Lagoa of Comoro River Estuary

Rivers when flown through by storm water in rainy season become extremely overwhelming, and intimidating.  Runoff water flows ragingly along the banks, erodes anything on its way even the concreted riverbank walls. People who live nearby are usually anxious, afraid of being affected. But how it feels when the water filling the river stays calm and static?

Comoro River is seasonal. It gets water when there is rain. No water remains after the rain; the storm water usually goes straight down to the sea because of the short distance of upstream to downstream. The river empties in short time. The river then becomes dried, dusty, and barren. What worse are sand diggers or miners excavate the deposit or materials for sell. This mining activity is not a very good thing for the river to stay intact to serve its functions.

After all the downside, the Comoro River estuary shows something that could be tapped and enjoyed buy the community in Dili. The estuary got filled by seawater after high tides in recent weeks. The seawater intruded up to like 400-500 meters long to the upstream. The water then trapped after the tides transported sands and closed the way out.

The trapped water now stays inside the enclosed estuary. There, a small Lagoa (lake) created. The water stays calm allowing mosses, small fishes, and other biodiversity around the area start to form. Birds and other animals get a new plaza at the side of the river to roam around. The Lagoa looks very natural and fresh in the morning time.

The Comoro River estuary is a public space. Some people go there to exercise; not only that, it is one of the best sunset spots in Dili. When this small lake formed, it adds more attraction not only for the biodiversity but for people. Many people go there to take photos. The main features that they would like to capture with when they take photos are the lake itself, the sunset, and some part of the sea body. The whole area of the estuary is now getting more photogenic. 

I was sitting on river protection wall while looking over the Lake; the water is so calm, and beautiful. It is so relaxing that I could listen to the sound of birds, and feel the gust of wind that is so fresh. I was thinking that whether the government can do something to this estuary in a long term plan.  It needs some engineering intervention to keep the Lake stay longer and public infrastructure arrangement as well. I was imagining if in the future, the lake does not only serve as photo spot, but also paddling of small canoes. This is mostly considerable when I think about the development of Dili International airport. Tourists could see this when they fly overhead. This calm water makes people to come closer and love rivers more instead of afraid of it.

**I hope this gives you an inspiration. 

Sea, Air, Land, and Underground Strikes on Dili City

Today’s morning I walked down to the beach to see the impact of the tidal floods happened yesterday afternoon, 28 May 2021. It affected several beachfront houses, and roads. The beachfront area of Pantai Kelapa, and Bebonuk were the most affected. The tides tore off some of the squatter housing located on the beach, and the tides even crossed the road and flooded some of the houses on the other side. It did not cause deaths but it did disrupt the traffic, and damage some squatter housing making the people to evacuate for a few hours. The event was warned already by the Meteorological Agency of the Government. The agency predicted that there were possible high tides, and wind storms due to ….bla..bla (dunno scientific terminologies). People were asked to be vigilant, particularly at the beachfront.

This is another strike on Dili city, which I call it Sea strike. The beachfront areas in Dili are prone to tidal floods.  People are living in the beach which makes them the first layer to be hit by the high tides. The impact won’t come next year but is happening now and will just intensify as there are no mitigation measures taken to relocate the current squatters, and prohibit future development at the beachfront. Just for you to imagine that somewhere up to the area of Caicoli will below the sea level just in 50 years. Please imagine! For me, if there are no adaptation measures taken to prevent sea water to flow as far as Caicoli, for sure, the prediction will surely be proven correct; and it means our children won’t see Palacio do Guverno anymore.

Before these tidal floods, there was a huge Air strike on the Dili city occurred two months ago. The government declared a state of calamity due to the heavy rains occurred across the country from 29 March to 4 April which resulted in flash floods. The floods affected a sizable area of Dili. It inundated approximately around 90% from the total across the country- or 25,881 households in Dili municipality, and 41 Fatalities in total. The impacts of Air strike will intensify due to the climate change, poor land use plan, and disorganized physical development. 

Also I have got a few friends who fly drones. They showed me pictures of how Dili got Land strike very hard after heavy rains. People living in the upstream of the city, and notoriously on the hills, they have also been hit very hard. Landsides on the hills and river bank erosion caused houses literally yanked out from the ground. There is no hope to recover from this kind of damage because rebuilding means soil ground stabilization first which I think impossible for individuals to afford. If they keep living in the same area then, I will let you to imagine.

As the city grows and being burdened by mass production of load and the weakening ground prop, underground strike is also possible. Dili city’s underground water is being sucked out as the population grows. Now, population of Dili is around 300k; underground water is exploited uncontrollably, and this is not good for the stabilization of the ground for the future. I remember, the city of Jakarta, some experts predict the land subsidence is happening often, and the city will collapse.

Lately, Dili city is being hit by disaster from rains, storm water floods, landslides, tidal floods, and possible land subsidence. Well, like a war, you have to understand the nature of your enemies, also like where they will strike from. Now it is important to study those disasters that have occurred, and try to do something carefully, and systematically to solve. The country has been independent for about more than 20 years, but most things done are responsive not preventive.  I take the analogy of war because it might be easily understandable because I have seen recently that most Timorese are interested to talk more about Israel and Palestinian war instead of their own problems.

 

 ** I hope this gives you an inspiration.

Trail Shaped by Nature

“When left alone, the nature eventually takes over.” This is what happens to the circular road right at the toe of Cristo Rei’s statue hill. The road was progressively damaged by waves. I remember the first damage occurred years back. It was just news without intervention until the road paralyzed and is totally out of service. Ever since the road had not been in use and impassable by cars.

Some people complained for this long abandoned road never came back to open because it could be an alternative route for them to go to Hera, and on to the East side of the country. Dili residents similarly have limited options to go farther of the coast line of Cristo Rei. They have to park the cars in the other side and then walk to Dolok Oan.

The abandoned road has shaped a new character and serves new functions.  Trees and grass have outgrown the used to be asphalt and concrete surface. The trees getting taller and the grass getting thicker in the rainy season. It is a new space for birds, and other animals to live in. The sound or birds quite relaxing; while walking, you could also see the sunlight shines through the tree canopy. This has shaped a new character of this area as before.

This nature-shaped character made the road is not for cars anymore but people. People go there for jogging. It is a place to go farther if you want to be alone; it also becomes a fishing spot. Locals and even foreigners go there for fishing, both day and night times. The road severs the new functions.

Since the abandoned road could also provide benefits for the environment, and the people, what do you think that this place should be for? to restore the function by rehabbing the road to bring back the cars or Keep as it is now for people to enjoy the nature, and their leisure time? I will leave it for you to answer if you are from Dili. 

** Hope this gives you and inspiration

Policy of Second-Hand Cars Import

It is kinda ridiculous when I hear the government will stop importing second-hand cars in the name of climate change with no clear details. I went to my home town, Lospalos two weeks ago. Even the national road has improved, I barely encountered vehicle enroute in every 20 minutes. Another reality is, in remote villages, you cant even find any public transport. So the communities have to use their eleven transport (walking) to anywhere they need to. I cannot imagine, if only brand new cars allowed in this country, what it would be like.   

I watched the statement of Secretary State of Environment saying that by working with the Ministry of Transport, they will make a policy to stop second-hand cars import. The objective of this policy is to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions from motorized transport sector. It is, indeed, a fact that global motorized transport GHG emission is quite contributing to the global warming, but not our per capita emissions. I don't search numbers, but I am confident on my feeling that our transport GHG emission is negligible compared to other emission sources. For example, I heard that deforestation is the leading source of emissions in Timor-Leste. 

I mean, doing something to tackle climate change does not have to be like what big countries are doing. The big countries whose roads are now crazily packed with cars stop importing certain ages of cars. And even some roads only allow certain types of transport such as electrical cars that have no emissions at all. We can work towards the same cause, but the efforts have to be adjusted into the local context.  

Instead, there are some local issues that the government must work and focus on to reduce air pollutions in Dili city that in parallel will reduce transport GHG emissions. For example, what the government has done to sort out very old yellow taxies, mikrolet, dump trucks that are now sill in operation? what the government has done to develop public transport? infrastructure for people to walk? and good drainage system that reduce dust? 

I think those are the classic and complex issues that are priority. We need to adjust our climate change mitigation or adaptation efforts into these contextual issues. I personally agree on the policy of reducing second-hand cars import, but the policy has to consider many aspects, realistic, and rational.    

**hope this gives you an inspiration.  

New More Improved Walking Space

Lately we have seen frequent asphalt laying activity in Dili. I am totally in favor for this kind of policy because paving urban roads can improve accessibility, safety, aesthetic, and health as well. Maybe other than water and electricity, road improvement should come more often as well. The direct benefit for me is I can walk safely and comfortably in many more neighborhoods. I feel like changing my path in every walking would boost the mood, and it would also add new urban experience at once.

My existing preferred walkable routes are Timor Plaza - Ponte Habibi road, seaside road, grid roads of Colmera, Lecidere, and Farol. But now the list adds up to Kampung Alor  - Ministry of Finance building, and I would love to try deeper neighborhoods. But let me dream first for this because it is not safe to walk there, for example, into part of Comoro neighborhoods.

    

We understand that the road improvement does not include the complete components. But at least one by one should start, other components can follow later. For example, improving incomplete sidewalks, restoring sidewalks taken over by on-street parking, installing street lights, etc. 

** Hope this gives you an inspiration 

Notion of New RDTL National Parliament Building

A national parliament building represents people's identity, and that the people feel proud of their existence being unique. Functionally, the building provides space for the people, represented by a bunch of talkers, to critic or support ideas on how to make public lives better. So, I think it is normal to dream of having a new national parliament building like what the President of Parliament alluded two weeks ago.

 

The building currently used by the National Parliament is a meeting hall located at the backside of the Government Palace. I heard that, prior independence, it was used for provincial government meetings, and etc. It is located in the backdoor, the space-use is so squished. Parliament office rooms are made of prefabricated materials, and parking space is packed during busy times. It also sits in city center that , in many ways, affect so much to the public interest. For example, traffic chaos occur due to frequent road closures for demonstrations, official events such as foreign dignitary state visits, and annual state budget debates.  

 

There are many people opposing this so-called ambitious plan due to many reasons but financial. Yes, we do still have many priority areas that we must spend money on. For example, on health, and  education sectors, and basic infrastructure services. However, it does not mean that the government can not start to think about it. The government can start a serious planning, strong political decision power, and do it in phases. One reason why the government needs to plan it seriously is that because there have been different plans showing up which come from different leaders in different times. For example, few years back, the planned location was in Tasi-Tolu. There has been design of a super building taking up Tasi-Tolu lakes (picture above). The location now has moved to Hera. This shows that the notion deserve total opposition from the public. 

 

Constructing a national parliament building and complex does cost hundreds of millions of this $. RDTL does not have money to make the project a one go like most major infrastructure projects in the past which took up so much to other priority areas. So, the government has to be wise enough. At least from the beginning to make the public believe by providing a definitive location (acquire the land) based on studies, not based on personal preference. Next will be bringing basic infrastructure, and then will be the building?. Considering the opposing argument, I think the government can still do it, but in a realistic way. 

 

The challenging thing is that decisions are made not rationally, but emotionally most of the times. Things tend to be done quick and fast in order to satisfy short terms goals. This kind of attitude should be changed by our society sooner or later, or we go bankrupt.  

 

**Hope this gives you an inspiration.  

Housing for FALINTIL Veterans

Source

 

I am one of you who respects very much of the sacrifice of our best independence fighters or FALINTIL Veterans. I mean, Veterans, the ones who hid in deep mountains for 24 years fighting. They sacrificed their own wellbeing, life convenience, family members, almost everything, I would say. With that being said, we are now independent.

Today is FALINTIL's 45th anniversary. In the last 20 years of our independence, it is not fair to keep seeing that some of the Veterans even live in a worse condition than the time living in the mountains. They are getting sick but no adequate health services, they don't even own or entitle to a house. I saw Facebook posting today showing a veteran lives in an old Indonesian-built house given by neighbor. You can imagine, how ironic it is to see an independence veteran lives in such situation while opportunists live luxurious?

Getting adequate housing is a basic right for every citizen, but housing for FALINTIL Veterans is a right and obligation as well that this country has to provide. The state has to initiate a proper housing program that covers improvement of living conditions.  We must recognize that the pension fund that being paid to the Veterans is far from enough to improve their living conditions.   

It is impossible to build a house with $200 (maybe a little more) bucks monthly pension money; thus providing housing separately will be a miracle. They State has to come asking them where to build the house, to what extent their housing need is, and thus suitable, and adequate housing can be provided. 

The kind of mainstream public housing is not going to work for the Veterans. For example, relocating them all together to one place, same size of building, the worse is without sustainable basic infrastructure such as water, and electricity is only to make their living condition worse than improving.

When we call housing is not simply about a bunch of buildings constructed and lived in by human beings, but a home for the Veterans. The housing has to match with their needs, their capacity to maintain, their home to feel happy living inside. Providing housing to the FALINTIL Veterans is a proportional appreciation to their sacrifice. 

**Hope this gives you an inspiration.

  

New Jetty New Hope

 

This is another new infrastructure in Dili that can support tourism development, a new ferry jetty. Before tourism, I think there is no body in this country who is happier than people from Oe-cusse and Atauro. Also, tourists both local and foreign will have the same feeling. From now on they have a dedicated facility to depart and arrive at. Their departure from Dili will be a whole lot more comfortable and safer now.

 

The jetty project was financed by Japanese government through a grant aid project. Different from the current old, small, enclosed, and unsafe area, the new jetty has an ample space to wander in. People can see each other off while taking selfie photos as well as do other fun activities. They will no longer be worried of getting hit by a car, or forklift which is busy lifting cargo containers near the ferry ramp. 

It becomes a new node for people who are going out and in of Dili via sea water. They will see this new jetty as a destination and origin before their homes. Since it is a new thing, we hope more people can't wait to experience. The new positive experience is going to be told in folds from mouth to mouth across islands, and countries. The improving image of Dili can start to build up.

 
There is still one shortcoming though. The government needs to construct a terminal building to complete the whole facility. It is necessary to have a functional, comfortable, and if possible, attractive and modern terminal building.

**Hope this gives you an inspiration.





 

China and Infrastructure in Timor-Leste

I have been seeing the reality of China’s power in the world’s economy. I would tentatively believe, as many experts I read argue that China would outdo USA and other major economies. It is increasingly yes. Electronic and many small products in America are coming from China; I did not ask but I saw made-in china or at least a product is assembled in china. In Japan, one time I went there, I bought gifts for my friends, I could not refuse to buy made-in china stuff; I bought it and lied that “it is from and made in Japan.” My friends were happy that I brought something from Japan, but made in China. If USA and Japan, at least the countries where I have experienced myself, were invaded by Chinese products, Timor-Leste must be powerless for such a force.

 

For Timor-Leste, it is not only crappy products from China that are flowing in to the country, but more, its development companies are flocking in to build better infrastructure. We have seen the national electrification project was done by a Chinese company. Electrification project was, so far, the biggest project in our infrastructure development history. It was worth like almost a half billion. It was also the most ambitious project that was ever done because the project was planned to bring electricity to the whole country at once. In just two years, Chinese workers built two power plants, many sub-stations, and stretchered towers for power lines in a country where its terrain is wild, its culture is different, and its people are sometimes hostile to new cultures. It was unbelievable that Chinese workers could go thought those challenges effectively and implemented the project successfully.

Now China has shifted the attention to transportation infrastructure projects. It is not only the attention; they are actually doing it already. All current national road projects are nearly being done by just Chinese contractors. As I traveled so far, passing through national roads, Chinese are the champion. To know the phenomena of Chinese presence, when you travel to districts, ask around, or read project information boards, or look at workers. Chinese presence is massive from one sector of development to another every time.

 

Chinese presence in the infrastructure development is not always a bad thing. We desperately need others to assist us. We need to outsource other resources in order to complement our massive errors attributable to inconsistency to improve. What I am concerned instead, people are critical and cynical towards Chinese presence but being hypocrite, corrupt, and irresponsible at the same time. As International companies coming to another country, I believe Chinese contractors do not work like in a wild world. They are bind by rules, and codes. Fortunately, those who enforce rules and codes are not politicians who always appear on TV every day saying theoretic.  

 

We heard so many of us are overly worried about the quality of Chinese work. Wait! but our work for our very own country is worse than the fear that we have on what Chinese could procure. The fact is that road construction quality made by ourselves is crappier. How can you imply we are better than Chinese if asphalts are broken again just after two to six months after the completion? How can you imply we are more professional than Chinese if road projects do not even have contracts before implementation? Contract deals are done through phone calls or just meet up at cafés or restaurants? How can you imply we are more responsible than Chinese if projects are abandoned for years without any penalties? How can you imply we are nationalists if we are just interested in profits more than the sacrifice required for your own country? People, Look at many major projects to show you the evidence.

 

Chinese may help building infrastructure for us; however, sustaining it to the long term service will no longer their responsibility but ours. We know as will be overwhelmed by the quantity of major infrastructure assets that need to be taken care of in the future. The current state of national public service, consultants, contractors which have limited human resources and capacity will make it difficult to maintain all new and upgraded infrastructures. The concern will be aggravated by corruption and other inherent negative mindsets and behaviors that debilitate our ability to continue maintain what others already built for us. One of my foreign friends always told me that “you guys good at building things but bad at maintaining them.”

 

I am not advocating China here; believe me, I am not interested to learn Mandarin; however, we should just accept our reality. The first reality is we don’t have enough human and other resources to perform better than Chinese in our own infrastructure projects. I believe in one way, they are experienced, responsible, and they work much better. They must have gone through procurement processes in which they were seen qualified, reasonably cheaper but would do it properly than other competitors. We also should accept Chinese because we never want to learn to grow from our failures. It is we, who want Chinese to be here. They see opportunities that Timorese are lazy but wanting luxurious living standard, rich but poor in professionalism, Timorese prefer to go global but forget local, etc. All those things make Chinese presence is justifiable. Instead of mocking Chinese in our country, we must steal their example of work spirits, passions, and other positive things while they are still here.

 

 

**Hope this gives you an inspiration.

 

The Wrongly Placed Two Bridges

Ponte Tono

Source

A few days ago a dude posted a picture on Facebook comparing a two bridge project costs information. One is from a newly-built Ponte Tono, in Oecusse and one is Ponte Comoro in Dili, the capital. Ponte Comoro’s cost is way way higher than Tono’s. When I looked at the photo closely, I saw a significant structural and look difference. Although Ponte Tono is less expensive, it looks very elegant; Ponte Comoro, on the other hand, was costly but looks dull. I apologize if I am, too, wrong regarding the cost since I could not find a reliable source to confirm it. However, my point is not about the cost.

Ponte Comoro

Source

I would swap the two bridges if I were witch. Ponte Tono should have been in Comoro instead. The rationale is because Ponte Comoro is dull; it is too dull for Dili, a place where the biggest money leaks here but does not get things it deserves. It is not only functions that matter; it should have also been a land mark for its locales and users from in and out; it should have also been a property that the community is proud of collectively as a progressive society as we aim to achieve.  

The reason that I am missing good looking bridge structures like Tono Bridge in Dili is because I am dreaming to have new more photogenic objects in Dili to blog about. Bridges are photogenic. They are not only hooking us up from a point A to point B, but it also provides a space for us to look out without buildings blocking us, ayes to reach out horizons towards greeny Dare and Fatu Ahi, and getting gust of wind blown from Atauro.

It is good to have a bridge that has co-benefits. However, the dream has gone because Comoro’s bridge had been designed as it is currently looking dull. It is no other than just to serve people to get around although there was sufficient resource to do more than that.  

It is fine though. I can shift my attention to Oecusse, to Ponte Tono, a good looking one that I can visit someday although it is far.

**I hope this gives you an inspiration

My Country’s Small Airport Might Be Safer from Terrorists but That Is Not My Comparison

Nowadays, a notable airport is no longer defined by the state of the art design it represents, high class services it has to offer, or its level of crowd. More than that I define a notable airport is an airport that pursues every effort at any time to make sure that people are safe going through it. Of course this is highly anecdotal and experience-based bias, but making an airport, not only safe but extra safe from terrorist attack becomes very expensive to guarantee, and apparently only few places can afford to do so as far as I have experienced myself.

The idea of this entry came into my mind when I saw news about Brussels attacks yesterday. It came to my mind as I have been conditioned to believe that European and American airports should outdo any airport at its class to top the safety rankings. But I feel like a small airport in my country is the safest one. One, it is because terrorists might not even know whether it exists; it only has five flights every day from and to just three different foreign destinations.  

That is not my comparison in here though. From Dulles, Washington, JFK, NYC, or O-hare Chicago, or airports in Asia, I have not seen peculiar security checks until at the Ben-Gurion airport, Israel. This is where I saw how they do everything they can to increase the probability of safety confidence. I thought using conventional way of screening people like interviewing passengers at the boarding gate would be irritating. Not to mention screening people based on racial profiling would be so discriminative. However, people live with it.

I somehow experienced myself of profiling. I thought I was not really welcomed in that place, that I would like to fly back home immediately by a magic carpet of Aladdin. I even heard a New Yorker standing behind me wowing the security check mechanism that he told me he has never seen anywhere in the States. That is because he saw the two airport guys unloaded two Europeans’ huge suitcases at the security check-in gate and screened the piece by piece of every object in it. “What a work,” the New Yorker told me.

But I came to realize that for the common safety, some individuals need to sacrifice their rights, freedom, and egoism. That is why I did not complain of anything although I was treated in a way I felt it was discriminative or too much. I would also think that it is very expensive for some individuals to accept when they are treated differently as they are used to. And that is the time their common safety is at a stake.  

Although I feel like the peculiarity I have seen might result in a meaningful impact why Ben-Gurion airport holds a tittle of one of the safest airports, I feel like there is no way other than peaceful humanity can prevent such things to happen more frequent. When human beings can be more inclusive and tolerant, we will not need such extra security checks to feel safe.

**Hopes this gives you an inspiration

The telecommunication industry is still worse after I returned

       When I approached my last weeks of study in the US, last year, my sponsor sent me a video containing tips of addressing potential cultural shocks if students return to their home countries after living overseas for a while. The video perplexed me because I did not believe it would be true. How can I be shocked with my own culture? It sounds weird to some of us. However, it is true theoretically, based on research studies, the video explains the process why it could happen to expat students after they return home. Just an example, when you live outside of your country, you might experience a more reliable telecommunication service, but your country’s is fucked up; your phone plan credits are sucked in a matter of seconds with no reasons.  How would you feel? The feeling is part of the cultural shock thing.     

       By the way, I ended up agreeing everything that the video explains. However, I am not shocked, at all, with acute corrupt behaviors and politics. It has been and will be here for an undefined period. Instead, the shocking thing after I returned is the telecommunication service. I still remember, experts and politicians of this country used to argue that allowing competition in the industry would lower costs for users. However, the claim has never happened.

       Is there anybody agreeing with me, your internet plans are even more expensive than in America or Australia? Let’s imagine non-monetary costs you lose that tradeoff monetary costs of an American or Australian phone plan, for instance. You are told to have a very good plan. You refill five bucks for a 1 GB data ration; a half of it is gone before you even click anything yet. Another, your signal is on and off even when you are roaming like a homeless in downtown. Not to mention hassles dealing with the call center. The guy or lady tells you to wait until a problem is fixed, but you wait until the next day, there is nothing fixed. A week ago, you could not even do refills, and contact to the call center for two days. Those are more expensive than a fifty bucks phone plan per month.   

       Timor Telecom is the poorest service provider in our telecommunication history. It is the first, oldest, and richest, but the worst one. Why? it has never changed since I knew it sometime ten years ago, by the time we proudly got it as an independent country. I feel like Timor Telecom is like a regime, political entity which no one has been able to break its wall for a change. People said that the shareholders are influential people, that is why, complains have never been taken into account although some group of people have voiced it out through political channels to put pressure for changes in its service quality. Hopefully, it is not accurate.      

       The main message that I would like to express here is not asking telecommunication services here to be as sophisticated as in developed countries like America and Australia. But, we never learn to change. NEVER. No, there is a change, but the course is backward.

**Hope this gives you an inspiration

Inaguração Projeto Infrastutura Luxo

Reitor universidade koa fita ba rehabilitação estrada sustentável

Bolu modelo Sana mak ne'e

Imagem iha leten ne’e ha’u bolu hanesan ceremónia inaguração nebé ha’u adora tebes. Ne’e laos tanba ceremónia ne’e luxo: ema bo’ot barak mak marka presenca, hahan barak, hemu wiskey, ou festa bo’ot. Maibe, tanba ninia simplicidade nebe mak tau prioridade as liu ba ‘isin’ duke ‘kulit.’ Isin tanba, obra nebe maka halo nia inaguração bá ‘koa fita’ ne’e remata keleur ona. Ninia qualidade diak tebes. Koa fita ne tan neing perturba público nia interese maske halao los iha fatin babain ema nungka mamuk. Evento ne’e acontese hanesa express, lori 20 minutos deit pasa ona. Ema fila isin tama ba ida-idak ninia baraka hodi halo servicos.   

Ida seluk tan maka inaguração ne’e lao hanesan festa ceremónia ema kiak nian. Público mai rona reitor universidade ninia palestra badak ne’e ho hamrik deit, iha loron matan okos; laiha ema ida (ita nian karik) maka tara salenda ba reitor ou ema dignitários seluk ninia kakorok wain hira sira mosu iha fatin. Ida seluk maka, ema la oferece aihan bo’ot ou luxo. Laiha koa dosi andar ou rabenta tinto botir. Público consume deit dosi bolo, pan cake. Pan cake ne’e ninia modelu ou forma ita hare hanesan sana, maibe la bo’ot no la belar hanesan ne’e. Imajina, han bolo mak be hemu laiha, sa tan kamat rua dala ida, bolo belit iha kakorok dada is la diak hotu.

Estrada Transformado 

Ceremónia hanesan ne’e acontese ba projeito físico nebe ho orçamento 11 milhões, pois aumenta tan 600 mill? ‘Fonte ne’e dehan.’ Ouh, então ne’e ita balun admira wain hira tutan hamutuk buat sira nebe maka acontese iha Timor. Baku fila deit lia fuan nebe hau temi iha leten. Karik ita comprende kedas saida mak bai-bain ita halo iha Timor quando compara ho saida maka hau conta hela ne’e.

Parte luxo mak ida ne’e. Perspetiva luxo husi ema ne’e ninian, maibe karik ita considera hanesan la moderno ida. Primeiro mak, inaguração ne’e halo ba projeto ida bolu dehan infrastrutura sustentavel. Projeto infrastutura ne’e haforca estrada no systema drainagem. Objetivo maka atu halo drainagem sira lao ho sustentavel; laos deit uja sumente no besi hodi facilita udan ben halai lalais maibe mos imita systema natureza. Componente natureza nian hanesan du’ut, kuda ai barak nebe abut bele susu be lalais no abut bele kaer metin rai ho força. Hirak ne’e sira considera hanesan projeto luxo tanba, agora rai nebe ita hela la diak liu maske ita uja sasan moderno deit. Karik ida ne’e ita considera laos luxo iha ita nia rain. 

Besi at mak ne'e

Segundo luxo maka, bis bestua ida bolu dehan KU Trolley ne’e maka tula reitor universidade nian mai fatin ceremónia. Bis bestua ne’e ema cuidado los hanesan osan mean bo'ot iha comunidade universidade ninian. Iha fatin ceremónia nian, público hotu hotu hateke bestua ne’e matan naklosu hanesan feto ran ida hare mane klosan bonito ida liu ba  ou mane klosan ida tolan kaben wain hira hare feto metan midar ou feto mutin ida liu iha ninia oin. Ema barak husu hakarak sae fali hanesan ne'e do que bis ida nebe mak sofer buti deit butão odamatan loke ona. Sira considera ida ne’e hanesan recurso luxo tanba valor istoria nian nebe sei nugka bele hetan wain hira sira failha preserva. Bestua ne’e sai mai halo operacão iha tinan 1910. Ne'e transporte primeiro ba escola. Tanba ne iha valor as tebes.

Istória ne hatudo licão mai ita katak, atu sai sociadade nebe mak desenvolvido ita la presija tengki moris hanesan ema rico. Halao sasan ho simplicidade, liu-liu tuir capacidade ita nian, ne furak liu do que ita halo buat nebe mak força la too maibe dudu deit. 

 **Espera katak istória ne’e bele fo inspiração

Small Lesson of Construction Management in the US

Construction Site at KU

University of Kansas is making aggressive investments. There are multiple construction projects in two academic years (2014 – 2016). I say these years are “the year of construction.” There are many “road closed” signposts at several campus street corners. The road construction project is the one that causes a temporary bus route change, and my on-campus trail route, too. This is sometimes disturbing for some people where their regular destination spot is hilly. They may need to do a half circular or loop walk up to the hilly terrain. It is good for health though.  

But this kind of construction management has never bothered me when I compare it with what I have seen in other places. The construction working has managed to reduce the level of disturbance as low as possible. It manages to open alternative walkways for the closed ones. The temporary ones are paved and fenced to make sure the safety of passersby even though there are not many in summer. The most impressing thing is the affected bus routes remain as close as possible to the original bus stops. This should not make students feel disturbed as a little change the construction activity has to cause. This of course needs a careful project management and monetary cost. But, what else is more important than people’s live and convenience? 

Generally, construction projects in the US do not need a huge manpower to accomplish; technology has taken over most of it. We barely see muscular but skinny men shoveling sands to trucks, carrying rocks, and pouring mix by hands, for example, to a molded sidewalk or road pit. Construction times have been cut half than it used to be. Times saved from such methods are reallocated for careful planning and study. That will result in good quality outcomes. And most importantly, workers are enjoying their job rather than hating it because of too much pressures.

This is not really a novel thing though. It just a real experience that I feel like public interests such as safety and convenience should always be the priority in such a kind of activity. To be honest, I hate road closing thing that usually comes with traffic bottleneck, traffic jam, and traffic route diversion. Some small places usually have little to care about public interest or whatsoever. So having such a good personal experience gives me a hope that my habitat would have more of that good thing to happen in the future.      

**Hope this gives you an inspiration