Meeting of the Council of Ministers of 13 April 2011
IV CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT
SECRETARIAT OF STATE OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS
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PRESS RELEASE
Meeting of the Council of Ministers of 13 April 2011
The Council of Ministers met this Wednesday, the 13th April 2011, in the Meeting Room of the Council of Ministers, in the Government Palace, in Díli, and approved:
1. Decree-Law that approves the Organic of the Human Rights and Justice Ombudsman
The objective of the Human Rights and Justice Ombudsman is to ensure the effective implementation of the tasks regarding its services and organisms, taking into account its role in the strengthening of a Legal State in Timor-Leste. One is reminded that the Human Rights and Justice Ombudsman is responsible for the provision of technical and administrative support necessary for the implementation of the role of Human Rights and Justice Ombudsman, namely the control of the State’s administrative activity and the power to recommend behaviours to the political powers so as to repair illegalities and injustice.
The regulation of this independent institution guarantees its capacity to provide confidence to the population and public powers through an efficient and specialized organization in the areas of the Human Rights and Justice Ombudsman’s constitutional mandate.
2. Government Decree that constitutes the Regulating Commission for Martial Arts
The current diploma approves the statutes for the Regulating Commission for Martial Arts whose function is to supervise the activities of centres, clubs or schools in teaching, learning and exercise of martial arts.
It is reminded that in 2008, Law no. 1/2008, of 16 July, was created, establishing the legal framework for the promotion, teaching and practice of these activities, predicting the creation and regulation of the Regulating commission’s statutes, which this diploma currently puts into effect.
The Council of Ministers also analyzed:
1. Hydropower projects in Magapo (Atsabe) and Bulobo (Maliana)
The Council of Ministers analyzed the result of the feasibility study regarding hydropower projects in Magapu and Bulobo, presented by the Secretary of State for Energy policy, in cooperation with the international agency Norplan, who developed the study.
These two projects are included in the Program of the IV Constitutional Government, which defines that the “major guidelines of this government’s energy policy are based on the search for alternative renewable energies, to guarantee the necessary energy for domestic and industrial consumption, taking into account the preservation of the environment”, highlighting as one of the objectives: “reduce the intensity of energy dependency, minimizing the import flow, through the use of alternative and renewable energy sources, such as: Hydropower, biomass, biogas, solar energy, turbines, wind power, chemical energy stored in plants and microorganisms potentially abundant in the country”.
2. UNDIL – Díli University
Díli University presented to the Council of Ministers the result of the reforms that it made since the new Direction has taken office, in 2010, such as structural, administrative, financial management of curriculums and installations reforms. The new Directorate clarified the Council of Ministers regarding the development of an activity plan, drafted for a 5 year duration, recognizing that there is still much to do.
The Council of Ministers positively acknowledged the progress achieved and incentivised the new Directorate to continue with the work it started, since the common objective, of the Government and the new UNDIL Directorate, it to allow better training for Timorese citizens, thus contributing for the country’s social, economic and cultural development.
3. Law proposal that approves a Social Security Transitory Regime
This diploma establishes a Social Security Transitory Regime, initially destined to guarantee the basic social protection needs for state workers and their dependents. Albeit Transitional, this regime will establish a social security regimen in Timor-Leste and constitutes the first step for the development of a universal system.
This regime has been drafted based on the proposal from the Interministerial Working Group, approved by the Counsel of Ministers in December last year, which determined that the social security transitory regime should follow the unique model and simple apportionment.
This diploma will ensure State workers the right to the benefit of an old-age benefit, invalidity benefit and survival benefit (in the of a worker’s death) for his/her dependant relatives.
4. Decree-Law that approves the Legal Regime for Administration and Management of the Secondary Education System
This Decree-Law intends to regulate the general secondary education and technical-vocational education into one single system of administration and management, to guarantee its integrated management in the whole territory, taking advantage of the cooperation between the several related organs, increasing the efficiency of the system, the offer and the mobility of the students. The diploma defines the rules for administration and management of the secondary education system, adapting them to the dimension and geographic dispersion of this sector from the educational system.
