Government of Timor-Leste

The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Social Communication, Francisco Martins da Costa Pereira Jerónimo, officially inaugurated an Information Centre and, at the same time, also launched the Naroman ba Suku Programme, with the theme Government within the People, at Dato-Tolu village, in the Fohorem Administrative Post, Covalima Municipality.

The aim of this programme is to listen directly to the people's concerns and motivate the participation of our communities, especially those residing in remote areas.

In his speech, the MAPCOMS Minister stated that “the policy of the 8th Government has a set of plans that we are carrying out, and this is one of the means to bring the Government closer to the people. The Naroman ba Suku Programme is a way for us to have more access to information, enlightening our brains with it, a way to learn how to use social networks and communication, to be more aware of the Government's activities and the needs of the people, on the ground”.

At the same time, the Dato-Tolu village head, João Agostinho Resi, thanked the ongoing MAPCOMS program, because during the 20 years of independence, it is the first time that the Dato-Tolu village has access to information about communication, but also access to roads. This local leader asked the Minister of MAPCOMS to take care of the program that is being executed by the Government in this village, because during all these years the village and its population were in darkness, but now the light of knowledge is already shining.

On the other hand, the Assistant Administrator of Covalima Municipality, Afonso Nogueira Nahak, strongly thanked for these activities, because for the first time a village that is located in the extremely remote areas could have an information centre, through the Naroman ba Suku programme, and could count on the inauguration by the MAPCOMS Minister. Thus, on behalf of the people of Covalima, he thanked the Minister for his support for the establishment of an Information Centre in the Village of Dato Tolu, in the administrative post of Fohorem, Covalima Municipality.

The MAPCOMS Minister further reinforced that: “it is with a great honour, because the Dato Tolu Village offered the opportunity for the Ministry to approach this village. This event comes to fulfil the dreams of all, and of the 8th Constitutional Government, in the person of His Excellency the Prime Minister, Taur Matan Ruak, since when he took office as Prime Minister, he always referred that there is a set of programs that he wanted to accomplish”.

“This programme is organised in such a way as to bring the Government within the community, and to listen to the voice of the people and the communities, the appeals of the people.  When the rulers cannot come to the communities, the rulers do not know the difficulties of the community or the wishes that the communities wish to present to the rulers. So, with the Naroman ba Suku programme in the Dato Tolu Village, we can motivate communities in rural areas to be more participatory”, stressed MAPCOMS.

In the last statement, the Minister reminded the municipal authorities, the village heads, the municipal administrator, the police commander and the entire community that the Naroman ba Suku programme is just a small event that takes place in the Dato Tolu village. But small and simple things, when put together, turns into something big. Although it is a small and worthless event, gradually it may become something very valuable. During the mandate of the 8th Constitutional Government, permanent assistance will be given, so that this programme can grow. And assistance is not just coming here on this day. In the coming years we will continue to provide assistance, so that the project can grow, increase in value and develop, for the good of all.

“Because of the name Naroman ba Suku (light to the village) the whole community thought it was a project to bring electricity, but this programme, in our area, means bringing information to the community, so that the community can be informed, and so that each one of us is more enlightened about what is happening in our country. To be more informed on social networks and social media. This way, we can better clarify what the Government's programme is, and what the community's wishes are”, concluded MAPCOMS.

This ceremony was attended by the MAPCOMS Minister, the local authorities of Cova Lima municipality, the SECOOP Chief of Staff, veterans and the community.