira hodi dehan nia la defende buat ne'ebé sala maibé nia respeita tebes ba lider sira hanesan DR. Mari Alkatiri, Prezidente Agora no Primeiru Ministru IV Governu konstitusionál ninian. "Ha'u hakarak hateten tan ba hanesan lider ita nian, sira na'in tolu (Dr. Mari Alkatiri, DR. José Ramos Horta ho Lider Ezekutivu daudaun Kara Rala Xanana Gusmão)hanesan ha'u nia lider, sira na'in tolu ha'u nia kolega,la'ós de'it ida maibé ha'u nia kolega tan ba uluk ita hotu-hotu luta ba independénsia, ne'ebé ha'u hakarak hateten klaru iha ne'e dehan ha'u lakohi depende ba sira na'in tolu ne'e ida," Óscar Lima dehan.

Nia hatutan katak, "ko'alia kona ba lider maka ita hotu-hotu nia preokupasaun maka halo nusa maka ita bele defende ita nia lider sira. purke berita sira hanesan ne'ene kuandu mosu mai ne'e normál ba polítiku sira maibé hanesan Timor oan oan ha'u sente katak ha'u tenke hateten lia fuan ruma katak ita hotu-hotu tenke iha solidariedade ho ita nia lider sira. I Se de'it maka atu hatún ita nia lider sira, halo nusa maka ita atu hodi ko'alia netik lia fuan ruma."

Tuir Sr. Ricardo Nheu ne'ebé ninia kompañia mós hetan kontratu ba fornese foos Governu ninian rejeita alegasaun sira ne'ebé hatún iha notísia no pakote televizaun ho Radio ABC ninian. "Ami rejeita alegasaun ka akuzasaun maka hatuur ona hodi diz kredita parte rua husi setór privadu ho Governu."

"Ami kondena ema sira ne'ebé maka desa mina ona no sei kontinua halo desa mina natafin informasaun sala ba média" "Ami rejeita média internasionál sira nia reportajen sala no foo informasaun ne'e laloos."

Ricardo hahi lider istóriku Timor Leste Xanana Gusmão ninia kapasidade iha pasadu no profisionalizmu ba lideradu IV Governu konstitusionál ninian tan ne'e ne'e duni, "ami sei tau neon ba nia."

Nia foo lembra katak, "hanesan lian dolin husi Indonézia ne'ebé dehan na'ok teen ida hakilar fali na'ok teen seluk maibé agora na'ok teen ida hakilar fali ema ida ne'ebé di'ak hanesan ami nia lider Xanana Gusmão"

"Ho buat ne'ebé Xanana hetan iha pasadu no ate ohin nia sei susesu nafatin," Nheu hahi Xanana.

Nheu dale, "Ami fiar katak Xanana bele lideradu Timor Leste ninia istória rasik nune'e nia sei prova katak saa ida maka sei mosu ba Timor Leste nia emar sira."

Tuir mai Herciu Campos nu'udar uluk boot ida ba CCI (Camara Comersiu Industria) mós na'in ba kompañia Herciu Internasionál lda. mak asina mós kontratu foos MTCI. Ho lian maka'as nia hahi PM Xanana no ho nervozu hakilar média Australiana ne'e too tilun kiuk. Maibé nia dehan, Herciu Campos kondena servisu jornalizmu ninian hodi dale, "Primeiru liu ha'u husu ba jornalista estranjeira sira para sira respeita povu ida ne'e i aprende ko'alia tetun bainhira sira atu halo sira nia inter vista para bele buka notísia akurat no loos, hodi sira bele fa'an hodi bele moris. La'ós sub-subar hasoru malu fali iha otél Timor depois kombina malu fali ho membru Parlamentu ida husi Bankada Fretilín i sepihak de'it depois hakerek tun sa'e tuir sira nia gostu tan ba bukti. "Se sira kontinua hanesan ne'e povu ne'e sei la respeita sira i bele mós foo perigu ba sira rasik tan ba ema hotu la hanesan," Sr. Campos Ameasa.

Sr. Herciu akuza televizaun ABC maka husu PM Xanana Gusmão atu rezigna an husi PM no nia sei la foo toleránsia.

Herciu mós bolu ema Australiana sira badiu hodi alega iha ninia deklarasaun katak, "tan ba saa ida maka Australiana badiu, bosok teen, na'ok teen mai barak-barak iha ita nia rai doben Timor loro sa'e no sira iha ne'ebá la iha korrupsaun?"

Herciu hatutan, "Ami la presiza ema seluk husi li'ur para mai hatudu liman tun sa'e i ami maka sei rezolve rasik ami nia uma laran i povu timor loro sa'e tomak sei fiar metin nafatin katak ami nia lider boot kay rala Xanana Gusmão, Ramos Horta, Carrascalão i seluk tan sei bele hapara korrupsaun ou nepotizmu iha tempu badak iha rai doben ida ne'e.

Herciu hahi Xanana ninia lideransa ba libertasaun nasionál no halo ameasa ba Deputadu Fretilín ninian labele hakilar lider boot ne'e maibé sekarik, "halo ba mais keta halai."

Herciu ne'ebé ho nakloke kestiona kapasidade deputadu ida husi bankada Fretilín no jornalista ABC ninian. "Bainó Arsénio Bano hanesan Reprezentante povu nia koh bisa seperti ini? Ida ne'e demonstra katak la iha maturidade polítika i la'ós gentlemen, ta'uk ko'alia fali ho jornalista Timor oan, duke estranjeiru na'ok teen sira."

Tuir dokumentu s ne'ebé jornál ne'e konsege hetan prova duni katak iha tinan 2008 nia klaran MTCI hasai licenca ba kompañia PRIMA FOOD LDA ho no: 00855/MTCI/VI/2008 hodi halo esportasaun no importasaun ba produtu alimentasoens. Kompañia Prima Food LDA ninia Rua Av. Bispu de Medeiros Acait, Dili ne'e na'in husi ema na'in sira inklui PM ninia oan feto Zenilda E. B. Gusmão ho asaun 11.10%.

Se karik oan husi PM ne'e sei nafatin iha kompañia Prima Food maka lala'ok ne'e bele soke malu ho lei Estatutu Órgaun Soberanu artigu tolu pontu

"1.Companies whose capital belongs in a percentage over 10% to a person who holds the office at a sovereignty body will be barred from entering tenders for the supplying of goods or services, as well as for the exercise of trade or industry activities, in contracts with the State and further public legal persons.

2. The same regime applies to:

a) Companies whose capital, in the same percentage, belongs to the spouse of the holder, when there is no separation of persons and assets, to their ascendants and descendants in any degree and to collaterals up to the 2nd degree, as well as the person who lives with the holder in a situation akin to marriage; b) Companies in which capital the holder of the office detains, directly or indirectly, alone or together with the relatives mentioned in the previous sub-paragraph, a participation not below 10%."

"Tuir Lei iha leten ne'e maka aplika duni entaun dezastre boot ba na'i ulun sira iha Governu ninia laran dezde primeiru Governu ate agora. Saa tan agora ne'e Tsunami ba membru Governu sira, " komenta husi lei na'in ida ne'ebé maka husu atu jornál ne'e labele publika ninia naran.

Nia hatutan katak, "ukun na'in sira halo lei maibé se sira maka la kompriende entaun problema boot."

Sr. Júlio Álvaro deklara katak PM ninia oan feto dada an ona husi Prima Food no ninia asaun fa'an tiha ona maiske sira seidauk foo sai provas relevante ba sira nia deklarasaun ne'e. "Hanesan informasaun ne'ebé ha'u hatene Sr. Primeiru Ministru nia oan feto fou-foun iha nia mós tuir mais depois nia simu informasaun husi laran katak tuir prosedimentu Primeiru Ministru nia oan feto labele hetan projetu nia hatama kedan surat ba iha nia kolega sira para atu sai hanesan asionista. Ha'u buka ona hatene iha licenca primeiru nia naran iha laran. Iha fali licenca ida ikus para atu hatama ona foos ne'e nia naran la iha. Ne'e para atu evita konflitu de interese no atu evita kritika ne'ebé ikus mai bele mosu," esplika Sr. Álvaro.

Bainhira jornalista tenta atu kestiona kona ba karik sira bele prova licenca ida ikus ne'ebé sira dehan ne'e ho oin saa ho envolvimentu PM ninia feto foun iha kompañia olifante no mós kaben husi Ministru dezenvolvimentu Ekonomia ninia iha projetu hatama foos ne'e infelizmente lia na'in sira taka konferénsia de imprensa lalais de'it.

Iha parte seluk Alexo cobra ho Rui Castro condena lala'ok ninia kolega sira seluk ne'ebé ko'alia hodi defende dignidade PM Xanana Gusmão sira bolu atensaun ba Governu atu kuidadu ho emprezáriu sira ne'e. "Ha'u hanoin naran hira ne'ebé maka sempre lori figura lideransa ninia naran tun sa'e mak Sr Óscar ho Júliu, sira sempre lori ema ne'ebé mak sa'e ona ba primeiru ministru ou presidente atu halo 'pendekatan' ema sira ne'e bele hamonu ema seluk nia figura, entaun agora daudaun 'isu-isu' ne'ebé too iha internasionál katak, Zenilda mós tama iha prosesu maman foos ne'e, tanba de'it Sr Óscar , Júlio Álvaro, Ricardo ho Herciu nia hahalok," Aleixo Kobra dale.

Tanba 'pendekatan' husi sira ba Emilia, maibé la bariik ne'e la hatene 'bisnis', mas tanba de'it loron kalan hamutuk ho sira no lori ba fatin fatin sira ne'e, Entaun prontu administrasaun dehan Zenilda envolve iha projetu manan foos ne'e. Maibé husi, ha'u nia hare nia lae, tanba sira na'in Tolu mak kose-kose no sempre troka sira nia apelidu too hamonu uluk Mari, Tanba projetu ne'ebé mak manan uluk Mari sira nia família ladún manan projetu boot, maibé kuaze projetu sira mesak manan, tanba sira sempre tabele tun sa'e. "dehan Aleixo.

Tuir nia Sr Óscar ho Júlio, hetan ultimatu projetu monu iha sira nia liman, karik 'prediksi', ha'u nian ne'e, se mak atu halo monu sira, ema ne'e Sr. Óscar ho Júlio Álvaro, tanba sira dezde uluk too agora sempre troka naran apelidu ba mai ba mai.

Entaun, Automátiku sira mak sei halo monu duni ita nia lideransa ne'ebé mak sei kaer ukun, maibé nia fiar katak, maun Xanana la fó projetu ba nia família, mas sira ne'e mak aproveita ema nia família ne'ebé hanesan lideransa tau ba oin atu sira hetan projetu.

Aleixo informa liu tan katak, se Primeiru Ministru la hare ba kestaun ida ne'e no organizasaun rua ne'ebé automátiku halo monu PM. Xanana Gusmão se bainhira la atensaun, tanba sira sempre husik kotuk utiliza sira nia família atu bele hetan benefísiu ba sira nia privadu.

No mós organizasaun nia naran atu bele hetan benefísiu ba sira nia privadu ne'e ita hare momoos ona, públiku mós hare foos ne'e se mak manan, uluk Fretilín nia tempu mós projetu ne'e se mak hetan, la'o s sira.

Aleixo reforsa katak, tanba iha tempu ne'ebá sira mak sempre manan projetu no halo monu fretilín, I sira mak sempre manan iha projetu hotu, Ita hare Projetu 27 'paket' fretilín fó ne'e se mak fahe ? La'o s Primeiru Ministru Alkatiri, Se mak iha tempu ne'ebá xefe ekonomia finansas sr Óscar, ha'u la hatene katak se mak fahe, maibé iha tempu ne'ebá, ha'u mós servisu iha ekonomia finansas too ikus saida mak nia halo, Agora tuir mai sira na'in tolu tabele fila fali governu ida ne'e hodi bele hetan projetu.

Emprezáriu sira la'o s hamonu Xanana nia figura de'it, maibé hamonu tia ona Mari Alkatiri, agora mai hamutuk fali ho maun Xanana, liu husi nia oan atu sira bele hetan projetu. Tanba ne'e, " ha'u atu bolu Sr. Óscar Gusmão,Julião Álvaro Gusmão, tanba foos ne'e rasik Sr. Óscar nia feen, oan mós hetan, entaun prontu forun ne'e, ha'u la konsidera ona, tanba 'perkumpulan' forum emprezáriu, maibé kompañia privadu husi Júlio Álvaro,Óscar ho Herciu sira nian.

"ha'u nu'udar Emprezáriu iha timor reprezentante emprezáriu joven, ha'u hatete katak, figura sira na'in tolu ne'e la di'ak, no se bele governu toma medida ruma atu 'bubar' tia organizasaun ida ne'e, emprezáriu forum ne'e atu bele iha figura foun mosu no hakuak emprezáriu hotu, emprezáriu agora daudaun ne'e enfrenta problema barak, primeiru Banku ita hare fó empresta de'it ba ema mestisu no ema ne'ebé mak mai husi rai li'ur, tan ne'e mak, "ha'u kritika BNU, tanba saida ho osan ne'e be mak ita atu hetan, hodi bele garante projetu ba banku nia tenke 10%, sira hatama tia lai osan ba ne'ebé.

Nia hare kona ba projetu foos ne'e ilegál tanba la liu husi tender formál, "ha'u mós emprezáriu ida prepara ona osan atu tuir tender foos ne'e, maibé, Sr. Castro mos tuir, ema hotu-hotu tuir tender, maibe derrepente de'it emprezáriu balun manan tiha ona, hau atu hatete katak, ida ne'e imi labele interpreta la'o s kulpa ne'e primeiru Ministru nian , nia hanoin katak, iha Ministru Komérsiu Industri nian 'kesalahan' boot ida. Tanba ne'e tenke halo investigasaun ida kle'an liu tan, nia foo apoiu ba Sr Mari Carrascalão atu investiga Sr Gil hodi bele hatene saida mak akontese iha ne'e, PM Xanana la hatene, tanba la'o s Primeiru Ministru mak de sidi.

Se momentu ne'ebé liu husi aprovizionamentu dokumentu s sai husi prokuramen ne'e ema hotu hatene, maibé dokumentu s la'o s UU$ 100 (seratus dolar) no UU$ 50 (lima pulu dolar) ami bele sosa, maibé ami la hatene derrepente de'it kupon sai tiha ona, sira husi grupu momentu ne'ebá hasoru ho Óscar mak delega sr. julio Álvaro,Ricardo sira mak delega duni ba iha ne'ebá sira momentu ne'e lori emprezáriu fó KADIN nia naran saida mak atu akontese taun kuandu hetan tia projetu foos saida mak akontese, sira lori kompañia privadu ne'e ba tebe hotu tiha Sr. Rui Castro tuur hotu iha ne'e, taun ami nia maluk Jorge mós tuur iha ne'ebá entaun sira tebe dook entaun sira lori sira nia kompañia avansa sira nia feen oan nia avansa nia kompañia avansa, troka tia forum kadi ho sira nia kompañia privadu, tanba ne'e, ha'u hatete tender ne'e la legál, la tender, tanba tender, ha'u mós tuir tanba ha'u mós iha osan tuir loloos ha'u bele tuir tender ne'e, maibé nusa mak ha'u la bele tuir foos ne'e, ha'u mós iha 'gudang' i ha'u bele manan, maibé Júlio,Óscar ho Ricardo sira mesak máfia,no sira emprezáriu oportunista inklui Herciu, defende sira nia an sira buka oportunidade bain hira sira atu hetan maun Xanana no mós apoiu Xanana atu sira bel hetan projetu, ba ha'u ne'ebé partisipa ativu too sira hetan projetu, ha'u kontente hanesan malisan boot ida ba sira liuliu malisan ba Óscar ho malisan ba Julio.

Rui Castro ne'ebé mós hanesan emprezáriu ida hateten katak, "kuandu sira hasoru ho primeiru ministru,hatete katak projetu foos ne'e ba feto sira mane nia konstrusaun ba matéria ba konstrusaun sivíl nian osan ne'e mai husi ne'ebá mai husi fundu destruisaun ekonomia nian tanba mane mak iha responsavel atu hetan projetu ida be materiál konstrusaun sivíl ne'e hari kontruksi ida."

"Fofoun ami husu sira hatete dehan la iha mós ikus mai ida ne'e mak ema sempre dehan kebenaran selalu muncul. Sira mosu duni hanesan defensór ida atu defende primeiru ministru mós lae, buka oportunidade tan ba primeiru ministru iha problema oin saa ko'alia ,,,,projetu ruma karik ida ne'e mak ha'u hare buat la di'ak ha'u mós se embora katak ema sira ne'ebé enkontru ho primeiru ministru ataka makas liu Sico borlaku diretór jerál ho ministru Gil Alves, Herciu Campos, Ricardo inklui Óscar uitoan ka liu uitoan ema sira ne'e mak sai mak Gil bolu ba taka hotu ibun hodi manan foos, tanba sira ataka iha reuniaun inklui iha enkontru ne'ebá mós ha'u mós iha preokupasaun bain hira governu hateten dehan emprezáriu iha timor ne'e hasae sasa nia folin. Señora diretora loja Jacinto Sra. Clarisse hateten kedas ba primeiru ministru katak sasa nia folin, simente nia folin sa'e ne'e tan ba primeiru ministru katak, "governu ita nian mak haruka surat ba PT. Tonasa hodi hatudu ema na'in rua empreza xina nian iha timor ne'e nu'udar únika Kompañia atu hatama simente mai timor mais ikus mai primeiru ministru la hatene, ministru Gil maka rekoñese katak nia mak hakerek surat ba,iha semen tonasa hodi hatudu katak simente iha timor ne'e so ema na'in rua de'it mak halo entaun iha tempu ne'ebá la sala hatudu duni Sr vice primeiru ministru Jose Luis mak halo investigasaun halo nia investiga ne'e too iha ne'ebe ne la klaru too ohin loron. Ne'ebé husi hanesan sira horisehik mosu problema ne'e ha'u hare atu katak la'o problema ne'e sala husi primeiru ministru nia oan, hanoin kala ne'e muis bien kala la iha vale buatida, sira koko atu jebak primeiru ministru nia oan atu tama iha prosesu ne'e mós la konsege tama se mak atu jebak Óscar mós hatene,julio mós hatene sira família Xanana nian hodi hetan projetu ne'e maibé la konsege tama entaun se mak atu estraga ministru nia naran grupu sira ne'ebe oportunista ne'ebe pernah mos uza Mari ho nia família nia naran too Mari monu grupu sira ne'e mak agora koko atu uza tan fila fali Xanana nia naran ho nia família sira para atu uza. Sira uluk uza Mari ne'e mak konsege hetan timor telekom ne'ebé loloos hetan,,,tama iha laran ha'u fiar 100% sira uza Mari nia naran. Prosesu kuandu la'o mai ha'u hateten katak sira mosu agora seolah olah hanesan defensór buat ne'ebe presiza atu investiga tenke investiga husi kompañia sanulu resin hitu kuandu hetan tender karik tan ba sa mak nilai penawaran itu sama dari tiga juta lima ratus enam belas dólar US itu sama ho tender ida ne kala akontese so milagre de'it mak bele hetan foos.

Kathleen Goncalves " Fo Ha Tchong" uluk hanesan presidente asosiasaun ba empreza ba feto nian nebe lori feto sira nia naran ne'e ba manan projetu foos nian nia mak tenki halo klarifikasaun ba publico relasaun ho alegasaun mai husi abc ba envolvimentu ba primeiru ministru nia oan ne'e loos ka lae, so ida ne mak responde uniku. No nia rasik tenke deklara katak tebes ka lae, nia manan ka lae, la'os mosu fali Ministru Joe Gonçalves katak lae ha'u la foo beberapa persentajen lae. Tan ba ami hotu iha oin cathelin Gonçalves ba hamutuk ho asosiasaun feto tan ba primeiru ministru hatete katak feto manan foos mane sira manan konstrusaun civil maibé too ikus mane balu ba gabun hamutuk ho feto sira tan ba sira feto hotu tan ba ida ne'e sira manan foos ne'ebe tan ba alegasaun ne'e mosu husi primeiru ministru nia oan feto ne'ebe labele estraga primeiru ministru nia osan ne'e maka Cathelin goncalves ho feto sira ne'ebe manan foos para halo klarifikasaun Publiku loos ka lae. La'ós agora manan tia osan manan tia foos depois nonook depois todan foo hotu ba primeiru ministru.

Osan sira mak manan sala primeiru ministru ho nia família, uluk mari nia tempu mós hanesan ne'e, sira mak manan tia foos manan tia osan manan tiha projetu halo servisu la hun la dikin sala mak Mari, Mari nia tempu foo projetu barak tan ba ida ne'e se bele halo daftar pemenan proyek husi governasaun fretilín i ho governasaun AMP. sira ne'ebé upaya atu halo estraga ne'e oportunista sira ne'ebé nunka iha kriatividade atu hamosu bisnis maibé ba aumenta de'it osan ba goza sira nia an depois uza ema seluk nia naran investiga mak sira ne'e dala ida tan ha'u husu ba presidente asosiasaun señora cathelin Gonçalves ne'ebé uluk hatete katak reprezenta feto atu manan projetu foos halo klarifikasaun ba publika relasaun ho envolvimentu primeiru ministru nia oan nia Zenilda ho sira seluk atu nune'e sira bele klarifika buat ne'e laos todan osan sira mak tau todan Xanana mak lori. Xanana nia naran boot la'ós grupu ida oan ne'e mesak halo povu laran tomak envolve ne'e duni sira i tuan mak hodi oportunista hodi primeiru ministru nia naran ho nia família hodi manan osan ne'e foo ona klarifikasaun ba publika loos ka lae tan ba sira mak foo klarifikasaun ba publika tan ba sira ne'e envolve barak liu iha negosiasaun hosi atu hetan foos hodi hetan akuzasaun feto sira nia naran.

Posibilidade s barak iha grupu ki'ik oan ida ne'ebé uluk iha mari nia tempu sira mak estraga mari nia naran agora sira halo mengupayakan atu estraga mós Xanana nia naran mós ba emprezáriu hotu hotu la bele rede analiza emprezáriu timor oan tan ba iha emprezáriu grupu oan ida mak iha mari nia tempu sira mak halo projetu oan ida la hun la dikin hotu ona manan tia osan kaer hotu 'bangkrut' halai dai husi fretilín mai bomba fali mari tia oan agora sira mai fali Xanana ne'e para osan lakon hotu nita sira haboon fali Xanana para Xanana nia naran mak aat fali ona.

Krize ai-han iha mundu tomak governu Timor Leste halo programa hodi asegura ai-han hanesan foos ba ita nia povu bainhira mosu krize ai-han. prosesu tenderizasaun ba Emprezáriu sira hodi fornese foos too agora sei kria konfuzaun ba ita nia emprezáriu sira tanba sempre deskonfia malu entre emprezáriu bainhira prosesu tender la iha transparénsia.

Diretór Jerál Aprovizionamentu Nasionál Francisco Soares husi hateten katak la iha envolvimentu uitoan mós husi ulun boot Governu ninian maibé nia rekoñese katak ema barak maka aproveita PM ninia naran. "ha'u nia parte hakarak hateten katak Primeiru Ministru Xanana Gusmão la iha interferénsia atu fó projetu ba ninia família, nia oan ho ninia ema, maibé iha ema barak mak aproveita duni PM ninia naran hodi hetan projetu, ne'e duni projetu hotu – hotu ami buka la'o tuir duni ninia regra hodi loke tender."

Hataan kona ba ezijénsia husi emprezáriu balu ne'ebé dehan katak projetu foos ne'e la liu husi tender, Francisco hateten, tanba hotu – hotu hakarak atu mai hetan projetu ne'e maibé to'o ikus ida de'it mak tanba projetu fahe la to'o ne'e duni liafuan ne'ebé sira hato'o ne'e normál tanba sira la hetan.

Ami loke tender no la'o tuir prosesu ne'ebé iha maibé tanba sira la hetan entaun sira ko'alia hanesan ne'e no kadavés balu mai baku tan ami maibé kestaun ne'e normál tanba ha'u espera katak neineik neineik sira hetan hotu ona entaun buat hotu la'o di'ak tanba ema barak gosta halo polítika liu husi buat sira ne'e. (ts)

Re-Tender Projetu Tratór

Emprezáriu Lokál Alega Governu Joga Ho Kompañia Indonézia nian

Dili, Tempo Semanal

Hafoin mosu polimika sosa trator husi Ministeiru Agrikutra ba Agrikutor sira foin dadaun ne'e Governu loke hikas fali tender ba forneimentu trator hodi fahe ba agrikutor sira iha nasaun ne'e. Tuir informasaun ne'ebé iha loloos ne'e tratór sira ne'e to'o ona iha Timor Leste tan ba iha ona kompañia ida maka halo fornesimentu Tratór hirak ne'e. Maibé mosu indikasaun KKN iha projetu ne'e maka Vice Primeiru Ministru Mário Carrascalão levanta kazu refere iha konsellu de Ministru tempu ruma kotuk no husu suspende para halo tender hikas fali. "Ha'u hanoin buat balun laloos ho projetu tratór ne'e tan ne'e ha'u husu atu tender fali i sei halo iha tempu badak mai," dehan Vice PM Carrascalão iha fulan kotuk. Maiske Vice PM ne'e ladún klarifika ninia deskonfiansa maibé nia dehan de'it katak desizaun ne'e mosu tan ba ninia gabinete simu keixa husi emprezáriu lubun ida. Nune'e duni Governu loke hikas fali tender foun iha semana ikus fulan junyo no pre bid halo ona iha semana kotuk iha ne'ebé emprezáriu nasionál uza oportunidade ne'e maksimun hodi fase hakilar sai sira nia deskontentamentu ho prosesu tender Governu ninian.

Ministru Agrikultura, Mariano "Assanami" Sabino

Rui Castro Emprezáriu TL ida ne'ebé iha interese atu sai fornecedor ba tratór hirak ne'e hateten, prosesu retender ba projetu tratór ne'ebé hala'o iha Ministériu Finansia ne'e, projetu Ministériu Agrikultura Peska s no Floresta nian ne'e duni iha prosesu tender nia laran sira hateten katak projetu refere tenke iha editoriál autorizasaun manu faktu husi kompañia ida ne'ebé ho ninia "espek" tenke seer iha osan U$ satu juta lima ratus dolar husi budget ne'ebé iha.

Castro ne'ebé protesta ho lian maka'as durante de prosesu Pre bid nian ne'ebá esplika katak, kritériu tender ba projetu tratór nian hetan protesta makas husi emprezáriu timor oan sira tanba sira katak bainhira presiza letter autorizasaun manu faktu nian entaun buat tenke tahu iha ne'ebá maibé realidade sira fó tiha letter autorizasaun manu faktu ba kompañia Indonézia nian ida ne'ebé hala'o hela operasaun iha timor.

Nia konta tuir akontesimentu durante Pre-bid nian mak hetan protesta maka'as husi emprezáriu timor oan entaun sira(Governu) dehan "imi(Emprezáriu TL nia oan) bele ba husu fali "support letter" husi dealler ne'ebé refere, maibé nu'udar emprezáriu Timor oan ami hateten, bainhira ami hetan support letter entaun signifika kompañia ne'ebé hetan autorizasaun manu faktu la bele tuir tender maibé kuandu nia mós tuir nafatin tender depois mak ami ba husu fali 'support letter' husi nia entaun signifika katak ita halo 'pembodohan' tanba ema ne'e hanesan na'in maibé oinsá ami bele halo fali kompetisaun ho nia ne'e duni kestaun ne'e hatudu katak laiha aspetu lójika no mós laiha étika bisnis ne'ebé di'ak "haktuir Castro ho lian makas.

Ho razaun hirak ne'e hotu emprezáriu timor oan sira ezije, see bele karik tenke hare fila fali kritériu iha prosesu ida ne'e tanba kuandu ita avansa nafatin ho kondisaun refere, entaun eskema loloos ne'e hatudu katak ema ne'ebé atu manan projetu iha tiha ona, "tan ne'e emprezáriu sira husu ba Ministru Agrikultór ne'ebé hanesan projetu na'in no mós diretór jerál Aprovizionamentu Francisco Burlaco katak, ho kondisaun hanesan ne'e maibé ita boot prevene hodi hakarak tuir nafatin kritériu ne'ebé iha entaun di'ak liu labele loke tender no halo de'it 'penunjukan internasionál' tanba kuandu iha tempu atu halo avaliasaun ba iha téknika proposal nian konserteza kompañia hirak ne'ebé la iha letter autoriza manu faktu felizmente sei la manan.

Tanba sira hakarak tratór ne'ebé ho merek Kubota entaun hanesan projetu na'in Ministériu Agrikultura bele hatudu de'it hodi hateten katak iha timor ami nia dealler mak ida ne'e no la presiza loke fali tender maibé tanba saida mak tenke halo fali 'pembodohan' iha públiku nia oin hodi hateten, "seolah-olah" tender ini semacam tender internasionál tetapi dalam pelaksanaan nian sudah tertulis dalam dokumen bahwa ada beberapa kriteria iha membatasi orang lain tidak boleh berpartisipasi berarti hal ini menunjukan bahwa kita telah malakukan penipuan publik."

"Tanba Governu AMP iha ona esperiénsia barak-barak hodi halo penunjukan ba projetu oin – oin hanesan prosesu tenderizasaun ba projetu foos nian mais tanba saida mak sira labele halo hanesan ne'e" akuza Castro.

Castro hatutan, maski kompañia timor oan 15 ne'ebé hamutuk ho kompañia Kosta Motór la iha osan maibé prontu atu kompete tanba Governu iha ona polítika ida ne'ebé bele fasilita hanesan sira seluk ne'ebé uluk Governu fasilita foos ne'e duni tanba saida projetu ida ne'e sira labele atu fasilita. "Uluk Governu fasilita foos kuaze Seis senta ital Miloeins maibé ida ne'e kinze millaun de'it tanba saida mak labele fasilita ba kompañia 15.

"Nu'udar emprezáriu ezije nafatin se bele karik projetu ne'e fahe ba timor oan sira tanba emprezáriu timor oan mós prontu atu hala'o sira nia serbisu rasik tanba hare ba realidade ne'ebé iha to'o ohin loron seidauk iha investidór no emprezáriu husi rai li'ur inklui Indonézia mai investe sira nia osan no loke kampu serbisu ba timor oan sira, maibé dala barak sira lori fali ninia ema sira husi ne'ebá hodi mai buka osan de'it atu fila fali ba hadi'a sira ninia rai".

"Polítika Governu nian ne'ebé dehan katak atu promove no próteze emprezáriu nasionál ne'e retórika tanba ne'e mak emprezáriu sira protesta, "maibé kuandu ita boot sira brani ona entaun fó de'it ba ema indonézia para manan no lalika halo fali manipulasaun ba públiku hodi loke fali tender tanba kritériu 'membatasi' ema seluk atu labele tuir" Castro sadik ho lian makas.

Hataan kona ba pergunta ne'ebé dehan katak oinsá ho prosesu tender ba projetu tratór uluk nian, maibé Castro esplika katak tender tratór hanesan ita halimar ho rai rahun tanba iha TL ema barak hakarak atu na'ok maibé seidauk profesional ne'e duni foin book an ema hatene tiha ona.

"Nu'udar emprezáriu Nasionál ami sente la satisfás ho hahalok Ministru Agrikultura ne'ebé husu deskulpa ba emprezáriu Indonézia nian iha públiku tanba de'it timor oan sira nia ezijénsia ba tender tratór no mós tanba de'it emprezáriu nasionál nia preokupasaun kona ba kritériu tender ne'ebé iha."

"Emprezáriu Nasionál mós iha direitu atu ko'alia no hato'o sira nia ezijénsia kona ba kritériu no la halo diskriminasaun, maibé tanba saida Ministru Agrikultór 'tersingun' hodi husu fali deskulpa ba emprezáriu indonézia nian, ne'e duni kestaun ne'e ita presiza investiga tanba Timor nia harga diri la hanesan ho ema indonézia nian tanba prosesu ukun an ne'e liu husi ema barak nia ruin ho raan tan ne'e husu ba Ministru Agrikultór katak hahalok ne'e hanesan hahalok primeira vés no ultima vés no labele husu tan deskulpa ba pedagan kaki lima sira ne'ebé mai buka serbisu iha ne'e, maibé ministru tenke 'komitmen' no labele iha mentalidade hodi hanoin katak timor ne'e hanesan provinsiál. Maiski sira loke prosesu ne'e hanesan tender internasionál, maibé iha kritériu nia laran hatudu momoos katak projetu ne'e sei halai liu ba iha kompañia Indonézia nian, ne'e duni kuandu ita ko'alia kona ba tender internasionál entaun lalika fó espek khusus ba merek ne'ebé atu hatama, tanba oinsá ita bele dehan atu loke tender internasionál maibé see bainhira ninia prodak rasik hakarak husi indonézia entaun di'ak liu lalika loke tender internasionál maibé bele hateten de'it katak tender ne'e ba prodak indonézia.

Bazeia ba kontaktu ne'ebé emprezáriu balu halo ho fabrika na'in ne'ebé halo tratór hateten katak ba timor sira labele atu fó tan letter autorizasaun manu faktu tanba iha timor ema iha tiha ona.

"Hanesan emprezáriu timor oan ami hatene ona kompañia ne'ebé atu kaer, maibé ami labele ko'alia sai lai tanba ami sei hakarak akompaña prosesu ida ne'e 'apakah' nia mak manan duni ka lae. See kuandu nia mak manan duni entaun ami sei bonkar" deklara Castro.

"Kuandu to'o ikus ema indonézia mak manan konserteza ami sei 'bronkas' no sei husu ba primeiru ministru bazeia ba ninia despaxu ne'ebé iha tanba ho ninia komitmen ne'ebé dehan katak atu valoriza no próteze emprezáriu timor oan ne'e karik ho liafuan de'it ka ho pratika mós".

Tanba kritériu nia laran dehan katak iha desizaun polítika ne'e duni Ministériu Agrikultór sei lori ba konsellu Ministru hodi debate no hare fali kona ba kestaun polítika ne'e duni ita hare to'ok sira nia polítika ne'e to'o iha ne'ebé. Castro hakilar ho lian makas katak prosesu tender tratór ne'e kuandu fó ba ema indonézia mak manan konserteza buat hotu sei la para to'o iha ne'e maibé sei kontinua nafatin "sampai pada titik darah penhabisan".

"Ha'u kaer nafatin diretór jerál aprovizionamentu nia liafuan 3 mak hanesan ida ne'ebé di'ak ita tenke valoriza, ida ne'ebé ladún di'ak ita tenke hanorin no mós ida ne'ebé ke aat liu ita tenke hasai duni,maibé ha'u hakarak hateten de'it katak hodi bainhira mak sira hanorin ema no mós hodi bainhira mak sira valoriza ba ema tan ne'e see kuandu timor oan sira hatudu katak sira bele entaun projetu ne'e tenke fó ba sira".

"Kestaun ba ami la'os dehan tenke ami mak manan, maibé ba ami naran katak timor oan ida mak tenke manan atu nune'e osan sira bele rai hela iha timor tanba iha esperiénsia tinan 9 nia laran hatudu momoos ona katak projetu boot – boot ne'ebé manan husi ema estranjeiru ne'e ninia osan nunka atu hela iha ne'e maibé osan hirak ne'e lori hotu ba rai li'ur," Remata Castro.

Liu husi debate hamutuk ne'ebé partisipa husi kompañia internasionál no Nasionál sira iha Ministériu da Finansas kona ba prosesu tenderizasaun projetu rekonstrusaun no bisnis, Ministru Agrikultór Peska s no Floresta Mariano Sabino hateten, buat ne'ebé mak agora daudaun emprezáriu nasionál sira sente ida ne'e mak sai hanesan kestaun atu debate hamutuk ho emprezáriu hotu-hotu, maibé labele atu koko responde desizaun politika. "imi kaer mak estandarte ne'e duni ha'u hakarak imi responde, maibé tenke responde tuir imi nia kapasidade ne'ebé iha no ha'u lakohi atu 'menghambat'emprezáriu internasionál sira."

IV governu konstitusionál iha kompromisu boot atu haberan kbiit emprezariál nasionál liu husi diskusaun PM Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão ninian iha loron 08/08/07 iha Palaciu Nobre Lahane maibé, "realidade investidór estranjeiru ho emprezáriu husi rai li'ur mai hadau malu fali projetu husi Governu ninian ne'ebé dala barak emprezáriu lokál sira labele kompete ho sira," lamenta emprezáriu boot timor oan ida ba média foun lalais liu ba. Tuir Ministru Agrikultura katak husi ninia parte sei hato'o problema ne'ebé emprezáriu Nasionál sira enfrenta ba Primeiru Ministru Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, nune'e mós Ministru Agrikultura sei husu ba Emprezáriu hotu-hotu atu hadi'a idak – idak nia kapasitasaun liu-liu husi parte tékniku nian.

Iha parte seluk diretór jerál Aprovizionamentu Francisco Soares haktuir ba jornál TS katak, kuandu projetu ba tratór la presiza manu faktu autorizasaun no dehan katak kualkér tratór bele tama entaun ita labele ko'alia kona ba manu faktu autorizasaun, tanba bainhira ita ko'alia kona ba manu faktu autorizasaun konserteza ita hakarak garantia kualidade. Nia hatutan, tanba Governu, parlamentu no povu hakarak kualidade entaun manu faktu autorizasaun importante ne'e duni ita tenke kaer metin maibé ida ne'e la'os desizaun husi tékniku sira tanba bainhira ita la'o hela de'it ho ezijénsia ne'ebé iha no to'o ikus sasa sira mai mak la iha kualidade depois aat lalais entaun see mak sala, konserteza governu mak sala no aprovizionamentu mak sala tan ne'e ita tenke la'o tuir regra ne'ebé iha. "Ita presiza kualidade ne'ebé di'ak tanba osan ne'e povu nian ne'e duni tenke la'o tuir duni regra,"ha'u nia hanoin kuandu ita hotu-hotu obriga ita nia an no tama regra ona konserteza la iha ema balu atu hakilar "tenik Francisco".

Nia informa liu tan katak, kompañia hotu hotu la'o tuir no kumpre kritériu ne'ebé mak governu estabelese tiha ona, maibé naran katak kompañia sira mak tenke halo negósiu tama iha ne'e tanba projetu ne'e loke ba internasionál tender no nasionál tender ne'e duni kritériu tenke la'o tuir atu nune'e bele hetan kualidade.

Responde kona ba ezijénsia husi emprezáriu timor oan ne'ebé dehan katak projetu ne'e atu fó ba ema estranjeiru, Francisco hateten ita tenke haluha tiha liafuan ne'ebé dehan katak fó de'it tanba buat hotu tuir prosesu depois mak sei deside iha ne'ebá. "Bainhira desizaun dehan katak la presiza halo manu faktu autorizasaun no dehan katak kontraktor timor oan mak tenke hetan ida ne'e kestaun polítiku ne'e duni konsellu ministru no Parlamentu mak bele muda polítiku ida ne'e, maibé kuandu sira iha ne'ebá ne'e ezije kualidade konserteza buat hotu tenke la'o tuir regra no kritériu ne'ebé iha."esklarese Francisco

Rezultadu avaliasaun rasik seidauk fó sai maibé oinsá mak sira bele hatene katak ema Indonézia mak atu manan tan ne'e hein de'it desizaun sai foin ita bele hatene katak see mak manan. Responde kona ba pergunta ne'ebé dehan katak sekarik rezultadu ne'e fó duni ba emprezáriu indonézia mak manan entaun emprezáriu timor oan sira sei halo boikota, maibé Francisco esplika katak kestaun ne'e buat seluk fali tanba ida ne'e sira nia direitu mais se karik timor oan mak manan no sira reklama entaun ita atu halo oinsá ne'e duni ita tenke respeita ema ne'ebé mak manan no ba sira ne'ebé la manan buka atu hadi'a aan.

Tuir informasaun ne'ebé jornál ne'e hetan katak kompañia ne'ebé hola parte iha projetu refere kuaze iha kompañia 10 resin mak kompete,(ico/tov)

Timor-Leste/Australia Defence Cooperation Talks

Secretary of State for Defence - Julio Tomas Pinto

DCP Talks Address Illegal Maritime Activities, English-Language Education

From Tempo Semanal Edition 145 29 June 2009

The Defence Cooperation Program, and Timor-Leste Government and Defence Force last week

Secretary of the State for Defence Dr Julio Tomas Pinto, F-FDTL Commander Brigadier General Taur Matan Ruak, and Director General of the Pacific and East Timor Defence Cooperation Program (DCP) Air Commodore Anthony Jones met on Friday 26 June 2009 with other members of the DCP to discuss the program’s progress and future plans.


A statement by the Defence Cooperation Program praised the F-FDTL’s progress since early 2008, and said, “The next twelve months will see an expansion in Australian Defence Cooperation Program activities to support the F-FDTL”.

The three representatives signed a document stating the DCP will expand “To support the continuing development of the F-FDTL,” by nearly doubling the capacity of F-FDTL’s English-Language Program at Metinaro; gradually increasing maritime security assistance; providing advanced infantry training for F-FDTL; and increasing cooperation in the fields of engineering and nation-building.

The document also stated that “Timor-Leste and Australia will continue to frankly exchange ideas on the implementation of defence cooperation activities and future areas of engagement between our two nations,” indicating hopes for honest and open communication when developing Timor-Leste’s future military capacity.

The talks’ dialogue embodied this agreed-upon frankness, with Air Commodore Jones stating that the DCP was particularly focused on expanding Timor-Leste’s naval capabilities through providing advisors to “develop their capability to patrol and protect the Timor-Leste maritime borders”, and in training F-FDTL patrol boat crews in Australia and Timor-Leste, “to protect the maritime environment”.

“We know the TL govt and the TL people are very concerned about what is going on in their exclusive economic zones and in their maritime areas, particularly in regard to illegal fishing. Australia’s very eager to support the TL govt in making sure their maritime boundary is secure, and that the activities that are going on in that exclusive economic zone are well-known and well-managed by the Timor-Leste govt,” said Air Commodore Jones.

Dr Tomas Pinto agreed that maritime security is a priority for Timor-Leste’s Defence authorities, stating, “The DCP talks are talking about how Australia will assist us to work together closely with the navy to control our sea. One of the important issues we talked about here is maritime surveillance. This is important also for TL,” said Dr Tomas Pinto.

Dr Tomas Pinto also said the Government of Timor-Leste is experiencing problems with illegal immigration from Bangladesh, and that it has requested assistance from the Australian Government to address this issue.

Air Commodore Jones and the Australian Ambassador to Timor-Leste, Phil Heywood, said the DCP would share with F-FDTL its information and experiences in speaking with the Indonesian navy about dealing with these issues, and in developing future “trilateral cooperation”.

All parties at the talks particularly appreciated the DCP’s decision to provide new instructors and facilities to the F-FDTL English-language program.

Air Commodore Jones said, “We understand that there was an increasing demand from F-FDTL for more English-language capacity, and we’re very happy to support that”.

“It really is the key to significant trainng opportunities.”

Air Commodore Jones also mentioned the new Australian Defence Minister would visit Timor-Leste within the next two to three months. The previous Defence Minister recently resigned following repeated allegations of improper conduct involving his brother and a Chinese businesswoman.

Air Commodore Jones thanked Dr Tomas Pinto and Brigadier General Taur Matan Ruak for their support, saying, “I know it’s not often easy to accept and coordinate the activities that we provide, but we appreciate that”.

Dr Tomas Pinto ended the talks in saying to the Commodore, “Thanks for you, because Australia is still committed to helping us. We also thank Australia and New Zealand as well, because you assisted us in difficult times, and now you are assisting us again”.

Tempo Semanal Edisaun 145

TL Spokesperson: ABC Report is Inaccurate

Tempo Semanal, Dili

In a press release on June 26, 2009 received by Tempo Semanal (27/07), a spokesperson of the IV Constitutional Government and the Secretary of State for the Council of Ministers, Agio Pereira, reacted to a story published by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) titled Gusmão faces corruption claims. The ABC revealed several companies related to Government members' relatives had been awarded rice contracts last year. The story was circulated in print, television and radio, aired in Australia and throughout 46 countries throughout the Asia Pacific network. "While we welcome the interest of the ABC in reporting on Timor-Leste, we would ask for better due diligence in ensuring the facts are correct before misinformation is widely disseminated," said Agio Pereira.

Agio Pereira - Secretary of State for the Council of Ministers

He continues, "There are several inaccuracies in the reporting, especially when referencing the laws of the Constitution which seem to be the basis for the corruption allegations."

A lack of understanding among Timorese political leaders over the country's laws give other challenges to combat corruption collusion and nepotism. Mr. Bano claims East Timor PM Xanana Gusmao violated an article in East Timorese procurement law, while the Government defends that the law is not applicable to the head of Government and should use the "Holders of Sovereignty Bodies Law (07/2007)," which was enacted by Fretilin shortly before leaving office. "The law addresses guidelines for business interests amongst a range of other inclusions," the government spokesperson argued.

The Constitution of the Republic of Timor-Leste states that the Sovereign Bodies are the President of the Republic, the National Parliament, the Government and the judiciary. These entities, and the members thereof, are not considered "agents of the administration" or "public bodies" under the Timorese Constitution.

Agio Pereira commented that "Since the Fretilin Government was responsible for writing and enacting all the aforementioned laws, they would be well aware that no corruption has taken place, and should have been transparent with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation."

"During a time of the global food crisis, the IV Constitutional Government went to extensive lengths to ensure food security. Sixteen Timorese companies were fairly awarded contracts to import rice. The guidelines under the procurement laws were followed and contracts executed only after a lengthy interdepartmental evaluation committee assessed bids and negotiated terms. This was a joint effort across many ministries."

The Government spokesperson continued to say, "The corruption allegations are part of a continued campaign by the Fretilin Opposition to discredit the Xanana Gusmão Government, with the latest and boldest accusations appearing just one working day before Gusmão's Anti Corruption Commission is due to be approved by the plenary of the National Parliament."

Last week East Timor's Parliament started debate and voted to approve the Anti-Corruption law. "It will be the first Anti-Corruption initiative to be proposed or established by any Government," Mr. Pereira praised.

"The timing of this story as propagated by Fretilin was deliberate, we have been working on the Anti-Corruption Commission for almost two years now and this story will not derail our accomplishment or announcement on Monday. Mr. Pereira appealed to the Opposition parties to not only criticise the government, but to focus on the development of this young nation. "It would be more useful for Opposition to focus on the development of Timor-Leste rather than focusing on propagating misleading stories through the Australian media," he said.

"The Prime Minister, who has personally led the campaign to establish the Anti-Corruption Commission, reiterated the commitment and support of his Government to be open to any investigation pertaining to maladministration, collusion or corruption," he finished.

Internet Edition Exclusif: Prime Minister Signs Contract with Husband of Minister of Justice.

Prime Minister Signs Contract with Husband of Minister of Justice.

According to the below contract for Supply of High Speed Diesal Fuel for EDTL, which is dated 19 September 2007 but not signed until one year later on 19 September 2008, the Supplier Pualaka Petroleo has to supply fuel to the Government power utility EDTL from 1 October 2008 until 31 March 2009.

This contract was signed by the Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao on behalf of the Government of Timor-Leste and by Americo “Pualaka: Lopes, Executive Director of Pualaka Petroleo with a 30% share of the company.

Mr. Lopes is the husband of Minister of Justice, Lucia Lobato, a leading member of the PSD party, and a key political ally of the Prime Minister in the AMP Coalition Government. They share a personal connection as Prime Minister Xanana is the godfather of Lopes and Lobato’s son.

According to the below invoice dated 3 April 2009, from Mr. Lopes to the Director of Procurement in the Ministry of Finance, Pualaka Petroleo billed the Government $1,473,360.00 for 1,754,000 litres of diesel fuel provided during the contract period.

It is not yet clear what the law states on this matter, however there are questions raised by these documents.

According to the Worldbanks’ website regarding its Planning and Financial Management Capacity Building Programme (PFMCBP) in the Ministry of Finance it states that

“The Planning and Financial Management Capacity Building Program Project seeks a sustainable strengthened planning, that includes budgeting, public expenditure management, and revenue administration for growth and poverty reduction, with emphasis on efficiency, effectiveness, accountability, integrity, and service culture, and, transparency.”

This project costs $37 million over 5 years. Is it improving accountability, integrity, and transparency?

Tempo Semanal Edisaun 144

President For The Poor People Plays down Allegations Of Corruption, Collusion and Nepotism.

President Jose Ramos-Horta in a conversation with Australian journalists and a Timorese journalist in his residence on 18/06/09. During an hour long interview most journalists challenged Mr. Horta with the issue of corruption, nepotism and collusion within Timor-Leste Government.

East Timor is the poorest country in south East Asia and Pacific.

Follow the questions and answers between President Jose Ramos Horta (PRH) with the Jornalists from the below transcription:

Question: After Ten years East Timor independence and there is still seems to be a strong presence of the Australian international Force and Police also United Nations When do you think East Timor would be able to stand on it's own feet?

PRH: Well, I believe that by 2012, the current size and the mandate of the United Nations mission will significant police force will ended. And similarly in the next years or two the current mandate and agreement with the international stabilisations namely Australian and New Zealand will be a significantly reduce and Maybe the mission the ISF (The International Stabilisation Force) will be restricted to a providing training to our defence Forces particularly in the field of engineering Constructions so civil training for our defence Force.

Question: You recently watched the Balibo movie. What your though on that?

PRH: Well….any thing the is a sort of understatement of the true cruelty of what happened to the five journalist in Balibo and to the six of Roger East on December 7. Because from numbers and numbers interviews I had at the time immediately after the killing at Balibo, Survivors from the Balibo. Attacked and the people from the other side with attacking Forces in October 75 on Balibo, The death of the five in Balibo were in the most cruel form. Not the simply execution stile with bullet, you died instantly without to suffering and without humiliation.

Question: So how does make you feel that former generals wiranto and Prabowo will running in the Presidential elections on July 8. How does make you feel that these people potentially be in power?

PRH: Well A. I don't think Prabowo or Wiranto were directly or indirectly involve in Balibo. Prabowo probably at that time was far too young. I don't recall whether he was even in the army at the time. Wiranto might be but no one and my self include my self have no recollection ever heard of wiranto's name in Balibo or for that matter in East Timor years later. It does not mean that the two individuals particularly General Prabowo were not implicate in the violence in East Timor when he was a Kopassus commander. And particularly in Indonesia it self it is Prabowo and the Indonesian people have to deal with each other for the Prabowo's role in the violence in Indonesia. But it is their sovereign right and their responsibility and their choice.

QUESTION: Mr President, with regards to the issue of corruption within the Government, to what extent to you think corruption is actually rife within the Government, and how high up do you think corruption actually goes within the Government?

PRH: There is a principle that i hold as a sacred one, and that is the presumption of innocence of anyone that one might accuse of whatever sin. In the case of corruption in this country, there have been allegations going back to the first constitutional Government. You might recall that Dr Mari Alkatiri, the former Prime Minister, was accused to have received $2 million from Conoco Phillips. As it turned out, this was never true, and yet the man was publicly tried through the media. So I'm always extremely careful in making judgements on people just because I hear stories one after another.

We have institutions: Government and private ones like some NGOs that do investigations; we have the Ombudsman; we have the Prosecutor-General. I have been briefed by the Government, by the Prime Minister, [and] by the Dept Prime Minister about their efforts to stamp out any corruption that might arise. Right now I know that there are cases on the desk of the Prosecutor General, so we'll wait until these cases prove to be well-founded. What I can say is that I personally spent 24 years of my life struggling for this country to be free, and I do not want my own name—having spent so many years of my life in the fight for this country to be better—to be implicated in a country that could be listed by Transparency International as one of the most corrupt in the world. I don't want to be a part of that.

So first I will fight for us very hard to have a model society, a model country. If I fail that, then I guess I and others have to take responsibility that we failed to prevent corruption and to fight corruption.

QUESTION: Are you confident that the actual tendering process that people need to undergo when these tenders are put out, are you confident that this process isn't corrupt and that it is transparent enough?

PRH: I have demanded to see some of the major, major contracts. One is the power plant with China: it's a $360 million power plant paid for by our people, by our petroleum fund. I'm reading through the contract to the best of my ability. I have asked my closest advisors, lawyers, to look at it. I have discussed with the Prime Minister some of my own concerns. I have two concerns: one is the reliability on a technical level of this company. B: of course I'm concerned like many of the environmental impact of the heavy fuel project. Three: the cost of it; has anyone actually checked that the $360 million corresponds to the technology, to the quality of the technology that we are buying? Well I don't know, I'm not an expert on that. However, the Government—to its credit—has advertised for an international consultant, an independent consultant, to monitor and inspect every aspect of this project.

How this tender was awarded is a different thing. I was told by the Minister of Finance that there were 14 applicants from Australia, from Korea, more than one from China, from Portugal, and the

tender process awarded to this Chinese builder. Is it surprising? Well, I don't think it's surprising. You know, the Chinese companies beat most of the competitors anywhere in the world because they're cheaper, maybe because they can deliver it faster.

QUESTION: Mr President, you said you would establish an independent body to carry out an environmental impact assessment on the heavy oil plant. What stage is this at, and will you take it's recommendations seriously at this point in the process?

PRH: Well, as you know, I do not have executive powers. I am pursuing ideas on how to set up my own environmental commission to assess the environmental impact of this project. I'm hoping to get some independent technical academic advice from some universities in Australia, and friends elsewhere in the world. I don't have my own money, budget from my office to pay for such a consultant. It would have to be pro bono. No-one is going to give me money to pay for a high-level technical team to look at it.

However, the Government itself has said it will accept any environmental impact [statement] that would counsel the Government either to change course in terms of the project or even cancelling altogether. If there are any serious findings that say it is totally detrimental to the best interests of this country in terms of the environmental impact, in terms of the technology used, and the cost and all of that.

QUESTION: Do you not think it's the responsibility of the Government to do that kind of assessment rather than yourself having to go there and find academic consultants yourself? [Do you think] it's a Governmental responsibility, not yours alone as President.

PRH: The Government has already advertised for an international independent consulting group whose terms of reference include environmental assessment. That's one thing. But apart from that I would feel that, in my conscience, I should make an extra effort. A parallel effort. I have already contacted a Timorese NGO with some expertise, with credibility, [and] some Timorese individuals. My preference is to have East Timorese experts—there are a few who understand about power supply, who understand about the environment, questions including international environmental law, Kyoto obligations that we are bound by as we've ratified Kyoto—and maybe, this Timorese group could be supported by some Indonesian experts because Indonesians have had a lot of expertise in the field with a lot of problems as well. So maybe I can get a solid Timorese group with support from Indonesian academics or NGOs from Australia to compliment whatever the study will be done by the Government. Let me assure you, I have complete confidence in the integrity of the Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao. There is no-one in this country—including me—that can claim, "I care more for this country," than Xanana Gusmao. He fought more than anyone for this country, suffered more than anyone for this country. So I have absolute confidence.

What I don't want—and I told him this today—is that some companies, some countries, might want to make use or exploit the innocence of this country, the innocence of the Prime Minister [and] his good intentions, and sell-out rats for cats or bananas for apples. So that's my concern: I told him I'm looking into this, not because I don't trust the Prime Minister—he's a man of tremendous integrity and love for his own country—but because I don't want anyone, whoever it is, whether it's a Chinese company or an American company, to think we are fools and that we just are some bunch of individuals with no experience who eat peanuts and bananas, and that they can fool us. So I will not allow anyone [to do this] unless I'm also totally stupid and ignorant – then I'm also a fool. I have a bit of experience on these matters, so I will look at it carefully.

QUESTION: Just getting back to the tenders. Who actually has to sign off on these tenders, when it's a significant amount of money that we're talking about; who actually has to sign off on these tenders and are you involved in that process?

PRH: No, I'm not involved whatsoever in any tender. Even when I was in the cabinet in the previous Government, I was never asked, I never took part. I don't have a clue how it is done or who does it. When I was Prime Minister for a very short period of time, I signed off a tender [that was] brought to me by the Minister of Health to give a contract for the building of a hospital in Suai. So that's the only one I remember. The Minister of Health is a man of tremendous integrity—the previous one—and I signed without really understanding how it came about, because he was my Deputy Prime Minister and dealing with that sector, so I simply signed it.

In this particular case, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Infrastructure and the cabinet authorise the signing of such huge contracts that represents basically more than half of our entire budget.

QUESTION: We're talking about large amounts of money though, and corruption is an issue. Shouldn't you not as President at least oversee, or have some sort of involvement in these types of activities?

PRH: No. In our political system, the President does not have executive authority. I cannot everyday interfere in the Government of the country. If that is what I want to do, I might as well run for Prime Minister. That is the responsibility of the Prime Minister.

The Government has to account to me. They have to account to the Parliament. And I have done already a stretching of my interpretation of the Constitution, demanding for access to see the contracts. Two contracts I demanded to see: one was the purchasing of the boats from China, two fast boats for our maritime police, maritime army unit; and the other was the power supply. I demanded to see, and that's my interpretation of my obligations in the Constitution, but someone—a constitutionalist—might challenge, might say, "Sorry Mr President, you don't have the powers to demand from us these contracts".

But I did. The Prime Minister obliged and gave [them] to me. I have had it [the heavy oil contract] for more than a week now, trying to read through and then discuss with him. I sent my people to the Ministry of Finance with specific questions that I wanted answered following my reading of the contract.

QUESTION: Poverty and high unemployment rates do plague this country. Are you concerned about a return in violence or about an uprise in violence?

PRH: Well first, let me use this as an opportunity to tell you the following. I often read in your, err, normal media in Australia and elsewhere that unemployment is 50%, that unemployment is 80% – it's nonsense. The population of this country is slightly over a million, of which half, at least, are children or at least not of working age. And then there's 70% to 75% or more of adults who live off the land, who are subsistence farmers. If you count all of this on top of the 30,000 civil servants—including army, police and schoolteachers—if you travel around Dili at least and see the many thousands of shops, if you go to the back alleys of Dili as I do often, walking around the back alleys, you start wondering where do they get these figures? Unemployment is much, much lower than it is. I believe that it is less than 10% unemployment.

Of course it does not mean that poverty is not widespread. Of course it is, and the statistics show that. The fact of the matter is that people also tend to forget that this country is seven years' independent. As I said once to the UN Security Council in New York and to a group of diplomats: does anyone have an idea how long does it take in Manhattan, in New York, to set up a simple Chinese takeaway business? You know, a small one, family owned. You have them in Australia. Well, I never ran a takeaway business, but I imagined three to five years. A friend of mine actually who lives in Manhattan said actually, it takes five to seven years to have this kind of business turning profit. And people expect Timor-Leste to be stable, to be fully functioning, operational like Australia, like New Zealand, or like Singapore, in seven years.

Well, it's not serious. Not serious intellectually speaking, not serious academically speaking. We are not setting up a restaurant, not running a car mechanic shop: we are trying to build a nation from ashes of destruction in 1999, and we inherited a non-existent state from the UN in 2002. We've tried to heal the wounds of this society, we tried to set up an army, a police force, banking institutions, creating an economy, dealing with our neighbour, dealing with issues of justice in the past. All of this fell into our laps, our hands, and we are told, "Well, in seven years you have produced very little".

Well, I will say no. I have been to 134 countries in my lifetime. Some have been 50 years' independent, others 200 years like Guatemala. I was there a few years ago, and when I look at what Guatemala was then when I was there – they're almost 200 years' independent. Or look at the Philippines, 100 years' independent; and then compare to East Timor – seven years. People make these sweeping evaluations and judgements of what we have achieved or what we have not achieved.

QUESTION: With regards to corruption within the Government, what impact do you think that's having on the development of the country, and on foreign investment from countries such as Australia? Do you think it is stopping foreign investment or delaying the development of the country?

PRH: Allegations are allegations, remain allegations until proven. So far there has not been a single case of an allegation that has been proven in the investigation by the Prosecutor [General] or in court. If potential investors from Australia—just because they hear about allegations of corruption—do not wish to be here, that's they're choice. It's not going to be the end of the world, [and] not going to be the end of Timor-Leste.

Last year, we had 12.5% real GDP growth. This year, I believe with the investments in place in 2009, we will have also maybe double-digit growth. By next year, I believe the world economy will have recovered, [and] we will begin to see the trend of oil prices going up again to the barrier of $70/barrel, so the Government will be able to continue to have funds to inject into the economy. It's no different from what China and the US are doing in terms of their Governments themselves injecting money back into the economy to push growth. That's what we're trying to do.

And of course the private sector is happy with that. You go around town, you talk to some Australian small investor here, and they're happy: their hotels are full, they are selling a lot. You go to investors from China, from Singapore, and they're happy because Timor-Leste's economy is booming. In small scale, you know. Those who are here in small-scale are happy.

A major hotel building will start this year. $300 million investment from Malaysia and Singapore. I have information from friends in the Middle East, from Gulf Countries such as Lebanon and others, who want to come to set up banks, insurance, and hotels. They are familiar with the problems in the Third World [sic]. They are more risk-takers, unlike Australian investors who are less risk-taking. There is a major Irish investor, the owner and CEO of Digicel, a multi-billion dollar business in Ireland and around the world. The CEO himself has been here, and they want to invest in telecommunications.

So I'm not at all concerned about whether the allegations of corruption will scare off investors. If they don't trust us, there are others who will trust us. And those who trust are already, right now, reaping some benefits.

QUESTION: I want to ask you specifically about access to documents, being able to access tenders so that the media or the public have access to contracts. For instance, if a hotel is being built, would one be able to look and see who is being involved. Those kind of things are very hard to access, and it doesn't seem like a very transparent system.

PRH: There are two different situations here. If it is an investment from a private investor, obviously there is no tender. He or she applies for land if he or she wants Government land, and the Government would study and say it merits support because we need it, because it will create jobs. This is what happened to the investor from Malaysia and Singapore; a very well-known investor with his own money. We simply provided the land. We're still in negotiations about the terms, conditions, and how many years we provide the land to him.

And then there is the issue with the tenders. Of course I agree that the tender process has to be the most transparent possible. It is in the interests of our country; it is public money that is involved. I believe that the type and the process has to be very transparent, except where the law stipulates that in the course of the presentation of the tender, it is confidential. Once it is awarded, then all documents should come out, except some aspects where the companies don't want their rivals to know what they're offering.

QUESTION: Turning a little bit further towards the East Timorese refugees who have remained in West Timor. There are those that have expressed concern about coming back to Timor, but I do understand that the Government has on several occasions gone and spoken to them and reassured them that it is safe to come back. Do you think their fears are justified?

PRH: Not at all justified. I tell you one thing, what is remarkable about the East Timorese people. I tell you, I have been to 134 countries in my life, including Bosnia. When I was in Bosnia ten years ago, in 1998, I was invited there by the European organisation for security and co-operation as a Nobel laureate. At the time I was foreign minister of no country, so I was there in my individual capacity. I was shocked with the depth of hatred between the Muslim Bosnians and the Serbians. I met with many from Kosovo, and was shocked with the hatred of Kosovars towards the Serbians. And I found this in many other conflict situations that I have been to.

In this country, has there been a single former pro-autonomy leader killed since 1999? No, there are many, even in the Parliament, in the Government, around the country, in the police. Has there been a single act of violence against an Indonesian citizen? There are many thousand still here, many are illegal migrants. No. Some of the people on the island of Atauro were telling the police that there are some Indonesians who come to Atauro illegally to seek medical treatment because the neighbouring islands don't have hospitals. They didn't know what to do, and I told them—to them and the UN police who were there, I spoke both in Tetun and in English—I said, "I am the President of this country and I'm telling you, if there is ever a single individual on this earth who needs shelter, who lands on our shore, I don't care the reasons, I don't care for his or her passport – you must welcome them". And that is our policy.

I tell this to my own people, in this country. Some are beginning to worry about the so-called illegal migrants taking over jobs. I tell them, "Well, look at the United States; who made up the United States? Migrants. Look at Australia, how it's changed since 30 years ago". A few years ago I was in Melbourne, and was pleasantly surprised when I met with the then-mayor, who happened to be a first-generation ethnic Chinese from Tianamen speaking English with a Chinese accent. Well, 30 years ago he wouldn't have been elected. 30 to 40 years ago, a Greek-origin person would not have been elected a politician. Australia's changed beyond recognition, and is totally open to people of diverse backgrounds. And that's why countries like Australia and the United States are great: they're totally open-minded. Well, Timor has to be like that, and our people are fantastic in this regard.

QUESTION: But Mr President, there's still many thousands of people living just over the border in refugee camps and we lived with them. They said that Indonesia doesn't care about them, and neither does Dili. What do you have to say for them?

PRH: Well, the fact of the matter is, they opted to leave, and they had ample choices before 2003 to return. Those who wanted to return came, and they were helped by the United Nations and particularly by UNHCR. By 2003, those who decided to stay in Indonesia could no longer be classified as refugees, and thus opted for Indonesian citizenship. I know the Indonesians have been very generous with our people living in Indonesia.

Eest Timor also has difficulties; it cannot provide satisfaction to everybody. The doors of this country remain open for anyone who is entitled to Timorese citizenship, even 50 years from now. If they want to return, they still can return. They'll never lose Timorese citizenship, and it's up to them. If they wish to come, with all the challenges and difficulties and possibilities we have, they're welcome. It's their country. So we cannot do anything beyond that.

QUESTION: There seems to be several cases of UN workers who have fathered children by East Timorese local women, and those men have now gone back to wherever they came from and have left these women without any assistance. What pressure can you put on the UN to hold these men to account?

PRH: Well, I have the greatest confidence in the integrity of the United Nations, particularly in the Special Representative to the Secretary General in East Timor. I know he has issued warnings, information in regards to this situation. However, I personally know of some cases. I was in one of the bairos a couple years ago. I looked at the Timorese woman and she had a baby. A very cute little baby. But the baby looked 100% African; I couldn't figure out where this baby came from. And in my naivety, I asked this stupid question to the mother, "Where is this baby from?", and she said, "This is my baby". I asked how come the baby didn't look like the mother, and she said, "Well, my boyfriend is from the African police," but she didn't seem to be upset, and it seemed like the gentleman, actually –

QUESTION: (interjecting) ... I've actually met a woman who was married to a Bosnian man, and he's abandoned her and gone back [to his home country], and the UN gave him another posting in Liberia, knowing the circumstances.

PRH: Well, I don't want to dismiss these cases. I don't know how serious they are. But, is it so different from so many other cases of a man running away from his wife and his kids, or from a wife running away from her husband, dumping her husband? I first looked at it at this level, you know. Is it really systematic, widespread abuse, or is it just another case of a young man coming to this country, like he could have been in New York or anywhere, gotten involved with a woman, and then avoided his responsibilities? It happens all the time, everywhere. Just because it's the UN, [do] we have to criticise it? Of course we criticise the man for doing that, but about the responsibility of the UN?

Frankly I don't know how widespread the case is. In any case, the Special Representative to the Secretary General is taking it seriously. He briefed me about what they are trying to do to discourage this kind of behaviour. But sometimes the UN even went overboard, like in the Congo. They even forbade UN people from socialising with local people. They said it's to avoid out-of-marriage children and things like that. It is totally unnatural for the UN to tell its personnel—and the UN's supposed to be universal, promoting relations among nations—and you tell UN personnel that they cannot socialise with local women or local men.

QUESTION: Could you please comment regarding recent allegations of a 51 year-old male Brazilian UN Police officer sexually assaulting four underage girls in one extended family?

PRH: I have been informed by the police and Prosecutor General that there are such allegations. Without saying that there is evidence, it is still upon the basis of reports and allegations. If indeed it is true, of course, it is a matter of serious concern. It is a crime. Whether it involves Timorese minors or foreign minors, it is totally unacceptable.

Timor-Leste is not going to be a place where people without any scruples—from wherever they are—bring minors into this country, because there are reports of forced prostitution of Chinese brought from mainland China here, and from Thailand. There have been instances where we've managed to detect the network and have the woman repatriated under protection back to Thailand. But there are reports that there are organised prostitution rings from SE Asia, and from mainland China. It's more serious when it might involve minors. We will not allow this country to be a playground for organised crime of any sort, and that includes drugs. I have raised this matter with the US side, with the Australian side, to provide us with expert advice and training to combat drug trafficking, money laundering, prostitution, and so on, and Australia is providing such strong support. The US will provide FBI training for our personnel.

(ts)

Timor-Leste At Risk from Foreign Pedophiles

Internet Edition:

A German man aged approximately 80 years old "ai tongkat man" is alleged to have tried to have sexual relations with an "ai leva" boy that was selling his fruits and vegetable in the streets of Dili. A police officer told Tempo Semanal that, "the police has arrested an 80 year old German who has tried to give between 10-20USD to have sex with an "ai leva" boy last night (21/06). The German is apparently a resident of Thailand staying in a hotel and has been charged with sex assault. "We are watching him very closely." When Tempo Semanal asked how the authorities discovered the case the source said, "this is not the only boy as he has got several other boys already." On 16/06 police arrested a Brasilian who has been accused having relation with 4 under age girls.

Other stories of pedophiles in Timor.

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/06/13/1055220771239.html

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/archive/index.php/t-38720.html

Horta Angry About Brasilian Pedophile

Internet Edition:

In a press conference in his private home in Metiaut Dili on Thursday afternoon (18/06) President of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste Jose Ramos-Horta commented on the allegations that a 51 year-old male Brazilian whom may be a UN employee. “I have been informed by the police and Prosecutor-General that there are such allegations. Without saying that there is evidence, it is still upon the basis of reports and allegations. If indeed it is true, of course, it is a matter of serious concern. It is a crime. Whether it involves Timorese minors or foreign minors, it is totally unacceptable,” Horta said.

He added that, “Timor-Leste is not going to be a place where people without any scruples—from wherever they are—bring minors into this country, because there are reports of forced prostitution of Chinese brought from mainland China here, and from Thailand.”

Horta gave some examples, “There have been instances where we’ve managed to detect the network and have the woman repatriated under protection back to Thailand. But there are reports that there are organized prostitution rings from SE Asia, and from mainland China. It’s more serious when it might involve minors. We will not allow this country to be a playground for organised crime of any sort, and that includes drugs.”

The President of Timor-Leste wishes to solve the issue by asking for support from the friendly countries. “I have raised this matter with the United States and Australia to provide us with expert advice and training to combat drug trafficking, money laundering, prostitution, and so on, and Australia is providing such strong support. The US will provide FBI training for our personnel,” he ended.

Brasilian Arrested in Dili for Alleged Sexual Assault Against Minors / UNMIT Blocks access to information.

Internet Edition:

On Friday last week June 12 2009, and 51 Brazilian male national was arrested and charged with allegations of sexual assault against 4 under age Timorese girls. It is understood that the accused was arrested at a bar in Pantai Kelapa, Dili.

Both the United Nations Police (UNPol) and the Policia Nacional de Timor-Leste (PNTL) are investigating the case.

According to Tempo Semanal sources the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) has blocked issuing a press release on the issue. Several years ago there were other cases of pedophila ini Timor-Leste which involved other foreigners. In late 2006 a Nigerian was arrested after being found by authorities found by authorities attempting to organise 25 Timorese girls to sent to Syria. With regards to this case to Timorese nationals are still in custody. Some hotels in Dili are also run as brothels and owned by Chinese and or Indonesian nationals in partnership with Timorese, including some in position of authority.

There has been also been several case of trafficking of women, organized prostitution and drug smuggling on the country. Last in month in May 2009 2 Indonesian nationals arrested on related charges and are in becora and gleno prisons today awaiting trial.

Lucon A/S: Study “Timor-Leste Gas Export Pipeline Feasibility Study”, Addendum #2 to Tempo Semanal Edisaun 143

Pipeline Crossing of Timor Trench, Review of “Timor-Leste Gas Export Pipeline Feasibility Study”, Prepared for The Ministry of Development and Environment Timor-Leste Rev. 02 20 January 2005. To see the whole report click on the link.

Tempo Semanal Edisaun 143 addendum

Aust Embassy: Greater Sunrise must benefit Timor-Leste

READERS NOTE: Tempo Semanal is aware that it is not typical journalistic practice to directly express a newspaper’s opinion on such topics. The reporter responsible for this story intended the initial phrase of this story’s seventh paragraph to reflect opinions of sources he had consulted with. Tempo Semanal will write a formal correction notice in the next edition (22/06/09).

The Australian Embassy in Dili this week confirmed its government’s partnership with the Government of Timor-Leste to exploit the Greater Sunrise gas field will not commit to develop the field until a mutually viable plan has been established.

A spokesperson for the Embassy confirmed that the two governments are awaiting a presentation by a commercial consortium of their plan for exploitation of the field, which will include where and how they plan to process the gas extracted.

The consortium is led by Australian company, Woodside, and includes the foreign interests of Conoco Philips, Shell and Osaka Gas.

“No decision has been made on where a pipeline will go, or whether the gas will be processed at the site of extraction. This is a commercial decision for the companies involved, in accordance with the treaties,” stated the spokesperson.

The spokesperson also stated that, contrary to recent commentary, the Government of Timor-Leste would not be at a loss if a pipeline from Greater Sunrise was not constructed to Timor-Leste, given arrangements for Australia’s and Timor-Leste’s governments to each receive 50% of petroleum taxation revenues from the area.

“The suggestion that Timor-Leste will not benefit from the development of Greater Sunrise if the pipeline does not come to Timor-Leste is not correct. Shared production revenues from Bayu Undan (from which gas is piped to Darwin, Australia) are already providing the bulk of resources for the government budget through the Petroleum Fund and, with continued prudent management, will do so for many years into the future. Similarly, petroleum taxation revenues from the Greater Sunrise development would be an extremely valuable source of income for Timor-Leste for many years.”

It is this newspaper’s opinion (according to Timorese Government and business sources) that a pipeline to Timor-Leste would benefit this nation in ways other than through these taxation revenues, not least through commercially expressing its population’s national aspirations to retain greater control of resources that lie closer to Timor-Leste than Australia.

In keeping with previous arrangements, the Government of Australia is obliged to include the Government of Timor-Leste in decisions regarding the Greater Sunrise gas field. The Australian Embassy’s response to this newspaper’s questions and an Australian Embassy press release from 2 June have confirmed this, and do not give any indication of behaviour that may jeopardise Timor-Leste’s profits from future Greater Sunrise revenues.

Moreover, the Government of Timor-Leste’s long-term consultation with various interested parties indicates a maturity in its planning strategy that recognises each party’s position and is determined not to be taken advantage of, as may have happened in the past.

In 2004, the Australian company, Woodside, misled the Government of Timor-Leste when it was investigating options for transporting and potentially processing natural resources from Greater Sunrise.

A 2004 Norwegian report into Woodside’s feasibility study earlier that year criticised the company for approximately doubling the cost of constructing a pipeline to this nation’s southern coast from the minimum cost required.

In an exclusive interview with Tempo Semanal this week (see pages one and seven of this edition), Timor-Leste’s Secretary of the State for Natural Resources, Alfredo Pires, confirmed the need to be cautious in future planning, given how important future petroleum revenues are to one of the most underdeveloped nations in south-east Asia.

“Timor-Leste is not a mere stakeholder in the sunrise issue: we are owners,” Mr Pires said.

“We are very concerned of the viability of a project. That is why we have done other studies on the side to prove some suspicions we had. So far those suspicions had been proved correctly.”

“The Timor-Leste option is much more viable than what we’ve been lead to believe.”

In its press release on 2 June, the Australian Embassy stated the Australian Government had not urged Woodside or the Government of Timor-Leste to build a pipeline to Darwin, and did not comment on the integrity of Woodside’s past or present dealings in the Greater Sunrise issue.

“It is the companies who will be taking the risk in investing the billions of dollars required to establish the infrastructure necessary to extract and process the gas, so it is they, not our government, who must determine how best to process the gas,” the spokesperson said.

While at times it may be hard to distinguish between a Government’s interests and those of a company from the same country, this newspaper recognises that the Australian Government acknowledges the Government and people of Timor-Leste’s interests in maximising national benefits from Greater Sunrise exploitation.

According to an interview with Mr Pires in this edition of Tempo Semanal, the Government of Timor-Leste still appears to be pursuing a national pipeline strategy, and is prepared to delay the Greater Sunrise’s exploitation if such a strategy may not benefit Timor-Leste in the manner its people require.

Tempo Semanal Edisaun 143

Timor-Leste Proven It’s Suspicious of Australian Woodside Company

Tempo Semanal, Dili, Timor-Leste

Including an Exclusive Interview with Mr. Alfredo Pires, East Timor Secretary of State for Natural Resources

The Government of Timor-Leste is firm in its position to find ways of bringing the pipeline from the Greater Sunrise oil field, a joint development area between Australia and Timor-Leste, to its territory. Timor-Leste is Asia’s poorest country. This initiative, according to the government, will give the necessary boost to the economy and assist with addressing such issues poverty and infant mortality. In a statement the Australian embassy in Dili said it agreed that the project should become an engine for development but added the way to proceed “is to let commercial operators get on with the job they know best, extracting and processing those resources in the most cost effective way, thus maximizing the benefits that will flow to the people of Timor-Leste, both for the current generation and in the future”. However, Rui Castro, a businessman and former resistance activist, was adamant that Australia should be more sympathetic to its neighbor and let the pipeline come to Timor-Leste. Castro said that Timor-Leste had helped Australia in its hour of need during World War 2 and many Timorese had died in the cause of Australian freedom. “ The Timorese people have forgiven past transgressions by our Australian neighbors, including the signing of a oil agreement during the Indonesian period, and all we’re asking for is a that the Australian government understand that we are a new nation trying to end poverty, develop a health service, and create jobs for the many thousands of unemployed youth”, Castro said. He continued, “We ask that Australia understands our position. We don’t want to be continually asking for donor funds but ask that we be given the chance to develop our economy and one of the best ways of achieving this is that the pipeline comes to Timor-Leste.”

Woodside prefers to drop the Timor-Leste option arguing that it’s to risky because of the trough in the sea between the Greater Sunrise oil/gas field and Timor-Leste, even though the distance is only 150 km. However, Australia’s Woodside Company has chosen an option of a 500 km distance from the Greater Sunrise field to Darwin. A few weeks ago in a meeting in Darwin, the Timor-Leste side noticed that the company had prepared a site in Darwin for the Sunrise LNG plant. Commenting on Woodside’s position Castro, said that Woodside has intentionally done this in order to bring the pipeline to Darwin. “Since 2004, Woodside has consistently ignored the Timor-Leste option which means there has been a plan and the intention has been to bring pipeline to Darwin”, Castro maintains. Castro has appealed to the Australian government to assist in bringing the pipeline to Timor-Leste. In a published document, Woodside has insisted that it is ‘committed to developing the Greater Sunrise resource in a fair and transparent manner’.

Meanwhile on Wednesday, (10/06/09) in an exclusive interview with Tempo Semanal, Mr. Alfredo Pires, East Timor Secretary of State for Natural Resources, said the Government of Timor-Leste has proven its suspicions towards Woodside. “Woodside is can not be consider being a prudent operator to look at Timor-Leste option for obvious reasons. So based on that and other things that Timor-Leste taken initiatives has come to a conclusion which we feel a very strong and very appropriate final outcome.”

Xanana Gusmao government has fought for the pipeline issue since the day he took office in August 2007 and Pires said if Woodside not cooperative then Timor-Leste may prepare for the worst decision: to not to develop the Greater sunrise field. “Timor-Leste feels strongly that pipeline for sunrise its only direction is to Timor-Leste. If not it’s very difficult for Timor-Leste to entertain any other options,” Pires give the option to Woodside.

Pires recently divulged information to Tempo Semanal about a new report from Norwegian Det Norke Veritas (DNV) Company, which says, “there is no stopper for the pipeline to come to Timor-Leste.” To know more about the Timor-Leste Government position please follow Tempo Semanal’s Interview with Mr. Alfredo Pires as below.

TS: Are you still optimistic that the pipeline still going to come to East Timor?

AP: Timor-Leste believes that the pipeline is very big possibility of coming to Timor-Leste on a number of fronts. On the technical aspects and on the commercial aspects, and also we look at the legal arrangement or the treaty arrangement. We have – there are clauses there that state that we need to look at the whole sunrise issue; not only at the technical and commercial issue, but we need to look at the all aspects as equity.

Timor-Leste is not as a mere stakeholders in the sunrise issue: we are owners. We can’t take this issue like this. We are owners. As owners, we need to make sure when we develop the resources. It’s in the interest of the state and companies, who need also to consider that issue. But now what Timor-Leste is requesting is not to make any projects not viable. We are very concerned of the viability of a project. That is why we have done other studies on the side to prove some suspicions we had. So far those suspicions had been proved correctly. The latest study which Timor-Leste has from a very reputable company, a 150-year-old Norwegian Company, stated quite clearly that there are no show-stoppers from the pipeline to come to Timor-Leste. These are some of the basic reasons, but among others reasons Timor-Leste feels strongly that a pipeline for sunrise’s its only direction is to Timor-Leste, if not it’s very difficult for Timor-Leste to entertain any other options.

TS: The Government of Timor-Leste maintains its position while Woodside is not considering the Timor-Leste option. Don’t you think the development of sunrise will happen shortly?

AP: At this stage I can assure you that it will not happen. Officially, the National Petroleum Authority has been ignored by Woodside. This is another attitude that we are not very happy with. Three concepts have been put forward to the National Petroleum Authority and Timor-Leste National Petroleum Authority has been requested for further details that need to look into the three options. And most specifically it feels that Timor-Leste option has not been given the right attention. In particular now, we have studies from the side to proof that the Timor-Leste option is much more viable than what we’ve been lead to believe. And it’s based on this finding and others studies that were previously done. I must remind everyone that in the previous Government, a leading Norwegian expert on the pipeline stated quiet clearly, after looking at the Woodside study, that Woodside can not be considered being a prudent operator to look at Timor-Leste option for obvious reasons. So based on that and other things that Timor-Leste taken initiatives has come to a conclusion which we feel a very strong and very appropriate final outcome.

TS: Do you have an access to the recent studies from Woodside reports and what is your opinion on it?

AP: Yes, we have access to those new reports and those new reports have been looked at by the National Petroleum Authority, which still considers a lot of work needs to be done and has sent back. But while sending back those reports, Woodside continued their statement that the Timor-Leste option is no longer an option. Those international statements are not very appropriate. We think they are misleading. We think the senior management in Woodside are misleading the shareholders of Woodside. This is a serious thing. But from Timor-Leste part taking into consideration our argument about the treaty that we signed. About equity, and we feel it is only fair that the children of Australia—particularly Darwin—enjoying the benefits of a LNG plant in Australia and it’s only fair that its time for Timor-Leste to also enjoy the benefits and business confidence that will come along with the LNG plant in Timor-Leste.

TS: There are some arguments that say that East Timor lacks human resources and has less expertise to work in the LNG Plant and will hire more people from other countries to work in the LNG plant if it come to Timor-Leste. What is your comment please?

AP: That argument we don’t accept at all. Within this argument, though, they appeared to be quite solid. But once we look at it deeply, we can easily dismantle the whole argument. Specifically for Timor-Leste, the position we are in now as a young nation at the stage of its economy, to not to grow but to take off so a LNG plant to Timor-Leste will act as starter motor for the economy in regard of its ten billion dollar investment in Timor-Leste. That will definitely attract a lot of attention and a lot of business confidence. It’s nothing new. It’s a similar affect that’s happening in Darwin at the moment. And that is what we are requesting now. The immediately affect on Timor-Leste, being a country with very high child mortality, I’m sure that with a few years time the jobs will be created immediately in the area of Be Asu, and the child mortality will have an impact as people simply getting to jobs. People are supplying goods to the supply bases it will create spin off but the sort of affects is going down even to the level child mortality, at least in that region of Timor-Leste. Now, for us, it’s about this: it’s about child mortality. If the pipeline is going to Australia they will benefit the children of Australia, a lot of benefit. But I think the children of Darwin have all the right of the Australian have. They have good strong economy and Darwin is a town that Timor-Leste also dreamed one day we could be half of Darwin or even a quarter of Darwin. These are the things that we need to look into the whole formula or we need to into the whole aspect of Sunrise as well. So it is not about making money or not making money. We know that the Timor-Leste option also a money-making machine and there are people who’re prepared to take the risks of an LNG plant to come to Timor-Leste. So we need to sit down and talk this through quite a lot more. But at this stage we don’t think start to talk it yet.

TS: A clause in the agreement states that the company has exclusive rights to decide on the pipeline issues. Don’t you think your government is violating the IUA by interfering in the process?

AP: We need to go back to the whole resource, the whole agreements that are in place. The company itself as we said before that there were previous studies stated that Woodside is not a prudent operator to look at the Timor-Leste options, and if the recent studies continue, the saying more studies to be done here and there. So this means it’s an issue, that if someone has done a bad job, we just can’t go on believing them. You have to make a decision sometime. And we might have to look at other means. Now, the reality of it is that the efforts Timor-Leste has done on the suspicions that the Timor-Leste option was not looked at carefully, has been proven correctly that the Timor-Leste option is much more viable than what we have been lead to believe. This is quite serious. So we just can’t go on like this blindly.

TS: It seems likely that your government has been very suspicious of Woodside then?

AP: No, we like to work together but it’s we better do it properly. Woodside is a strong company. It’s got its own abilities. But as any stakeholders in players of natural resources, we need to look at the bigger picture of how natural resources are to be developed and, to continue to maintain very hard stance, it maybe difficult to go anywhere. And what’s important for Timor-Leste is that Sunrise is not a priority for Timor-Leste itself. It something we can very easily leave on the ground for the next generation. And right now if things don’t progress and move in a fair manner, Timor-Leste will be pressured to take what I call the fourth option, which means to leave it to future generations.

TS: If Woodside agreed on the East Timor option, would you let the production go?

AP: If once we decide that the pipeline comes to Timor-Leste, there is no reason why we should not start looking at detailed studies of Greater Sunrise. It’s a process I think that will take 4 or 5 years, if we decide tomorrow to have gas coming out of Timor-Leste.

TS: Don’t you think Timor-Leste really needs more money from Greater Sunrise at this stage to develop the country?

AP: No….Because Timor-Leste right now has money in the bank. Our ability to spend: we have four, close to five, billion dollars. We have capacity to spend about 400 million. So for the next five years what we have in the bank even we do have a system still high. We do have a system that prevents us to spend but when the situation comes we can work around that. But if we should have Sunrise, yes we can take development a bit further. That’s what I need to emphasise. But what I need to emphasise is that, as a state, that a major paradigm has changed in Timor-Leste from 2 years ago, from the whole history of Timor-Leste: Timor-Leste now has money. So for anyone who has money, it becomes a bit difficult for someone to tell them what to do. That is the situation in Timor-Leste.

TS: Does Timor-Leste know the figures for the pipeline between Timor-Leste and Darwin? As Woodside put it, the Darwin option is very cheap compared to the Timor-Leste’s options.

AP: This one we can argue on that. On the pipeline itself, we need to understand that major component of a pipeline is the price of steel and the machine that lays the barge. The DNV’s studies have looked at the recent price studies and recent technology available for a pipeline, and the figures that are coming out—I will not quote exact figures—but they are showing that the pipeline itself has a very good chance that the Timor-Leste option is much cheaper for the pipeline itself, simply because of one thing: it’s shorter. Now the argument is that you’d require a higher technology, a more expensive technology; that one we can sit down and debate, considering that there are number of pipes around the world now that have been laid at that level. Now in India they have done it with some detailed studies of a pipeline going in 3500 m. So this news is very encouraging for Timor-Leste, that people are looking at much deeper pipes than in Timor-Leste. The geology of is not as unstable as we have been made to believe. So these things need to be confirmed. This things need to be looked at before a decision is made, because a pipeline to Timor-Leste is very important.

TS: What are the kind of figures that Woodside would indicate if the pipeline goes to Darwin?

AP: The Woodside reports indicate the pipeline itself to Darwin would be cheaper – the pipeline itself. But a lot of factors go in to determining the cheapness and a lot of assumptions are going in, so from whichever points of view that you want to look at it, you may be able to regulate the outcome.