In the remote city of Suai, Timor-Leste, a gleaming $120 million airport stands empty, a stark reminder of the country's ambitious but unfulfilled dreams. Once promised as a gateway to economic prosperity, the Xanana Gusmão International Airport now echoes with the silence of unused planes and unmet expectations. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. Barely a kilometre away, a four-lane highway, costing around $550 million, lies dormant, its surface marred by three massive sinkholes, a stark contrast to the bustling roads one might expect.
The Greater Sunrise oil and gas project, valued at $50 billion, was meant to be the economic saviour of Timor-Leste. The airport and highway, known locally as the Tasi Mane project, were constructed with this vision in mind. However, the reality has fallen short of these grand plans. The airport, designed for large jets, now serves only a single medical evacuation flight daily, while the highway, a 33-kilometre 'super highway', has seen minimal traffic, with only a handful of vehicles passing by in over an hour.
The story of Greater Sunrise is a complex one, fraught with political and economic challenges. The Timor government, owning more than half of the project, has been at the centre of this saga. While they resist calls to pipe the gas through existing infrastructure to Darwin, insisting on bringing it to Timor, the commercial realities paint a different picture. The project is too small to be economically viable, and Woodside, the operator, does not see it as a priority.
The local community, like Joao Gusmao, has been affected by these unfulfilled promises. They were relocated for the airport and highway project, expecting jobs and local amenities like a mini-market, chapel, and kindergarten. However, despite the delays and broken promises, Gusmao supports the government's efforts, understanding the long-term benefits for the next generation.
The situation in Suai is a stark reminder of the challenges of large-scale infrastructure projects in developing nations. It invites us to question the balance between ambition and feasibility, and the impact of unmet expectations on local communities. As Timor-Leste navigates its future, the fate of Greater Sunrise hangs in the balance, a cautionary tale of the risks and rewards of resource-driven development.
