2:49 AM |
. . .
http://timorlorosaenacaonewsinenglihs.blogspot.com/2009/08/feature-new-political-generation-rises.html
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
Ramos-Horta, who survived an assassination attempt in February 2008,
said he sees Fernando Lasama de Araujo, the 46-year-old speaker of
parliament, as a future leader.
Araujo, who got almost 20 percent of the vote in the 2007 presidential
elections, was acting president for several months after Ramos-Horta
was shot by disgruntled former soldiers. He was also involved in
negotiations with the militants, who eventually laid down their arms.
Araujo, from the Democratic Party, says the government cannot just
rely on its $5.1 billion Petroleum Fund, where money from oil and gas
deals is collected, to fund development.
"We need to get the money from somewhere to accelerate development. I
support foreign loans to achieve this," he said.
"After 10 years of independence, we should have achieved more than we
have. Water is a very important one and roads, and schools. Until we
build a port we cannot attract investors and tourism."
Finance Minister Emilia Pires, 48, is another leader carving out a
name for herself, as she tries to increase spending on education,
health and infrastructure.
She grew up and studied law in Australia, and is now a member of
Gusmao's CNRT party, which rules in coalition with several minor
parties. The economy grew 12.8 percent last year and she expects it to
expand 8 percent both this year and next.
Her predecessor, Fernanda Borges, an Australian-educated former credit
risk analyst who helped set up the Central Payments Office, the
forerunner of the Banking and Payments Authority, or central bank, is
also considered a future leader.
Borges, 40, quit as finance minister in 2002 after accusing the
government of corruption, and formed her own party, the National Unity
Party.
East Timor ranked 145th out of 180 countries in Transparency
International's 2008 Corruption Perceptions Index -- on a par with
Kazakhstan and below Indonesia.
"I understand my limitations as a member of a small party. I know I
don't have the resistance hero image behind me. But with three seats
in parliament we can be a voice to say this is wrong and when the
government is doing the right thing, we can say this is the right
thing too," she told Reuters in an interview.
"We are the new kids on the block but people trust us.
.
(Reporting by Sunanda Creagh in Dili; Editing by Sara Webb and Sanjeev Miglani)
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. . .
jason brown
+64 21 024 84 560
www.jpkupdate.blogspot.com
http://avaiki.nius.googlepages.com
www.pacificfreedomforum.blogspot.com
. . .
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