Maliana – Nearly 100 local businessmen in Viqueque and Bobonaro have learnt new corruption prevention skills which will help them play an important part in fighting corruption in Timor-Leste.

The businessmen, members of the local Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI-TL), attended workshops organized by the Anti-Corruption Commission (CAC), with the Director of Prevention Abrão Jose Freitas delivering the key address.

The two workshops on the topic of ‘The Private Sector’s Role in Strengthening National Development: Corruption Prevention Context’ were held at District administrators’ offices in Viqueque on Thursday (8/5) and in Bobonaro today (15/8).

Director of Prevention Abrão Jose Freitas said the objective of this series of workshops was to introduce the private sector to how it can play a role in preventing and fighting corruption. This is consistent with CAC’s 2014-15 Prevention Plan, which focuses on four priority areas including procurement.

The workshops helped to inform businessmen about their roles in preventing corruption, including through the establishment or reinforcement of effective methods in private sector procurement services, BoQ (Build of Quantity) and design of the projects to minimize corruption risk.

“We are here via our workshops to inform them on how to carry out project in a clean and transparent way with dignity, as part of collective effort to prevent and fight corruption.” Director Abrão Freitas said.

Local businessmen in both districts enthusiastically and actively participated in the workshop. They recommended that CAC establish offices in their districts to support the early monitoring of local companies in the selection process for state projects, to ensure they are awarded objectively based on a company’s capacity.

CAC firmly believes that everyone – whether they are community leaders, from the private sector or government, or members of the public – must be involved in eradicating corruption in Timor-Leste. We will continue to hold these workshops with the private sector throughout the year. (*)