Letter of Support from Prime Minister

In early March 2007, a strong letter of support for CET was received from the Prime Minister of Timor-Leste (East Timor), Dr. Jose Ramos-Horta.  (You can see a copy of the letter on the Testimonials page.)

Good news for CET!

Welcome to our first newsletter for 2007!  I trust that the year has started well for all of CET’s volunteers, donors and supporters in Australia and overseas.

To our friends and partners in the Government and the communities of Timor-Leste, I extend my prayers and hope that reconciliation and peace will emerge as victors in 2007!  It is very sad for all of your friends in Australia and other countries, to see continuing unrest and trouble, particularly when there is still so much to do to build a strong and independent country.  Sadly, there are now also widespread food shortages.

On a more positive note, I understand that most rural areas of East Timor remain peaceful as the focus (and flashpoint) for nearly all of the trouble in the past year has been mostly confined to Dili.  One could be forgiven, however, for thinking - based on media reporting - that the whole country is ‘up in smoke’:  it is not! 

Amidst the current difficulties, the Government of Timor is currently undertaking a major review of its telecommunications policies in conjunction with the World Bank.  With the draft report now being examined, the Prime Minister, Dr. Jose Ramos-Horta, has taken the time to send CET the very encouraging letter of support which is on the front page of this newsletter.  (Dr. Jose Ramos-Horta has recently nominated as a candidate in the forthcoming presidential elections.)

This is the second Prime Ministerial letter of support CET has received; the first was from the first Prime Minister, Dr. Mari Alkatiri, in early 2003.  What is different this time is that the lack of communications in rural and remote areas is now a significant political issue AND the potential role of the simple, low cost CET technology as a ‘”good foundation for communications” is coming into stronger focus in the light of the present  telecommunications review.

It is also important to note that the CET radios installed in Atabae in May 2005 are still operating reliably and are continuing to serve the leaders and people there in a number of very important ways, including in maintaining security and peace in the sub-District.  CET has now received a request from the leaders that further radios be installed in Atabae as part of the next project stage.

In 2006, we made promises to the communities of Balibo and Lacluta that they will be connected by CET as part of the Pilot Project.  This Project commenced last year with a visit to these communities by our Project Manager, Alan Collier, and with the very successful training course that was held in Brisbane in October.  Many of you have already contributed or pledged very generously towards the costs of the Pilot Project, either in cash or in kind with time, expertise and skills.

I believe very strongly that we must do everything we can to honor CET’s promises.  One of my enduring memories from my first visit to East Timor is of people in rural communities telling me that many NGOs, government bodies and other organizations had come to meet with them, taken videos and photos and made promises but they never came back to carry them out. 

A planning meeting for 2007 was held in Brisbane on 10 February, attended by most of the volunteer team.  I am very pleased to report that each person present strongly affirmed the goals of CET and their continued personal commitment to this important campaign in 2007 and beyond. 

As CET ramps up its activities for this year, I hope that you, our donors and supporters, will stay the course with us.  Achieving CET’s vision remains as important as it has ever been for the average person struggling to exist in the rural and remote areas of East Timor.                      Peter de Haas

Goals for 2007

At the Feb 2007 planning meeting, the following CET goals were agreed for 2007:

Fundraising and Promotion (by 31 Dec 2007)

·          Meet the fundraising target for 2007 of $ 100,000 to include remaining funds needed for Pilot Project and for CET promotion/lobbying with the Australian and Timor-Leste Governments
Cash donations are still needed for the Pilot Project!!

·          Secure a high priority (and ideally, funding) for full-scale CET implementation in the Government of Timor-Leste Sector Investment Program for telecommunications AND/OR

·          Seek an election commitment from either/both sides of politics in Australia for AUD4M for the full scale implementation of CET.

Pilot Project (by 30 Sep 2007, subject to the security situation)

·          Connect an estimated 20,000 people for the first time by installing eight village radios plus a repeater in the Balibo and Lacluta sub-Districts

·          Connect the sub-District of Lacluta with the District of Viqueque through a point to point radio link (at present, the people of Lacluta are 35kms from the nearest communications services)

·          Test a mobile phone interface that will enable calls to be made between a village radio network and the telephone network operated by Timor Telecom 

·          Install additional radios in the Atabae sub-District (the number of radios will be subject to available funds)

·          Undertake a maintenance check of the village radio network installed in Atabae by CET in 2005

·          Subject to finalizing an agreement between CET and the ACT Government, install a local government radio network in Dili and on the island of Atauro supporting the requirements of the Dili District Administrator

·          Implement a support arrangement for the village radio networks that includes the government’s radio workshop in Dili

·         Organise and conduct a familiarisation visit for 3-4 CET donors.

Thank you!!

CET is very pleased to announce that the following CET volunteers have each agreed to lead an installation team for the Pilot Project: Robert Moore, Senior Technician, Queensland Rail; Michael Witt, Senior Technician, Queensland Rail; and, Henry Oosterbaan, Communications Consultant, Water Corporation of WA.

Their very generous offers not only involve several weeks of intense work in East Timor in September but also a great deal of preparatory work to assemble, test and pack all the equipment as well as preparing the necessary plans and schedules.  Much of this will be in their own time.

The great thing is that they have all been there before for the Demonstration Project!  Thank you for once again offering your talents and time so generously!