Infrastrucutre and planning for Molonglo Development

There is an important aspect of the planning for development from Patrick's presentation this week. Planning for Infrastructure in the aspect of any development is the most important approach. Like the Molonglo development, the infrastructure consideration in the development becomes first priority. As a consequence, the infrastructural development in Molonglo is likely to go well.  In particular, East Timor’s infrastructure and planning development specifically for urban and regional infrastructure development is still under uncertain direction.

In East Timor, the Minister of infrastructure is responsible for the infrastructure development. However, what becomes public concerns since after  the country got its independence in 1999 for infrastructure development in the country are: firstly, lack of strategic infrastructure policy in important areas such as;  transport, road urban development, power, communications and water supply and sanitation, secondly,   lack of controls and monitoring system to infrastructure development specifically to guide the private sectors and developers to promote the quality. This picture depicts one of unsustainable road quality. Even though the country has been receiving financial aids under bilateral agreement with other countries specifically to rebuild and improve infrastructure development in the country, the government through the ministry of infrastructure has not provided better infrastructure policy control.

 

The lack of the country’s strategic infrastructure policy control results in higher uncertain spending of government budget annually. In addition to two issues above, there is also a lack of engineering investigation to the quality of the infrastracture development.As a result, almost all roads in the country need fixing in every three months.

A different issue related to  startegic development. In East Timor, there has not been  a clear stategic development for the infrastructure specifically for urban development sector. this issue difficult the governemnt to take relevant action to improve the development. As an example, in the capital city, there is no clear land use policy and plan houses and building are built randomly without  any infrastracture policy  to control.

In summary, there is important for government (national to local) to consider the importantce of  infrastracture and planning development. In particular, This development approach is very important and applicable as a good approach to infrastracture nad planning development for East Timor.

This picture shows an issue related to house layout in the capital city of East Timor.