Timor-Leste
Timor-Leste is a country with a complicated and tragic history, and in recent times a close relationship with New Zealand.
Last night we were lucky to have Vicki Poole as our guest speaker. Vicki has had a distinguished career in Foreign Affairs, serving in various roles around the world. Currently, she is Deputy Director of Pacific Development at the Ministry, but from 2016 to 2019, she was our Ambassador to Timor-Leste, and this was the subject of her talk.
Timor-Leste is an independent country occupying the eastern half of the island of Timor. It is the only Asian country in the southern hemisphere and about one hour’s flying time from Darwin.
Timor was a Portuguese colony for 500 years but Portugal abandoned it in 1974. This led to a brutal civil war between independence groups and militias supported by Indonesian forces, ending only when a UN-brokered peacekeeping force was installed. In 2011 Timor-Leste’s own police force resumed control with help from Australian and New Zealand.
Timor-Leste has a mountainous spine, lush rainforests, and narrow coastal plains. Most of the population of 1.3 million lives in mountain villages, driven there by old fears of invasion from the sea.
It is a very poor country, ranked 122nd on the UN poverty index, but the people are ambitious and keen to establish a functioning, corruption-free democracy.
The economy is undeveloped although because of oil rights a $16 billion sovereign wealth fund has been established. To date, this has not been invested wisely. Infrastructure needs developing and education expanded. There is a small private sector and the commercial framework is primitive- problems common to many small Pacific nations.
In Vicki’s view, Timor-Leste could have a bright future in the Asian sphere. Tourism is small but could be developed.
In the meantime, New Zealand is very supportive, with our VSA and NGOs very active, government scholarships and technical advice.
Six tips for improving security around your home
1) Improve outdoor lighting
Ensure that streets, driveways, and front yards are well-lit. Motion-sensor lights around homes deter trespassers by reducing hiding spots and illuminating their movements.
2) Trim your trees
Overgrown shrubs and trees provide cover for intruders. Keeping them well-trimmed around windows and doors improves visibility and reduces potential hiding spots.
3) Secure Entry Points
Ensure doors, windows, and gates are always closed when you are away from the house. Upgrade to more secure locks, deadbolts, or even smart locks for added protection.
4) Add a security camera
Place security cameras in the main entry points to your home. Doorbell cameras are also relatively cheap and a great way to keep track of who is visiting your home when you aren't there.
5) Start a Neighborhood Watch Program
You could reach out to members on Neighbourly to form a group of neighbors who can regularly keep an eye out for suspicious activity and report it. You could also check with Neighbourhood Support to see what is existing in your area.
6) Introduce yourself to your neighbours
The closer you are to your neighbors, the more likely they’ll notice when something unusual or suspicious is happening around your property
Feel free to share anything that you do around your area to deter crime.
Today’s riddle: For all the curious minds next door!
My thunder comes before the lightning.
My lightning comes before the clouds.
My rain dries all the land it touches.
What am I?
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Poll: Is dumping an issue in your neighbourhood?
There's nothing worse than strolling around the streets in your neighbourhood and seeing dumped rubbish.
Have you noticed this in your area? What could we do to combat this around the country?
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43.3% Yes, I've seen some illegal dumping
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56% No, our neighbourhood is pretty good
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0.6% Other - I'll share below
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