Comments

Charlie, thanks for your comment and query. The jobs in the three main migrant destinations are low-skilled which means that workers do not require post school qualifcations to do the work - so no loss of valuable human capital. On how to access the February 2018 Labour Market Outlook Timor-Leste, it was launched at a public forum at Timor Plaza Hotel on 8 February. The report has not been posted on the website of the Secretariate of Youth and Labour as yet. However, I can send you a copy to post on the La'o Hamutuk website.

Interesting, although it's disappointing that Timor-Leste is exporting some of its most valuable human capital when there's so much that needs to be done here. But more concretely, where can I find the February 2018 Labour Market Outlook Timor-Leste? I can't locate it on the ILO or DGE web sites. Thanks.

Going back to 2007 when Governor Pawes Parkop was first elected to Parliament or as Governor, one of his powerfull policy platform was this, "I did not have millions of kinas to campaign like the other canddiates, but I have millions of ideas and strategies for the city that no other candidates had," people trusted him and voted for him. Now we see the outcome of his millions of ideas to controll betel nut (buai) ban in NCD...very interesting he has a very poor idea that is not suitable for chewers and sellers of betel(buai) nuts in NCD. The sellers and chewers have millons of ideas to evade his idea of buai ban, it works the opposite way. Therefore, the good Governor should go to the people and seek advice how the buai stain and littering can be controlled in the city...sellers and chewers have millions of ideas than the Governor...Alas!

Australian employers will only employ quality and those who do not cause issues such as drinking . Adding extra agents will not increase the uptake but upskilling workers with both work skills and social disciplines will help to build the competitive advantage for nivan staff

Taking a 10 000 steps walk for water yesterday and today for WASH did not hurt. However, when I walk down memory lane of my recreation leave last December, I found myself in a water poverty stricken situation. I had to walk a kilometer down into the gully to collect water, wash and drink. On two occasions I fell and rolled all the way back down hill, picked myself up, went for second round of bath, rewash my laundry and up again. I then figured out another way to climb back up to the top where my sister's house is in Bongiora village, Mambleif/Albiges LLG, in the East Sepik Province of PNG. This is just me- one women. Looking beyond are more women and girls from my area and beyond in PNG doing the same daily without complaining to the outside world or even have the courage and communication skills to get their message to their honorable MP for Maprik. Are there any philanthropists out their to listen to this cry for clean and safe drinking water and sanitation practices? It will cost only PGK 80,000. Labour will be provided free by the village youth.

Thank you Sam and Stephen and for raising the question and the discussions which to some extent were educational. It brings out the facts of the matter - why so long. To answer this question, it is important to look at the law. The law under section 57(5) is very clear on who is supposed to be undertaking the Full Scale Social Mapping and Landowner Identification Studies (FSSMLIS). It is the licensee (Exxon Mobil). The State through DPE did not vetted the work done by Exxon Mobil and accepted what was done and given. It is understandable, DPE has capacity issues and so poor work was done on vetting the work Exxon Mobil submitted. The matter was brought to the courts and the national Court ruled in favour of the landowners and the ADR/mediation process is pending completion. This means landowners are yet to be identified so people can start to receive benefits including royalty. The channel for distribution of benefits is the ILG and when the ILG process is employed properly, every landowners will benefit and social license will be provided by the process enabling people benefit directly. The problem now is that crooks are not providing funding for the ADR/Mediation completion which will ultimately require ILG form. Formation of ILG will mean some of the so-call landowner leaders Exxon Mobil deals with now will be definitely exclude and this means loosing their Status as well. For this reason some landowners benefiting now will not support the ADR/Mediation processing as the ILG process will definitely bring out the genuine landowners and exclude some crooks who are benefiting now. Considering this brief background and the law as it is, any laymen can conclude that Exxon Mobil is responsible for the long wait and the government been partners in the project cannot say much as there is conflict of interest, as the government has equity in the project as well. It is such reason why governments of some countries do not carry out business but rely on tax revenue and other sources of revenue for government operation. In the circumstance the people suffer the most and these discussion is not isolated anymore. The petroleum Minister Hon. Dr. Fabian Pok confirmed this during the 2nd PNG Petroleum Energy Summit on Tuesday 20 March 2018 (The national News Paper, page.3). In sum the answer to - why so long, is that there appears to be conspiracy between the State and Exxon Mobil to do wrong, it is the reason. To this end, thank you for the discussions and lets hope Exxon Mobil will soon realize the potential for project disruption it is creating as a result of its failure to comply with Section 47(5) requirement of the Oil & Gas Act, the law we all really on for identification of genuine landowners for project benefits to flow through and reciprocation of PNGLNG project smooth operation. regards

Duncan, thanks for your question about whether Australian banks are charging higher fees than those in other countries to remit workers' savings. I do not have the fees Australian banks charge to transfer money to Timor-Leste. However, I was going on the rate Australian banks charge for sending money to the Pacific. These data are available from a valuable website funded by Australian Aid and the New Zealand Aid Programme called Send Money Pacific https://www.sendmoneypacific.org. Taking Fiji as an example, the average bank charge to send AUD 200 from Australia is 14.53 per cent. To send NZD200 to Fiji, the average bank charge is 13.02 per cent.

You write about workers facing high costs of sending money from Australia through banks. Are Oz banks charging higher fees than those in other countries and ripping off the workers? If so, this should be taken to the Royal Commission into Banking.

Thank you Paul for your generous comments. Answering the question ‘why so long?’ required that the SMLIS issues be discussed in some detail and outlining the role and place of customary law in the PNG jurisdiction. It is certainly true, as you suggest, that there is much that also needs to be said about the related issues of payment of beneficiaries and transaction costs when considering the impact of the LNG Project on landowners. How payment is made and to whom has a considerable impact on equity issues and the welfare of women and children. It is heartening to note that GoPNG proposes now to move rapidly to revise the O&G Act and improve the regulation of the petroleum industry. The EITI Board has announced its reporting intentions and has bravely set about the task by describing landowner beneficiary recipients as beneficial owners (BOs) of the LNG Project and taken on the task of compiling the lists. The PNG Supreme Court has indicated that it may find that a fiduciary relationship obtains between the LNG Project Joint Venture parties and the landowners. It’s possible that the continuing participation of some landowners in the LNG Project will, after small-field depletion, be resolved by landowner equity participation. Perhaps the Hela Provincial Government, as the recipient of substantial project benefits may, in addition to making infrastructural investments, also make direct cash payments to non-BO Hela persons. The LNG Project does now stand in need of a political economy analysis and assessment. Thank you Sam and Stephen for asking the question ‘why so long?’ Vailala

This is a good reality check. The 'new poor' have to face challenges regarding clean and safe drinking water, sanitation, pollution of both psyche and physic (education) resulting in poor health and rundown educational infrastructures.

Fiji's scenario needs further explanation. This article appears to put Fiji on a pedestal, when in essence, the gap widens between haves & have noughts by hook or by crook post 2006 to 2018. Graphs are fanciful. Figures given from home country like Fiji, is questionable. Prefer to see such reports matched with time-line & credit level.

Thanks Rod ACIAR has always enjoyed strong bipartisan support and we are working hard on increasing awareness of our work to ensure that this continues to be the case.