Mark Dodd - The Australian - January 16, 2009
AN urgent search is under way in East Timor for $13.3million that was allocated to various government ministries but is unaccounted for, amid growing corruption concerns.
News of the missing millions is a severe embarrassment to the Gusmao Government, which is heavily dependent on aid from the UN and foreign donors, of which Australia is one of its biggest.
The impoverished half-island state is one of Asia's poorest, with few developed natural resources and almost no industry.
Under questioning by the Fretilin opposition, Finance Minister Emilia Pires told parliament yesterday the East Timorese Government was trying to recover the money but had met with only limited success.
Fretilin spokesman and senior party official Jose Teixeira told The Australian the money had been taken by corrupt officials.
"They (the Government) have no hope of getting it back. They have lost control of finances, and public administration is far worse than we thought," he said. "How can any government justify to their taxpayers providing a huge aid program here when there is such wastage?"
In a letter written by Ms Pires to Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao last Friday, and obtained by The Australian, the minister expresses concern that much of the money has been misappropriated by corrupt officials.
"The National Treasury Directorate wrote to all ministries on 9 October (2008) to present their justification for expenses for which they received advances up until October 25," she wrote.
"By the 9th of January (2009), the total debt for all ministries was $US8.8 million. It is possible that some ministers have opened bank accounts in order to retain the money securely.
"The opening of such a bank account with any bank is expressly illegal."
In a second letter to the Portuguese BNU Bank dated January 9, Ms Pires indicates she is aware of several illegal bank accounts and orders them closed.
"Account No 4136469-10-001 should be immediately closed," she wrote. "The credit balance should be transferred immediately to government account CFET 2-3711.
"From hereon, public receipts should not be credited to the above-mentioned account."
The US and international corruption watchdog Transparency International have recently expressed concern at rising corruption in East Timor.
Six years ago, the national budget stood at just $124 million. But the Government is now dipping into its $3.9 billion petroleum fund, which is flush with oil and gas proceeds from the Timor Sea.
Last year's budget rocketed to $973million, with this year's budget set at $1.03 billion.
Australian aid for 2008-09 is worth almost $100 million.
domingo, janeiro 18, 2009
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2 comentários:
A ser verdade o que publica o insuspeito The Australian, o polvo da corrupção alastra cada vez mais em Timor-Leste.
Enquanto Xanana faz discursos, o seu Governo dá sumiço ao dinheiro do Estado, que fora depositado em contas privadas. Só uns milhõezitos, nada de importante.
Eanquanto Xanana continua obcecado em atirar as culpas da incompetência do seu Governo para os Governos da Fretilin, o dinheiro vai desaparecendo.
Enquanto Xanana quer dar lições de moral aos outros, não sabe sequer dá-las ao seu próprio Governo.
Bem pode dizer que vai buscar dinheiro ao fundo do petróleo. Mas para "erradicar a pobreza" não é de certeza. Só se for de alguns. Por este andar, qualquer dia já nem o fundo do petróleo chega.
Andam os países doadores a enterrar o dinheiro nisto? Para meia-dúzia de corruptos engordarem às custas desse dinheiro, que deveria pertencer ao povo?
Esses países devem interromper imediatamente a doação de dinheiro ao Governo da "AMP". Ou então, impor um controle rigoroso sobre o caminho que esse dinheiro leva.
Se Timor não fosse um país de faz-de-conta, a ministra das Finanças pediria imediatamente a demissão, pois a vergonha impedia-la-ia de continuar em funções de consciência tranquila.
Se Timor não fosse um país de faz-de-conta, haveria um rápido e rigoroso inquérito para apuramento de responsabilidades, com consequências.
Se Timor não fosse um país de faz-de-conta, Xanana falaria menos dos outros e pediria desculpa por o seu Governo ser corrupto.
Se Timor não fosse um país de faz-de-conta, Xanana pediria desculpa a Pedro Rosa Mendes por ter tentado desacreditá-lo quando contou algumas verdades incómodas que acabam agora por vir à superfície.
A situação deste Governo está a ficar cada vez mais insustentável, nada mais lhe restando do que arrastar-se penosamente até às próximas eleições sob o peso da mentira e da corrupção e, até lá, tentar "comprar" muita "paz" pelo caminho, para tentar desesperadamente manter-se no poder.
O problema é que, entretanto, os males de que padece o povo continuam, sem fim à vista.
Timor Leste is underway to the hell..if Xanana close his eye to what is going on in his administration.
Millions of dollar is belong to one milion people not only one or two people.
A great leader respect the right, equal and justice, it means the welfare is belong to all citizens of the country.
For those who use public money without any accountable must be brought before the justice. Justice for all citizen of the country.
This 13 million could be worth if the government use it to build a good road in villages and small town so the farmers can transport their products into the market so all people can get benefit from that ammount of money not only one or two corrupt Director or Minister.
Xanana must take action into his own administration. Corruption is socio economic human right violation. In Timor Leste there are so many educated people if one or two member of administration found guilty must be sacked from the post and put in the prison. The government should take beck all that money into government account.
The administration must be free from political afiliation. All the directors must be people with profesional beckground not coming from political party affiliation.
This is the time for Xanana to prove to the public that he is strong leader and commit to small people if not that's the end his popularity.
Maubere Anan
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