SHIP LEAVES TO PICK UP REFUGEES

The refugee ship Patricia Ann Hotung left Dili today to pick up returning refugees from camps in Indonesian West Timor. The vessel is expected back in Dili on Sunday morning, 22 April. Meanwhile, UNTAET’s Chief of Staff N. Parameswaran returned to East Timor today after a brief visit to Kupang, West Timor, where he and representatives from UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration had a range of meetings to discuss returns and reconciliation. The delegation met with local politicians, the Udayana (Bali and West Timor) Commander Major General William da Costa and pro-autonomy leader Filomeno de Jesus Hornay, among others.

NINE MAJOR PUBLIC BUILDINGS TO BE RECONSTRUCTED

The reconstruction of nine major public buildings has started in East Timor. The works, four in Dili and five in Baucau, Oecussi and Viqueque, are expected to be completed by the end of May. The buildings will house the future Ministry of Infrastructure and Telecommunications, a Central Administrative warehouse and the National Records Center in Dili, the Baucau Post Office, the Oecussi District Court House and Judge’s Residence, and the Education Building and Public Works Deposit in Viqueque. Since June last year, reconstruction of eleven major buildings has been completed by the East Timor Transitional Administration. Contracts for an amount of US$6,2 million have been signed. This does not include the rehabilitation of public buildings carried out by UNTAET under its mission budget. More than 20 buildings in Dili, including the Headquarters of the Peacekeeping Force and the Radio and Television Building, as well as almost 240 buildings in the districts, have been rebuilt by UNTAET.

POVERTY ASSESSMENT UNDERWAY

The Census and Statistic Unit of the National Planning and Development Agency of East Timor has been carrying out a four-day pilot test of its upcoming poverty assessment of East Timorese households. Twenty households in seven districts – Ermera, Liquiça, Maliana, Manatuto, Baucau, Viqueque and Lospalos – participated in the pilot test, which ends tomorrow, 21 April. Households were asked about their income and spending, their access to water and electricity, health facilities, the housing standard, among other things. The actual survey of household poverty will commence on 26 May. Between 1,500 and 2,000 households will be surveyed during three months. The data will be used to target and increase the quality of development assistance to the country’s poorest families. The Agency has already completed a poverty survey of all 448 Sucos (neighborhoods) in East Timor. The result of that assessment is expected to be presented by the end of this month. The project is implemented in partnership with the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and UNDP.

OVER 153,000 EAST TIMORESE REGISTERED

As of 19 April, 153,220 East Timorese have been registered by the Civil Registry Unit. Over 22,800 persons were registered this week, almost 2,000 above the targeted number. Civil registration started on 16 March and from an initial average of 5,500 persons registered each day, the number has now risen to 7,500 persons per day. Additional computers, which will be introduced in the field by the end of next week, are expected to help speed up the process even further. The national civil registration will continue until 20 June.