Pelican Paradise stays silent after government eviction order

DILI, 17 April 2026 (TATOLI) — Pelican Paradise has declined to comment after the Timor-Leste government ordered the developer to vacate its project site in Tibar within 10 days.

Since a statement by Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão calling on the developer to vacate the project site, Pelican Paradise has been contacted by TATOLI for comment but has declined to respond.

“The company and I will not provide any comment. The decision now rests with the government,” Pelican Paradise Project Manager Osvaldo Boavida told TATOLI.

The site, where the foundation stone was laid in November 2023, must be cleared to make way for new investments, Xanana Gusmão told reporters after his weekly meeting with President José Ramos-Horta at the Nicolau Lobato Presidential Palace, in Dili, on Thursday.

Gusmão said the measure is intended to open the Tibar site to other potential investors, particularly as Timor-Leste prepares to host the ASEAN Summit in 2029.

“There is already a resolution instructing the Vice Prime Minister, Francisco Kalbuadi Lay, to contact Pelican Paradise to agree on a 10-day deadline for their departure, freeing up the space for other investments,” he said.

Gusmão added that the government had fulfilled several key requests from the developer, including the provision of electricity and clean water to support the project, but said the developer had failed to deliver any progress.

Valued at about $700 million, the Pelican Paradise development includes plans for a five-star resort, golf course, residential zones and commercial facilities along the Tasi-Tolu–Tibar corridor.

TATOLI