Dili - Roadworks and Elections

Things are heating up around here with the elections due on Saturday.  I was walking along the waterfront today and there was a huge contigent of local police, the scruitineers have arrived and there is a large presence of UN Police (they are much more visable now). We are anticipating going to Ermera on Saturday - this is a coffee producing area of Timor Leste.  May be wise to get out of the city.  

 This is one of the main roads along the waterfront.  It has been raining fairly consistently today.  By tomorrow (if the rain stops - it will all be drained away, but it gives you an idea of the condition of the roads). 

I am not sure what will happen to Timor Leste when the UN and all others leave in approx. December this year.  The conditions here are still third world in regards to health and infrastructure is not in place to support  the people.  They have built some large buildings - for example the Presidential Palace, and shopping centres like the Timor Plaza but these benefit the rich, not the majority of the population of Dili.  Its hard to see evidence of where the money from the royalties of oil exploration have been spent.  Its certainly doesn't appear to be evident.