Be Careful What You Wish For:East Timor’s South Coast Project

James ScambaryEast Timor Update SSGM/ANU

November 28-29, 2013

The Tasi Mane Project

2http://timorgap.com/databases/website.nsf/vwAll/Southern%20Coast%20Map

State capacityDeloitte Review of Ministry of Infrastructure:‘The extent of the missing documentation was the most extreme of all Ministries involved in the review process and suggests a near complete absence of due process in the procurement environment in the Ministry of Infrastructure. There is no established and effective contract management.’

State Secretary for Public Works:“According to my observation, almost 60% of the projects have no quality.”

Regulatory environment

Specialist Facilities

Fire protection systems

The Nigerian experience

The 1998 Esso Longford Fire

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Skills required• Mechanical fitters• Coded welders• Boilermakers• Process engineers• Chemical engineers• Project supervisors• IT process specialists• Operators• NDT technicians

Current human resourcesNational

• 30% illiteracy, 15% semi-literate average in south coast region

• Less than 20% completed secondary school

• 4% ‘tertiary qualified’ • No training courses above Level 2

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www.kjmcontractors.com.au

enscope.com.au

Social costs• Brain drain from the rest of the economy-

including from government agencies overseeing project

• Rising land and housing prices• Increased in-migration to project areas and

informal settlements leading to conflict• Neglect of traditional and more sustainable forms

of livelihood• Rise in crime and substance abuse• Social jealousy from populations in regions outside

project areasFiler, C., 2012

Alternatives• Siting repair facilities on the south coast with local

apprenticeships to international standards• Subsidised hospitals, health clinics, schools, nutrition

programs• Scholarships to internationally recognised

universities or training centres• Internships and apprenticeships within existing

facilities or resources companies• Community trusts to invest in local initiatives

e.g. small businesses, enhancing agricultural outputs, storage facilities, livestock

The road forward

RDTL 2013