How delighted I am to see three new, strong and very professional excellent females, plus young Steven Karaitiana join the Council.

New ideas, a much better gender balance, and all no-nonsense people who I am sure we will all be very proud to see them in action and people we will be proud to call them OUR COUNCIL.

Congratulations to you all take care of yourselves and all the very best for the next four years.

Faithfully yours, 

Dianne Decker AM JP

I would like to thank the many who showed kind words of support, encouragement and voted for me in the recent Local Government elections.

Congratulations to those who have been elected and also to the unsuccessful candidates in having the courage to put your name forward and stand up for what you believe in.

It is not easy to put oneself out there in such a public forum, so I give credit to those with the initiative to do so. The next four years will be both challenging and very rewarding for council. It is my hope that we will have a united council working as a team for the future of Forbes.

Thank you, 

Michelle Mahlo

Dear Ms Miller and Mr Keith, we refer to your kind note of June 16, detailing a consignment of donated hospital and other equipment for our local health district of Manufahi which includes our remote villages of Wedaurberec, Weberek and the town of Same. 

I am sure that Roger, Doug and Bill (see page 5) have already informed you that the container of equipment was delivered to our clinics and district hospital in good condition in the early hours of Wednesday, August 10. We were delighted and extremely grateful to receive this gift. Please be assured that every piece of that consignment will be put to good use.

We know that through many years of visitation into our hospitals, homes and villages that your teams wonderfully lead by Geoff and Viv Steventon fully understands the difficulties for Timor Leste in providing a basic supply of medical equipment and supplies to our more remote clinics.

Your consignment was certainly needed and will provide a great boost for not only our patients but it also provides encouragement for our health professionals and support staff in understanding that some others from far away care about Timor Leste and our people.

Thank you to those who had the vision for this project, to those authorities that helped in the various processes including offering advice in getting donated goods into Timor Leste.

Thanks you also to those companies that offered logistical support and to your local teams that did the hard physical work that made it all happen.

Thank you again for your continued support through your community members coming to help us, for this consignment and for the financial support you offered to undertake this initiative.

Rest assured that there are many more villages, communities and clinics that would be grateful to receive similar support if opportunities arise from your hospital systems in Australia in future years.

We value your friendship and the partnership we have with your communities.

Florencia Corte-Real Tilman, Lic SP – Head of the Health, 

Orlando Martins – Head of Community Health Centre Alas.