Australians told to help East Timor with jobs

Australians told to help East Timor with jobs

MELBOURNE (AFP): Australian businesses were urged on Tuesday to take a leading role in rebuilding the devastated East Timor, in particular through projects that employed East Timorese.

Representatives from various international organizations told a business seminar that creating employment in public and private sector projects was vital in helping the impoverished new nation recover from the devastation that occurred after last year's independence vote.

Asian Development Bank representative Sirpa Jarvenpaa said creating employment in East Timor was the major priority and would be essential in preventing further unrest.

"I think employment is the number one priority because the communities don't have cash; they don't have resources to obtain the necessary items, particularly in the remote areas," she said.

Joao Goncalves of the National Council of Timorese Resistance said he believed the future economic viability of the fledgling nation depended heavily on private sector investment.

He appealed to Australian businesses to take a leading role in investment and the training of unskilled East Timorese.

A total of US$520 million has been pledged to East Timor in international aid for rebuilding and humanitarian needs.