Meeting of the Council of Ministers from September 2nd, 2014
Presidency of the Council of Ministers
V Constitutional Government
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Dili, September 2nd, 2014
Press Release
Meeting of the Council of Ministers from September 2nd, 2014
The Government met this Tuesday, September 2nd, 2014, in the Council of Ministers’ Meeting Room, at the Government Palace, in Dili, and approved:
1. Draft Resolution for the approval of the Convention between the Portuguese Republic and the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, in order to avoid double taxation and prevent fiscal evasion, concerning income taxes
This Draft Proposal approved at the meeting of the Council of Ministers of December 7th, 2011 and submitted for consideration of the National Parliament on December 14th, 2011, was never ratified by this sovereignty body. Given that the diploma was sent by the previous Government, and is considered lapsed at the National Parliament after the end of the previous term, the Council of Ministers submits again to the National Parliament, the Draft Proposal from the Government, on the Double Taxation Agreement with Portugal.
This diploma, let us recall, sets the commitment between the Portuguese Republic and Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste to effectively eliminate double taxation and establish cooperation mechanisms between both parties in order to prevent fiscal evasion concerning income taxes.
2. Draft Law on combatting trafficking and illegal consumption of drugs
This Draft Law aims to establish the legal framework for combatting narcotrafficking, impose the appropriate measures of control and surveillance to drug trafficking, and determine the adoption of multidisciplinary measures aiming treatment and reintegration of drug addicts.
It should be noted that Timor-Leste has recently concluded the ratification process of the United Nations Convention Against Illegal Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances from 1988 and is prepared to ratify the two remaining reference conventions on combatting drugs at the international level (Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs from 1961 and the Convention on Psychotropic Substances from 1971).
3. Government Resolution authorizing the Institute for Training of Teachers and Education Professionals (INFORDEPE) to give the Postgraduate Diploma to holders of the Training of Trainers Course
The certification of the graduates from the Training of Trainers Course, provided by the Institute for Training of Teachers and Education Professionals, with the diploma of “Postgraduation in Teacher Education with specialization in Language Teaching / Science Teaching / Teaching of Mathematics” aims to allow the establishment of a framework of dully qualified teachers of INFORDEPE.
More than assigning certification to trainees who concluded the course held between 2012 and 2013, this legislation mandates the Ministry of Education, through the Vice Minister for Higher Education, to, at the National University of Timor Lorosa’e (NUTL), launch the necessary procedures so that it can be equivalent to the curricular part of a Masters Course to be concluded at that university.
The Council of Ministers reviewed, also:
1. Presentation on the sustainability of the General State Budget for the fiscal year of 2015
The General Director for the State Budget has presented to the Council of Ministers the status, of the sustainability of the proposals submitted to the Budget Review Commission, by ministries and institutions to the General State Budget of 2015. This Commission, integrating representatives from Government key-sectors, met, during the last months, with the ministries and institutions, for an analysis of these proposals that will serve as a basis for the preparation of the GSB for the fiscal year of 2015.
