Prime Minister on a visit to the Municipality of Covalima
The Prime Minister, Rui Maria de Araújo, visited the Municipality of Covalima, on July 18th, in order to meet with the Non-Governmental Organization Timor Aid [which develops activities supporting the culture and well-being of the people of Timor-Leste]. The meeting aimed at presenting the results of the research on Cultural Heritage that this organization has been carrying in Covalima, since 2013.
Before arriving in Suai, the Prime Minister made a panoramic reconnaissance of the municipality, from the Air Force place, and observed the Lomea bridge, which was damaged by a flood. Currently, the General State Inspection (in Portuguese IGE) cooperates with the Chinese construction state enterprise COVEC on the rehabilitation of the bridge, in the Administrative Post of Zumalai.
In Suai, the Prime Minister was accompanied by Vice Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, Marcos da Cruz, by the Secretary of State for Arts and Culture, Maria Isabel de Jesus Ximenes, by representatives from the Ministry of Public Works and from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, by the researchers team from Timor Aid, by local authorities and by community leaders.
During the opening session of the exhibition of arts and crafts, and of the languages and traditional songs heritage, in Timor-Aid office, Tabaco-Lot, within the Community, the Prime Minister pointed out that “when we leave for another country and we are faced with other peoples, we can feel proud of being from Timor-Leste. Culture is our root, is our origin. If there was no culture, we would be adrift and without identity. Therefore, being Timorese, we must know the culture of Timor”.
The Prime Minister also gave some practical information to the Secretary of State for Arts and Culture, affirming that this research process should continue; even if slower and with less force, but it must continue.
The Head of Government asked the relevant authorities to cooperate with the Ministry of Education, so that all the information gathered could be inserted in the school curriculum, so that the new generations can know their culture.
“To preserve Timorese culture a Training Centre to learn how to make Tais should be created, so that Timorese women can transmit their wisdom to the new generations. This plan can only be achieved if the competent authority cooperate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in the identification of plants that are used in the Tais and they are replanted”, stressed the Prime Minister.
Closing, the Prime Minister thanked the community that created those Tais and also the researchers, who have already produced books and documentaries.
Leaving the exhibition with handcraft products and language and traditional music heritage, the Head of Government went to harvest néli in Suai Loro, along with the Vice Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, the Secretary of State for Arts and Culture and the owners of agricultural fields. In addition, he spoke with the community of Salele, at Suai Loro Suco’s headquarters, encouraging the owners and farmers to work hard. He argued that parents should encourage children to go to school and community leaders must continue to mobilize the community for work.
The Head of Government also visited Suai Loro’s Vocational School, to check the conditions on site. We studied the information on current students, the existing equipment, including computers, and spoke with students and teachers about the issues they have been facing.
Before returning to Dili, on the same day, the Head of Government still passed through the Camanassa bridge, in Suai Vila, to see the retaining walls of the bridge that were damaged by the river.
