Shoddy water project in Timor

Shoddy water project in Timor

DILI, East Timor: A drinking water project in the Manatuto
regency, 50 kilometers east of Dili, has been left uncompleted,
causing the state to suffer a loss of Rp 7 billion (US$3.1
million).

Elvis, a regency official, said yesterday that the contractor
has failed to report on the project to the government, sparking
speculations that the businessman may have colluded with certain
local officials.

Manatuto is one of several regencies that suffers from lack of
clean water during the dry season. The contractor is identified
as PT Taruna Karya. Company officials were not available for
comment.(yac/rms)