Dili, June 4, 2025 (Média Democracia) – The government through the Ministry of State Administration (MAE), together with a joint team, carried out a general cleanup in the Comoro River area, starting from the CPLP bridge down to the sea, as part of preparations for World Oceans Week in Timor-Leste. This cleanup took place on Monday.
The Minister of State Administration, Tomas Cabral, stated that this general cleaning activity is related to efforts to protect the environment in celebration of World Oceans Week in Timor-Leste.
“Today we, along with a joint team, continue to clean the Comoro river area to prevent waste from flowing into the sea. As we are launching an eight-day campaign for the blue ocean to protect the environment, we can see that the Comoro River is full of waste like plastic, old cans, broken vehicles, and more. We must not just wait for local authorities to organize cleanups, but everyone must contribute to a zero-plastic campaign. Even though we are a small country, we must protect our ocean,” said Minister Tomas Cabral.
The Minister added that all citizens must comply with regulations and avoid littering in public spaces, especially since the government has prepared waste disposal sites in every neighborhood. When the community leaves broken vehicles in public areas, fines ranging from $500 to $1,000 will be applied to vehicle owners.
“We all know that public spaces are not for dumping waste. Today alone, the cleanup collected 10 tons of garbage, which has now been transported to the Tibar landfill. Altogether, this waste could exceed 200 tons,” said the Minister.
He explained that there is a large amount of plastic, cans, household waste, and other debris in the river, so everyone must continue the cleaning efforts all the way to the mouth of the river. This is to prevent trash from flowing into the ocean and damaging the marine environment.
At the same location, Bebonuk Village Chief Alfredo da Costa stated that previously, the Prime Minister and a team from MAE had come to observe the waste along the river and near public trash bins, which had not been collected for four days. As a result, the waste had accumulated along the river.
“I’ve constantly alerted the community, but there is still a lack of awareness in preventing illegal dumping. Many people are unaware and continue to throw trash into the river. Today, with guidance from government leaders, we are working with the joint team to clean from the river to the sea,” said Village Chief Alfredo da Costa.
The local authorities informed the community that starting today, everyone must ensure waste is disposed of properly. Improper disposal causes trash to overflow into the river and roads, especially during the rainy season, when rivers carry the waste to the ocean, impacting nearby residents.
Community representative Martinho da Silva Neto expressed pride that the government and joint team were working together to protect the environment.
“As a resident living near this area, I feel very sad when I see that many in the community are still unaware and continue to throw trash irresponsibly into public spaces. There’s even a nearby drainage area where people dump trash daily. I urge all community members to dispose of their waste in proper places to ensure a clean environment in our area,” said Martinho da Silva Neto.
He added that waste disposal by residents occurs daily, and its volume increases, especially when sanitation services do not collect trash for more than two days, leading to waste piling up in the river and streets. Therefore, everyone must contribute to minimizing the volume of waste in the capital.
The cleanup activity received support from the Institute for Equipment Management and Infrastructure Development Support (IGEADI), which provided two excavators and trucks to assist in collecting trash and clearing blocked drainage systems. All the collected waste was transported to the Tibar landfill.
Report: Nelfiano
Photo: Nelfiano