Public works official rebuked

DILI, East Timor: Governor Abilio Jose Osorio Soares has summoned chief of the provincial public works office Sumaryono in relation to alleged collusion with businessmen from other provinces.

Abilio read Sumaryono the riot act following a complaint from a contractor, CV Ambeno Indah, which claimed that local public works officials had awarded a road repair project to another company through some sort of collusion.

Sumaryono told journalists over the weekend he would look into the allegation and promised to take punitive action against any of his staff involved in collusion.

Legislator Manuel Viegas Carrascalao said yesterday that collusion between officials and Jakarta-based entrepreneurs has deprived local companies of government projects.

"Businessmen from outside East Timor come with memos from powerful officials in Jakarta to obtain projects here. Consequently, development funds are absorbed again into other provinces," he said. (yac/pan)