Colonel OK'd for vice governorship

DILI: Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. has approved Col. Johanes Suryo Prabowo to become the next deputy governor of East Timor, an official said yesterday.

Prabowo is set to replace incumbent deputy governor Brig. Gen. Johanes Haribowo, whose term of office ends in March.

"The minister has asked governor Abilio Soares to seek the provincial legislative council's endorsement," provincial government secretary Radjakrina Brahmana said yesterday.

Brahmana declined to comment whether governor Abilio proposed any other candidates apart from Prabowo to the home affairs minister.

Prabowo's road to the vice governorship is likely to be smooth as council speaker, Armindo Soares Mariano, has explicitly given his support to the colonel.

I know he (Prabowo) is the best figure who can cooperate with the governor. We will endorse the candidate," he told reporters. (33)