email:

May 29, 2012

AMP Government has Failed: Carrascalao

Jornal Independente

29.05.2012


By: Agus dos Santos

DILI: The governance of the Parliamentary Majority Alliance (AMP) during the past five years has been unsuccessful because there has not been significant development, an MP from within the alliance said.

PSD MP Mario Carrascalao made the comments as AMP’s mandate nears its end.

Since it came to power in 2007, the AMP government has taken more than $3 billion from the Petroleum Fund for national development.

Mr Carrascalao said this money had not benefitted the people.

The Ministry of Infrastructure had not achieved good results, because most of the nation’s roads and bridges were in poor condition, even though the budget for infrastructure had increased each year, the PSD MP said.

There was a lack of quality in education because students faced various difficulties, ranging from poor infrastructure to issues with school materials, he said.

“These are facts. Also, in the health (sector), many people are frequently concerned that there is no medicine and there are insufficient places (for treatment),” the former prime minister said.

Under Portuguese rule, Timor-Leste exported rice overseas, but 10 years after the restoration of independence, the country continues to import rice, even though the Ministry of Agriculture has bought various equipment for rice production, including tractors, he said.

“(There have been failures in) almost all ministries. In electricity, although there are many generators, the power continues to go on and off. (In the Ministry of Social Solidarity) MSS, veterans and the elderly continue to have concerns, although there have been some successes.”

The facts show there has not been development that is significant for the people, although the government has often used the name of the people, Mr Carrascalao said.

“I myself am from PSD, which signed the AMP alliance. I say AMP has not been a success. This is the reality – in (parts of) Dili there is no clean water, neighbourhoods don’t have (proper) roads. This says AMP has failed.”

During AMP’s governance, Mr Carrascalao said, Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao had used his influence to resolve problems such as those associated with displaced people and petitioners.

“This is because Xanana himself used his influence, not AMP.”

Recently, Prime Minister Gusmao said that during its five years in office AMP had delivered some development to the people, along with the stability necessary for the national development process.

The government had begun to resolve many problems, but more still needed to be done, he said.

…………

No comments:

Post a Comment