[East Timor] unveils plan to combat poverty

from Australia Broadcast Corporation

The East Timor Government has launched an ambitious program to reduce poverty, with its success hinging on a plan to treble economic growth.

Poverty is entrenched in East Timor, particularly in rural areas.

High population growth of 3 per cent and a rapidly growing labour force have added to the problem.

The Government's proposed solution is to lift economic growth to between 7 and 8 per cent a year by 2010.

Its national strategy for combating poverty was launched in Dili today and sets out the goals for achieving that by increasing government spending, boosting public and private investment, and developing agriculture for export markets.

The ultimate goal is to halve the number of people living below the poverty line by 2015.

Meanwhile, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) says it will not donate decommissioned Navy patrol boats to East Timor to bolster its coastal surveillance.

Northern Territory Fisheries Minister Kon Vatskalis suggested the idea when two Fremantle Class boats were taken out of service in February.

The Australian Navy is introducing new Armidale Class boats.

A Defence Force spokeswoman says the older boats would be too expensive for East Timor to maintain.