MAJ Syd Dewes is awarded the Timor Leste Solidarity Medal for by New Zealand’s Ambassador to Timor- Leste, Tim McIvor. (WN 09-0041-007).
16 November 2009
The New Zealand Army's Major Syd Dewes is heading home after a six month deployment as the New Zealand Defence Force Liaison Officer to the United Nations mission in Timor-Leste.
MAJ Dewes was awarded the Timor Leste Solidarity Medal by New Zealand’s Ambassador to Timor-Leste, Tim McIvor, at the conclusion of his tour that has seen him contribute to development programmes around the country.
“My role included visiting towns and villages to meet with local leaders to help determine medical conditions, the state of infrastructure, and the economy.” he said.
Information gathered by MAJ Dewes and his colleagues was then used by the UN and Government departments to ascertain needs for development planning.
MAJ Dewes said there have been dramatic changes in safety levels around Timor-Leste, and this is making development related work less complicated.
“There has been a vast improvement in the security situation,” MAJ Dewes said.
“Now I have no fear walking in the streets in the city, and out in the rural area there is no reason for concern. What this means is that the various NGOs and other agencies that are in Timor-Leste are able to get out and about in the country and do their work.”
On his arrival home this month, MAJ Dewes, who is originally from Gisborne but now lives in Auckland, was looking forward to a break.
“I am certainly looking forward to reconnecting with family. Christmas is just around the corner, so I will be taking some time to relax and reorienting to the NZ environment.”
MAJ Dewes is a veteran of several overseas tours of duty, including work in the Middle East.