Wildlife In Jaco Is In danger due to Drought

My first time stepping my feet on Jaco Island was back in 2000, island with an area area of 11 square kilometres. Along with some other friends, we went there with an Australian-Timorese guy who had just come back from Australia after our independence. We went there by a brand new speed boat to fishing. We did trolling fishing, the boat slowly moving around the island, and finally stopped on the island to take some rest. Local guards of the island there told us that visitors are not allowed to camp on the island. The island is sacred.  

 

With that message being told, not many people usually do stuff there. Most are disciplined when they visit the island. Go visit, swim, and come back to mainland. When we look into core of the island, forest is untouched, animals come to sight, bird sound is the permanent music. I was quite impressed because the calmness, and its natural.

The island was naturally designated as a protected area because of the sacredness and local value. Few years back, the government started reinforcing the status by incorporating the island into a bigger national park zone called Nino Konis Santana National Park. This is the biggest national park in the country, the biggest lung of the country, and small one of the earth.

However, Jaco is in a dire situation at this moment. Since last week, there have been pictures viral on Facebook showing wildlife suffering to die due to drought. Rainy season is supposed to come in November, but no yet until now. Animal such as deers are in need of water, and of course for food as well. A flock of deers standing close to the beach looking out to the mainland; they wanted to reach the mainland in search of water and food. One video I saw the deers tried to migrate crossing a 700-metre-wide sea from the island. Some could make it, but some could not. The ones remain on the island are now getting slimmer. The worst picture was showing some dead and rotten deer.

I just chatted with one of my junior high school friends who lives close to the island, in Tututala. I asked him about whether he has seen the situation in person. He said he visited the island last week and saw the situation. He told me that his brother took home one  fawn. The bro would like to keep it at home, and will send back to the island after rain comes back. We started to talk about what people have done to help saving lives of animal there.  He said some local have fetched water to the island. But it is not enough at all. He heard that district fire fighter department will bring water to the island in near future. Lets see!

We talked about what the government can do to mitigate such this kind of situation to happen again in the future. To preserve rainwater for wildlife in the island. We talked about building small and scattered reservoirs or big several reservoirs inside the island? This is to keep the water stock for dry season. Or is there any other alternative that you could think of? 

It is necessary for the government, particularly stakeholders in charge of Nino Konis Santana National Park management to take action. Please come down to the island, to safe lives of the animal, and plan something for their future; Jaco Island and its entire live is so previous to us.  

 

**Hope this gives you an inspiration  

New Upgrading for Cristo Rei Park?

 

Recently Cristo Rey (CR) has been a very comfortable place to be at, for jogging, in particular. Things are improved: security for vandalism, street lights, park lights, sidewalks, and tree canopy, the most important component for the place. Even though the hills are almost bare in dry season, the down part does have tree canopy where we can ask for shade to evade from hot sun light. Not only the tree canopy, open huts  as well, necessary.  

In my today's afternoon jogging, I found something new there. Four open huts lined alongside the bottom corridor of CR have been torn down to the ground. For your information, there are no huts anymore for people to use for picnic. I was asking around, with the security guards, whether they know something about prospect of the tearing down. They said the government plans to replace it with new type.  

This is a good news because the old ones looked wearing out, and even the wooden elevated floor was already fragile. It would sink if it was overloaded. I knew because I ever tried by jumping on it, and felt it like that. 

We hope the new type of huts are better than the old ones. It should be even more attractive, to add more of aesthetic value to CR park. By the way, I will put a follow up posting when I see the new ones completed. 

**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.





 

Presiza Desenvolve Setor Turismu ho Sériu

Fonte Fotografia nian

 

Infrastrutura básika barak maka melhoradu ona. Estrada nasional hanesan Dili - Ainaro; Dili - Batugede; Dili - Lautem, Baucau - Viqueque; foin iha dia 26 Novembru rona notísia katak iha tan projetu foun Gleno - Hatubuilico. Estrada kaber tena hanesan ajuleiju uma laran nian. Sa tan freeway husi Suai - Zumalay, ne semo deit. Depois, ponte kais Dili foin remata - Oe-cusse nian halo keleur ona; Dili - Atauro (rona katak ema deskute hela atu halo). Atu sae aviaun moso Aeroportu Oe-cusse furak ona. Suai nian bot hanesan mos. Hela Dili nian maka agora iha diskusaun nia laran hela atu halo iha tempu badak tanba ne stratejiku tebes ba turismu . Eletrisidade? keta husu, tanba ne komesa kedan husi tinan barak ba kotuk. Ate kuaje Timor laran tomak atu kobre hotu ona. Bé mos? naturalmente Timor ne fonte bé barak. Ema iha Médiu Oriente deit bele moris. So ke ita nia problema maka seidauk dada ba kada ema ida-idak ninia uma. Agora infrastrutura básika kuaze barak maka iha ona no seluk barak tan sei OTEWE hela, será que ita sei uza nafatin rasaun problema infrastrutura?

Lae ona! ita presiza sériu no move on tanba ita halimar mak barak demais liu. Komesa husi alokasaun orsamentu. Ita presija hapara ona orsamentu ba aktividade sira nebe maka nia resultadu la klaru. Para ona aloka orsamentu ba aktividade em nome desenvolvimentu turismu ba halo konferensia iha rai liur, tuir expo, promosaun, lori investidores, asina nota de intendimentu ho ASEAN, WTO, UNDP, UNKNOWN, UNFORTUNATE, no ho UN...UN, ou Inter-Inter sira seluk. Sim, presiza duni, maibe tahan oituan, hein lai, depois, ita uza osan sira ne uluk hodi desenvolve didiak tia lai sasan sira ida ita atu fa'an ne lai. Kuandu forsa ona iha rai laran, ema maka mai deit. Alternativu seluk maka halo website ho video informativu no kapas hodi nune ita mos la presiza gasta osan barak, ema bele aprende husi internet deit antes atu mai visita. Tanba saida maka ita halo hanesan ne? tanba TIMOR OSAN OITUAN DEIT, LA BARAK IDA! Se kontinua nafatin, ema ida-rua maka aproveita liu husi ba pasiar no hetan perdiem makas; kona ba resultadu, ne longu prazu, e nu fim, ne segredu Aman laran luak Ninian.

Ita presiza sériu mos hare didiak ona ba ita nia planu stratejiku sira nivel implementasaun. Ita iha ona planu nivel nasional, mas ida ne sai hanesan matan dalan deit ba hodi hatene ita nia objetivu komun. Nia sei jeral liu, kalkula ba distansia karik, nia iha kalohan neba. Ita presija hare planu tematiku no spefisiku sira kada setor alen de ida-didak nia objetivu prinsipal, enkasha mos objetivu nasional desenvolvimentu turismu nian. Kada setor mos tengki konta ou konsidera ou integra komponente turismu nian. Planu sira ne'e presiza kait malu no implementa ho sériu para nia resultadu bele akumula hamutuk hodi fo impaktu bot kedan. Ema balun koalia nune, "oho manu rua ho fatuk ida deit" se lae, ita mak lao hansa ne'e nafatin, ida-idak mai ho nia projetu, nu fim resultadu nungka mosu no kontinuasaun laiha hela deit to fim do mundu.

Presiza komesa ona kuda kultura institutional foun. Hadia ita nia stratejia sira, tengki klaru no asaun sira tengki kona kedan mat laran. Ita atu desenvolve fatin turistiku ida, konseitu tengki klaru, objetivu tengki klaru. Hakat tok husi office laran sai ba koalia ho instituisaun relevante sira nebe iha papel. Se mak dada tutan ahi ba neba, se mak fui aspal ba iha neba, se mak dada bé ba neba, se maka atu fo siguransa no seluk-seluk tan. Presiza koalia hamutuk no kria objetivu comun no ikus keta haluha tau kedan ninia timeline ba servisu sira nebe iha.

Ita presiza tebes halo sasan ho sériu, se lae maka sei nafatin deit. 'Embot' iha nasional labele izola nia kakutak no konseitu ba deit iha espasu medida botir nian deit tanba interese no previleju . Tengki hanoin, imajina, no hateke luan hanesan husi Ramelau tutun tun ba karaik. 'Embot' labele koalia barak liu kona ba persentagem ejekusaun orsamentu. Tanba ida ne servisu prinsipal akuntan ninian. Mos la bele koalia barak liu maka progresu projetu no prosesu pagamentu tanba ne servisu prinsipal project manager no enjinheiru sira nia (se karik projetu fisiku ruma). Se nune nafatin maka ho lian bapa nian karik ema bolu Menteri rasa Akuntan ou Menteri rasa Project Manager. Iha Timor dala ruma ita susar atu distingisa pojisaun ema nian se ita rona deit husi vokabulariu nebe maka sira uza.

**Espera ida ne'e bele for inspirasaun.



 

Bicycle-Sharing System in Oé-Cusse

Source of the picture

To those who have gone to big cities like in the USA or Europe or similar, bicycle-sharing system is not a new thing. This non-motorized transport system has become a trend recently. I saw on Facebook that Oé-Cusse (Special Economic Zone) has also just started following the rail even though as a beginner. However, what matters here is not about the size, but the intention and the initiative itself.

I believe that the intention is to try to develop tourism sector, particularly in Oé-Cusse town. This bike sharing system will facilitate visitors to get around because there is no public transport system yet. Individual private transport rental is even freaking expensive. So this is a very good help for visitors. I have not tried it yet because the installation was only made after my last visit, or maybe I just did not know about it? I am looking forward to trying it.

 

Taking initiative is very important. When you have set your vision, try new things to achieve the vision. In the context of Timor-Leste, I think some people may think the initiative is unimportant. People would prefer to build roads and then buying cars to load the roads intensively and heavily. However, Oé-Cusse has set an example by initiating this small scale and petty project to educate its people and its visitors to live more green in the future. I think the short-term impact of this initiative is kind of debatable. However, the long-term one will be deep for environment and for economy as well.

 

I found consistency between goal of creating the special economic zone and the initiative. The special economic zone model is a national pilot project where its authority is expected to try different development initiatives to see what work and what do not. For me, bicycle-sharing system will be successful. One reason is because infrastructure such as roads, sidewalks, street lights are all improved already. Second is the town is relatively safer compared to any other town in this country, even compared to Dili.  Visitors are not afraid of riding bicycles anywhere they want to go to.

 

**Hope this gives you an inspiration

Udan Besik Monu Rai, Lixu Hein sai Husi Knua

Fonte ba Foto

Wain hira hau hasoru ema estranzeiru foun ruma ba tempu ikus nian, hau sempre husu "oin nusa ita bot nia impresaun kona ba Cidade Dili?" maioria dehan katak problema ida ambiente foer (lixu) sai hanesan problema bot. Karik problema ne mak resolve, Dili furak los tanba cidade ne besik tasi no kor rai henek diverse: iha parte Leste, rai henek kor mutin furak los, iha parte Oeste, rai henek kor metan morena.

Maske ema barak esforsu ona hanesan kampanha raut foer halo husi grupu komunidade, asosiasaun, no guvernu rasik. Mas ita hare neing iha mudansa oituan mos laiha (tinan ba tinan nafatin amen). Realidade hatudu katak ohin rame-rame hamos i hasai foto-video par sai iha media sosial i televisaun nasional, aban FOER tan fali.

Durante bain loron fulan hirak nia laran, lixu sira ita soe subar hakmatek los iha mota laran, rai kuak, fatuk kuak, kakuluk uma, kait iha ain hun leten, ai hun okos, kait iha moru. Sira sei deskansa hela tanba la raut, sira hakmatek iha knua neba. Wain hira udan monu rai, sira sei sai hotu no tun mai vila: iha estrada ibun, tasi ibun, no para iha tasi laran neba.

Foin dadauk ita lé notisia foun ida kona ba Ministeriu Turismu planu osan 2020 tau miliaun rua Dolar Amerikanu ba tuir expo ida iha rai liur (se la sala iha Katar), atu hamnasa la hamnasa maibe ne mak realidade. Ita iha krise akal sehat ou kewarasan kona ba strategia desenvolvimentu, liu-liu kona ba turismu nian. Tanba ita koalia atu desenvolve setor turismu, maibe ita la tau esforsu no rekursu barak liu ba problema prinsipal.

Ita hein deit, tempu too udan atu mai, ita sei hare objetu lixu iha linha kosteira iha cidade Dili nian. Udan ben sei hurlele lixu sira ba tasi, depois laloran hurlele sira mai fali tasi ibun. Objetu lixu forma iha tasi ibun ne sai ona hanesan karater ida ba Cidade Dili desde ukun an too agora.

**Espera katak ida ne’e bele fo inspirasaun.

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.