COORDINATION AND COOPERATION WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF TIMOR-LESTE

Throughout its history, CET has sought to work closely with the Government of Timor-Leste in an apolitical manner.  Since 2003, Dr Mari Alkatiri in his capacity as the first Prime Minister, as well as Eng. Ovidio de Jesus Amaral and Eng. Inacio Moreira in their roles (at different times) as the Ministers with responsibility for communications, have been briefed in Dili by CET.  While he was President, Xanana Gusmao and Kirsty Sword Gusmao were both briefed by CET in Brisbane.  More recently, in August 2007, President Jose Ramos-Horta was updated on the status of CET by Peter de Haas during his visit to Timor-Leste at which time the photo above was taken.

CET has always sought to work closely with officials in the Ministry responsible for telecommunications, currently the Ministry for Infrastructure.  During both the Demonstration Project in 2005 and the Pilot Project just completed, Directors and staff of the Ministry have provided invaluable advice and assistance, without which neither of these projects could have succeeded. This photo records the briefing to Ministry staff on the Pilot Project Plan given by Peter de Haas in early August 2007.

PILOT PROJECT INSTALLATION - 2007

The CET volunteer installation team, photographed at SVD House in Dili on the one day in September when they were all in the one place at the one time! L to R:  Adam Godden (QLD), Michael Witt (QLD), Peter Snell (WA), Robert Moore (QLD), Bradley O'Neill (QLD) and Henry Oosterbaan (WA).

The Pilot Project in full swing ...and so is Michael Witt installing the antenna for the repeater in Balibo!

Testing of the CET radio in the office of the Viqueque District Administrator - this radio provides a communications link to the Lacluta sub-District for the first time.  Previously the people of Lacluta were 35 kms from the nearest communications services and now there are links to the outside world in 8 villages as well as the office of the sub-district administrator.

Some of the villages in Lacluta District were only accessible by a cross country hike.  Note the battery suspended under the pole!

The CET Pilot Project was very much a team effort involving our volunteer technicians and local people, many of who also volunteered to help. Two shown here assisting with the preparation of the mast for the Lacluta repeater.

Shown here is the entire Lacluta sub-District installation team.

Work on the repeater site on 'heartbreak hill', Atauro Island.  Barry Hinton, the Palms Coordinator for East Timor is in the foreground (looking down), Henry Oosterbaan is holding up the mast and Peter Snell looks as if he is ready to catch it!

This was the installation team that worked very hard on the Atauro Island Repeater site.

Old meets new!!  The CET solar panel and antenna (on the ridge) installed on our first thatched roof installation.

The joy of the first communications from the village of Luhan rai Kuara in the Lacluta sub-District.

Beyond the call of duty - CET volunteers loading the CET container at Queensland Rail in the middle of a cold winter night in July 2007.  The ultimate testimony to all their hard work was the complete absence of any major logistic problems in sorting and dispatching the equipment to various destinations once the container had arrived in Dili.  Well done!

PREVIOUS YEARS

 

Alan Collier shown here with the community leaders of Lacluta after his presentation and meeting with them on 2 Oct 2006.  “Dino”, CET’s interpreter and contact with the community of Lacluta for the Pilot Project, is crouching in front, third from the right.  Alan found that Lacluta (where some 10,000 people live) is approx 35 kms from the nearest telephone service via very rough road and the sub-District has  no power, radio or TV.

Deep into 'Hands on' training with Robert Moore and the CET village radio equipment donated by Queensland Rail.  From L to R, seated:  Estevao Guimaraes from the Ministry of Transport and Communications, Claudino 'Dino' Ximenes das Neves, from the Lacluta sub-District ; standing:  Jorge Leite from Atabae sub-District and Johannes Edi from Balibo sub-District.  These four visitors were in Brisbane for the CET training course from 16-24 Oct 06.

The first two days of the course covered PALMS Australia training in cross-cultural relationships and projects, including issues that arise in development.  Representatives from the Brisbane based friendship groups (FPET and Balibo-Kedron) also participated in this training with the CET volunteers.  The photo above was taken while Dino was presenting the results of his group's assessment of some sample development project scenarios.

At the  dinner held in Brisbane on 16 Oct 06 at 'Seasalt on Armstrongs' to welcome the East Timorese for the training course and also to celebrate the commencement of the Pilot Project: L to R:   Hugh Mackay (partially obscured),  Alan Collier, Dr. Sheila O’Neill, John Goodman, Betty Byrne Henderson AM, Susan Rix, Nick Delaney and Brendan Joyce.

Margaret and David Hall (shown here before their departure for East Timor) are Australians who have volunteered through PALMS to live and work in Atabae, for a period of 2 years. Margaret will be undertaking health work in the community while David will be assisting with a wide range of community development projects.  Both are assisting Connect East Timor to monitor the use of the village radios that were installed in Atabae in 2005 and also in developing new health applications and services at a 'grass roots' level.  Please see the April-May 2006 newsletter for more information.

Presentation of a handwoven tais to CEO of Queensland Rail, Mr Bob Scheuber, by CET.  The tais came from the chief of one of the villages that received a CET demonstration radio and was presented to Bob Scheuber by Queensland Rail radio technicians and CET volunteers, Robert Moore and Michael Witt.

Jorge Leite performing maintenance checks on the repeater equipment installed at Poetete.  Photo taken during a recent visit by Jim Johnson, the Chairman of Friends and Partners with East Timor, the organisation that assisted CET to implement the demonstration project.

Shown here are proud mother Leonora Tavares and her new baby daughter Malibere, both of Nunedoi village in the Atabae sub district, after a CET assisted medical intervention when serious complications set in during labour.   A happy outcome and hopefully one of many where CET will be able to assist.

Jorge Leite with his wife Gilda and children Andi and Nito.  Jorge is an interpreter who after several years of dedicated service to Australian troops post 1999, is now providing valuable support to CET.  He is our first employee and is checking the Demonstration Project radios on a regular and part time basis.

 

Maps showing the locations of the CET Demonstration Project Radios that were installed in the Atabae sub-District of Timor-Leste during May and June 2005.  While the sub-District is nor particularly large, access to the villages in the higher country and along the river, is very difficult. People in these villages feel very isolated...something that CET hopes to fix!

Meet some of the people for whom CET hopes to make a great difference!  These mothers attending the Atabae 'Baby Clinic' have survived what is regarded as one of the most dangerous conditions for a woman in Timor-Leste.  Unfortunately, under current conditions in Timor-Leste, it is more likely than not that 1-2 of the children in the photo will not reach their fifth birthday.

At every village in Atabae sub-District, the installation of the radios for the Demonstration Project attracted great interest from the kids!  CET hopes to provide the school-age children (such as these) with more options for access to education services.  Use of two way radio to deliver lessons is a well proven application that can overcome teacher shortages, avoid children having to walk a long way to school etc.

 

First live call using CET radio equipment provided for the Demonstration Project.  This call was made from Atabae township by Joana da Silva, on Thursday 19th May 2005 at about 7.50am - a very exciting milestone for CET!

 

The Cathecist at Poetete village clearly showing her pleasure at the commissioning of the radio equipment for this village.  Poetete, being very high in the hills running through the sub-District, also serves as the repeater site for the Demonstration Network of 8 villages.  The repeater equipment is housed in the 'pink cupboard'!

Volunteer technicians Michael Witt (left) and Robert Moore donated three weeks of their annual holidays to install and commission the Demonstration Project and also spent many hours on prior preparation and planning in their own time.  CET greatly appreciates their generosity of spirit, their dedication and professionalism.  Shown here with the completed repeater installation....very late at night!

Robert Moore completing an antenna installation.  The selection of the installation site was left to be decided by each village community.  However, a solid roof was preferred to securely house the antenna and solar power assemblies.

An important part of the Demonstration Project was to prior conduct information briefings with the leaders and village communities within the Atabae sub-District.  Shown here, after such a briefing, is the CET Campaign Chairman Peter de Haas (4th from the left) with the sub- District Administrator, Mr Sidonio Fontes (3rd from the right) with his staff.  Mr Jorge Leite, the CET interpreter is on the right.

Introduction of the Village VHF Radio Equipment to young people visiting Brisbane in June/July 2004 from the Atabae sub-district (where the demonstration system is now deployed).  Shown talking on the radio is Jose De Neri Pires ( 'Aja'), the Atabae Youth Leader with Henriqueta de Silva looking on.

Group shot at Queensland Rail Workshops in July 2004.  At the back (L to R) Robert Moore, Peter Pointon, Alan Collier, Joel Hodge, Gregorio Mau Susu ('Goris), Jose De Neri Pires ('Aja'), Alan Taylor, Peter de Haas.  In front (L to R) Horacio dos Dantos Barreto (currently studying in Brisbane), Balina de Silva, Francisco Ximenes (also studying in Brisbane), Henriqueta de Silva and James Johnson. Horacio and Francisco kindly provided interpretation support.

Front view of village VHF radio equipment.  The battery unit is mounted internally.  Not shown in the photo is the solar panel and external antenna.