A National Planning and Development Agency, led by an East Timorese, has been established by UNTAET.
The Agency, headed by Emilia Pires, brings together five UNTAET Units – Donor Coordination, Gender Affairs, Environment Protection, Economic Planning and Project Assessment, and Census and Statistics – and will be responsible for monitoring and evaluating the national programme for reconstruction and capacity building.
The purpose is to leave behind an Agency responsible for development planning from the whole Government perspective.
Emilia Pires left East Timor in 1975 for Australia, where she has been working in the public service. She returned last year and has been working with the East Timor Development Agency and was instrumental in organizing the Tibar conference.
OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE UNIVERSITY
The National University of East Timor will officially open with a ceremony on 15 November.
A total of 4,442 students are enrolled and will attend classes, scheduled to start on 20 October in five main buildings. One hundred and twenty East Timorese university teachers have been recruited.
The University of East Timor will initially entail courses that were previously offered by higher learning institutions in East Timor – Agriculture, Social and Political Science, Economics, Education and Polytechnics.
There will be no tuition fee for the first year.
VEHICLES HANDED OVER TO THE JUDICIARY
In a ceremony today, the Cabinet member for Justice and Judicial Affairs, Gita Welsh, handed over the keys to thirteen vehicles that have been distributed to the East Timor Judiciary. The delivery of the cars is part of an effort to facilitate working conditions for judicial staff.
The vehicles have been distributed to staff in the Court of Appeal, the District Courts in Dili, Baucau, Suai and Oecussi, and the offices of the Prosecutors and Public Defenders.
UNTAET will also provide the East Timor Judiciary with furniture, stationary and other equipment over the next two months.
