DISTRICT ADMINISTRATORS, DEPUTIES SELECTED

Three East Timorese have been selected for the positions of District Administrators and six as Deputy District Administrators. Once appointed by SRSG Sergio Vieira de Mello, these will be the first Timorese in top-level positions at district level.

Marito Reis, 53, and a native of Baucau, has been selected as the District Administrator of Baucau.

Maria Paixão de Jesus da Costa, 40, from Aileu, will be Aileu’s District Administrator.

Abel dos Santos Fatima, 54, from Suai, will be the District Administrator of Manatuto.

The six Deputy District Administrators were selected for Oecussi, Manufahi, Covalima, Ainaro, Bobonaro, and Viqueque.

BACK TO SCHOOL

Monday, 2 October, marks the start of the East Timorese school year. Some 200,000 students and 5,000 teachers from secondary and primary schools will resume classes.

More than 70 per cent of the schools were destroyed last year and 300 have been rehabilitated so far.

During the first week activities will be focusing on cleaning the schools and the organization of classes. Regular lessons will start on 9 October.

The curriculum is the same as it was last year with a few exceptions, such as the exclusion of the Indonesian language and Indonesian history.

One hundred and fifty Portuguese teachers arrived in East Timor this week and will be deployed in all 13 districts to teach Portuguese in secondary schools.

Textbooks will arrive next week from various countries.

NEW ZEALAND PRIME MINISTER ARRIVES IN EAST TIMOR

New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clarke arrived in East Timor today for a two-day visit.

Upon her arrival at Dili airport Helen Clarke was met by Deputy SRSG Jean-Christian Cady and Chief Military Observer Louis Gardiner. After being briefed by the

Transitional Cabinet, the Prime Minister had separate meetings with Bishop Belo, Force Commander Lieutenant General Boonsrang Niumpradit and CNRT President Xanana Gusmão.

Tomorrow, the Prime Minister will travel to Tilomar sub-district in Suai district, where the New Zealand Battalion is deployed.

TRAINING OF NATIONAL COUNCIL MEMBERS

Two Australian consultants have arrived in Dili to assist UNTAET in the training of the members of the National Council and its secretariat.

The training will involve the 33 representatives of the future National Council as well as 13 staff members.

The training will focus on areas such as basic parliamentary procedures, the rights of the members, drafting procedures – the initiation and amendment of a regulation – and how to develop a committee system.

The project is funded by Australia, Brazil, Japan, Portugal, United Kingdom and the United States.

ASBESTOS AWARENESS

Following a survey by a consultant last month, UNTAET’s Division of Health Services, Environmental Protection Unit, Infrastructure Department and Dili District have set up a number of guidelines to protect people from the health hazards of asbestos.

The survey found that approximately 10 per cent of the residential and 40 per cent of the public buildings in East Timor contain asbestos cement materials.

The most dangerous form of asbestos is the one used in insulation materials. The white asbestos used in roofing and walls is less dangerous.

In many cases asbestos cement materials are heavily damaged and broken up, which present a risk to workers involved in cleaning up and handling the rubble.

The risk of the asbestos has to do with the inhalation of airborne fibers. They penetrate the lung and can – over a long period of time – cause cancer.

Some of the guidelines recommended on the handling of rubble and other material containing asbestos are as follows:

- Workers shall cover the nose and mouth with masks specifically designed to prevent inhalation of asbestos fibers.

- Rubble should be dampened with water before it is removed. Cutting and power tools should not be used in the removal of asbestos materials; careful manual handling is preferable as it creates less dust.

- Eating and smoking in asbestos cement areas increases the exposure as it presents a direct pathway into human organs.

- Children should not be allowed into areas containing asbestos.

Thirty thousand protective masks have been ordered and will arrive during the first week of October. The distribution will be made immediately as soon as they arrive. The masks are paid for by Division of Health Services.