A busy close to 2014

Minister of State and of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and

Official Spokesperson for the Government of Timor-Leste

Dili, December 31st, 2014

A busy close to 2014

The Government of Timor-Leste has been busy in the final weeks of 2014. After weeks of consideration the General State Budget for 2015 was unanimously approved by National Parliament on the 18th of December. The Budget ceiling remained as proposed at $1.57 Billion with allocations of $179 Million for wages and salaries, $516 Million for goods and services, $407 Million for public transfers, $26 Million for minor capital and $442 for development capital.

92 amendments were considered in the budgetary process after the approval of the Budget in Generality on the 4th of December. The Budget Law for the 2015 General State Budget has now been sent to the Office of the President for promulgation.

Budget execution of the 2014 budget has proved to be strong. On the on 29 November the Government recorded an expenditure execution of $1,077 million in cash and $228 million in commitments. At that time it looked likely that an 87% execution rate may be possible by the end of the year, a promising figure particularly since the 2014 budget only started to be legally executable in the third month of the year.

It can now be confirmed that the rate of execution for the 2014 General State Budget is now over 90%.

The day following the approval of the Budget the Prime Minister met with senior members of the Public Service at the Díli Convention Centre taking the opportunity to thank them for their service, emphasize the importance of their responsibilities and to encourage them to keep working hard in the year ahead. He underlined the role the public service has in operationalizing Timor-Leste’s Strategic Development Plan in their work for the citizens of Timor-Leste.

At the close of a busy year the Government of Timor-Leste wishes to convey to all the compliments of the season and best wishes for the new-year ahead. The Fifth Constitutional Government of Timor-Leste remains steadfast in its resolve to “defend the national interests, to protect the Timorese people and to honour the sacrifices made by those who dreamed of a free, sovereign and independent Timor-Leste”, and looks forward to serving the nation in 2015 with energy and passion.

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