Sakib Awan 10/21/20 Sakib Awan 10/21/20

Farewell Discovery Inn & Diya Restaurant, Dili

It was with a heavy heart that I recently made the difficult decision to close our beloved hotel Discovery Inn and Diya Restaurant, along with two of our Burger King Timor-Leste restaurants, due to the effects of COVID-19 on the hospitality industry.

Sakib Awan 9/11/20 Sakib Awan 9/11/20

Banks in Timor-Leste

Until land title law and regulation on interest rates is passed, interest rates will remain high – a problem that could be solved now if the government wished.

Sakib Awan 6/28/20 Sakib Awan 6/28/20

Genius of the simple

This simple invention by a Salvation Army doctor in the 1970s has saved countless lives but has come into its own during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sakib Awan 6/19/20 Sakib Awan 6/19/20

On the Ground in Timor-Leste

‘I was really worried and very scared’ … Four Timorese locals share their thoughts, comments, and feelings about facing COVID-19.

Sakib Awan 6/10/20 Sakib Awan 6/10/20

A Trans-Timor Travel Bubble

As Australia opens up, there is increasing talk of a trans-Tasman travel bubble, and Scott Morrison foreshadowed other Pacific bubbles for ‘members of our broader Pacific family’. But what of our cousins in Timor-Leste to the north, where there have been no COVID-19 deaths? Now it’s time to consider a trans-Timor COVID safe travel zone.

Sakib Awan 4/17/20 Sakib Awan 4/17/20

Cooperation & Economic Recovery in Timor-Leste

I think it is now safe to say we can call what we are now seeing, a recession. Most people would agree, we don’t need to wait for the official report of two successive quarters of contraction to call this one. What is unknown is how long this will last and how deep it will be.

Sakib Awan 2/7/20 Sakib Awan 2/7/20

Positives in the Midst of a Crisis, a response to Jose Antonio Belo’s article

May I begin by congratulating Jose Antonio Belo on his wonderful article. Although I now live in Sydney, I lived in Timor-Leste for 20 years when I was establishing our business, East Timor Trading. Based on my experience, you have captured the essence of the nation at this turning point for Timorese democracy.