Partido Trabalhista: criticizes decision to grant a license to a Philippine company to start telephone gambling in East Timor

From the office of Angela Freitas
President
Partido Trabalhista
Dili  Timor Leste

Thursday, August 04, 2011

MEDIA RELEASE

President of Partido Trabalhista (Labour Party) Angela Freitas today described as 'disgraceful and stupid' the Government's decision to grant a license to a Philippine company to start telephone gambling in East Timor.

'What are our leaders thinking? This is the last thing our empovished nation needs.' Ms. Freitas said.

'We are rated as the poorest country in South East Asia. The majority of our people cannot even afford to feed themselves and their families, let alone spend money on gambling. Who does the Government think will benefit from another form of gambling in this country? Will the massive profits stay in Timor Leste and help the hundreds of thousands of people who are unemployed and struggling to survive?' she asked.

'Gambling is an addiction our people can do without.'

I call on the Government to re-consider its decision and start concentrating on the needs of the real people; those who have suffered for the past ten years from hunger, malnutrition and a pathetic hospital and medical service. We still have no street lighting, the roads are appalling, raw sewage continues to flow through open canals and empty into the sea and black-outs constantly disrupt daily life. We may be the poorest nation in South East Asia but what has happened to the billions of dollars in foreign aid that has poured in?' Ms. Freitas added

'I see no change over the past ten years and so do the people.'

'It's time for a revolution Now! A peaceful, peoples' revolt against this sort of madness'.

Angela Freitas. Thursday, August 04, 2011

For further information contact: Trabalhista Media Advisor Robert Trott- Tel: 7969082 Email: robertotrottski@gmail.com


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ETLJB Editor's Note: See also on ETLJB:

Illegal gambling machines confiscated

Government to legalise illegal gambling shortly

and The East Timor Civil Society ROCCIPI Analysis of Gambling in East Timor on the East Timor Law Journal:

The Circulation of Lottery Tickets in East Timor