The Secretary of State for Local Development Samuel Mendonça inaugurated two PNDS projects in Suku Mota Ulun, Liquiça District: a community centre and a clean water project, on 20 June 2014.
This was the third in a series of ceremonies over the last week to mark the completion of the pilot phase of PNDS.
New community center in Mota Ulun
The Secretary of State congratulated everyone involved in the projects including the communities themselves, village and neighbourhood chiefs, PNDS staff and the District Administration (local government) in Liquisa. He added: “The Timorese Government has supplied funds to build infrastructure according to the priorities set by this community. And so, I ask the community to take responsibility for taking good care of these facilities, because you are the owners of these projects.”
Village chief Agusto de Jesus said the participation and contribution from the community in Mota Ulun village was excellent, there were no significant problems during the whole project, and everything went well: “We are very grateful because the community have access to a new community center. As part of the local authority, I’m happy that this program will run for eight years and can improve the communities’ lives.”
The Government of Australia has supported the training of PNDS facilitators who work together with the community to implement their projects, and Ms. Kathy Richards represented the Embassy of Australia at the inauguration ceremony. Delivering her speech in Tetun, Ms. Richards said, “The Australian government is proud to work together with the Government of Timor-Leste in this national program. We can already see the results of this partnership at the community level such as this new community center here.”
The clean water project cost approximately US$ 21, 000 and benefits over 200 households. The community centre will be used by over 100 households and cost approximately US$ 18,000.
