Recent Update

MARCH 2018 UPDATE FOLLOWING LATE 2017 VISIT

Now that the UN  along with most NGOs and the carpetbaggers have left Timor Leste there are very few foreigners on the streets of Dili and even less in the districts.This has led to  a lot less money being spent in Dili making  employment  very difficult to get. There are still some young Timorese trying to work out how to survive in the city but many have returned to their districts. This has led to a noticeable increase in agriculture and traditional home building, many of the homes have a few solar panels, 3 or,4 electric lights, a battery charger and mobile phone charger.                                                                    There is now mobile phone coverage of most of the country,texting is cheap and popular. Most villages are now connected to the new electricity grid.

 

Good quality school buildings  are mosquito resistant and have flushing toilets. Running water facilities for washing and drinking at school have been built in all districts. They are overflowing with laughing children.

 

Cuba recently trained about 1,000 Timorese to become doctors. There are fairly basic health clinics in all districts but few ambulances. The health system is focused on prevention of sickness. For example impregnated mosquito nets have been given to all households along with an education campaign as to how to use them.

 

A massive road construction project is underway. The contractors are mainly Chinese and are building good quality roads using local labour. The construction method appears to favour employing many people on site rather than using labour saving construction methods. The only foreigners we saw on site were engineers and some of the surveyors. Most of the main roads and bridges are being upgraded along with many secondary roads that were impassable for most of the year.

 

With the movement of people back to the districts, it is a little easier for English speaking visitors to communicate as there is generally some one nearby who can speak some English.

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