Campaign Update - The Wait Continues!

Greetings!  As I am sitting down to write this, I am also reflecting on how quickly this year is passing!  It is hard to believe that we are nearing the end of July and that it is already a year since the container full of equipment for the Pilot Project was packed at Queensland Rail in the cold wee hours of the morning.

Unfortunately, this newsletter has been delayed somewhat as I have been waiting to clarify the situation for implementation of CET/Project Telesuco by the Government of Timor-Leste. 

Since the last newsletter was issued, Project Telesuco has not progressed.   (You may recall Project Telesuco) is the name given in Timor-Leste to the next stages of implementing the CET vision). 

There are several significant reasons for this lack of progress.  The first is that the Government as a whole has not managed to spend more than about 10% of its approved annual budget midway through this financial year.  CET/Project Telesuco is apparently one of many projects that haven’t moved forward into implementation – I am assured that we are in good company!  Clearly, and not unexpectedly, there remain significant capacity issues in Timor-Leste.

The second reason is that the Government, in conjunction with the World Bank, is undertaking a major (and much needed) review of its telecommunications policy and regulatory environment with a view to improving telecommunications competition.  To a significant degree, CET/Project Telesuco has got caught up into this – the issues being: how does the CET vision fit into the broader picture; is spending money on CET/Project Telesuco a good idea, etc?  There have been a large number of emails and telephone conversations with different people.  We have argued strongly that any benefits from the telecommunications review for the vast majority of the poorest people in rural areas are 8+ years away.  The proponents of this program have, so far, not quantified the extent to which it will improve access to affordable communications for most people in rural areas who struggle to survive on less than USD0.50 per day. 

By way of contrast, the Government already knows with considerable certainty what the benefits, costs and timings for CET/Project Telesuco will be.  The essential figures are that for USD5.5M over 5 years, all rural areas (all 65 sub-Districts) can be provided with basic communications in about 2 years.

The experience of telecommunications competition in Australia is also relevant.  In the decade since competition was introduced, there have been a number of government funded programs to improve telecommunications in rural areas.  Telcos are rational – commercial imperatives require that they focus on population centres that are easy to service and where there are more potential customers. 

The third reason is that some key officials and expatriate advisers may have issues with the whole concept of CET/Project Telesuco but these have not been openly stated or communicated.  Without an accountable and knowledgeable representative on the ground in Dili, this makes it next to impossible to identify, isolate and address these matters.  The limitations of email and phone have become very apparent!  In particular, it has been very difficult to get a complete picture of what is happening, who is now accountable for Project Telesuco within the Government and where the blockages are.

All that said, I remain very hopeful that the CET/Project Telesuco vision is sufficiently compelling and that it will win through, eventually.  At its core, there is a huge question of justice and equity for some of the poorest people in the world living in rural areas.  Everyone has a right of access to telecommunications.

So what can we do?  I think we must keep on strongly promoting our vision on behalf of the poorest people living in rural areas of Timor-Leste.  I have no evidence that anyone else is doing this!

As I indicated in the last newsletter, with the Government taking on budget responsibility for implementation of CET/Project Telesuco, we effectively ‘passed the baton’.  In various communications since that time, I have offered further pro-bono assistance to help with the tendering process for the consultancy work (the first stage of Project Telesuco).  This offer remains on the table.

But it’s not all bad news!!  Our Perth team of Henry Oosterbaan and Peter Snell, with the financial support of the ACT Government and in kind support from a number of organisations in Perth, have recently run a training course for Joao Ximenes Soares, the CET worker looking after the network for the Dili District Administrator.  The course was a great experience for all concerned.

With the assistance of David Hall and Robert Moore, CET is also streamlining the maintenance support arrangements for the installed networks in Atabae, Balibo, Lacluta and Dili.  You may recall that David is Palms worker based in Timor-Leste who also played a vital logistic role last year in the Pilot Project.  Robert’s commitment to CET needs no introduction as he has been a CET stalwart for at least 5 years. Thank you David and Robert!

So while we seem to be at a difficult stage in the life of the CET campaign, I am reminded of a statement that I think was attributed to the runner Carl Lewis:

All change looks like failure in the middle.

Lets hang in there!.                                                              

Peter de Haas

Perth Training Course

In early May 2008, Joao Ximenes Soares came to Perth for two weeks to complete a structured training course to better equip him to look after the Dili District Administrator (DDA) radio network.  This course was arranged by CET volunteers Henry Oosterbaan and Peter Snell, both based in Perth.  Henry, Peter and Joao worked together for three weeks in Sep 2007 to install the DDA network.

This network consists of :

·          Four solar-powered office installations at the DDA in Dili, and at sub-District Administrators offices at Krista Rae, Metinaro and Atauro.

·          One solar powered remote repeater at Vila on Atauro Island.

·          Two administrator vehicle mobile radios.

·          Three handheld portable radios.

Consequently, the course was devised to include both theoretical and practical elements, including practical aspects of vehicle installations.  The aim of the course was to increase Joao’s knowledge and skills for him to be able to analyse fault situations and conduct vehicle installations when required.

By all reports, the course was a great success: in the way Joao applied himself to the learning task; through his ambassadorial skills in representing his country and people in various meeting with interested groups and organisations (such as Rotary and some schools); and, in the way several organisations very generously committed funds and in-kind support to ensure that the training could be conducted:

·          ACT Government (funding)

·          West Australian Water Corporation

·          Direct Communications

·          IT West.

Thank you for your support!

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