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Press Release
Meeting of the Council of Ministers of March 16, 2020
The Council of Ministers met at the Government Palace in Dili and decided to request his Excellency the President of the Republic to declare the State of Emergency, due to the worrying developments in the epidemiological situation and the proliferation of recorded cases of contagion of COVID-19 on a global scale, which require the implementation of extraordinary and urgent measures to stop the pandemic. In this sense, the Council of Ministers also adopted a Government Resolution with a set of measures aimed at intensifying the prevention and awareness of the population. Other measures to be approved after the declaration of the State of Emergency were also discussed.
The members of the Council of Ministers also examined the damage caused by last Friday’s torrential rains. The heavy flooding caused major property damage throughout the city of Dili, with thousands affected, hundreds displaced, some injured and one dead. The necessary measures for the recovery of flood damage and support for the affected population were analyzed. The Council of Ministers also examined a set of short and long-term measures to minimise the effects of torrential rains in the future.
Finally, the Council of Ministers decided to grant tolerance days-off on March 17 and 18 so that everyone can participate in the clean-up and recovery actions of the damage caused by last Friday’s floods. Tolerance days-ff apply only in the municipality of Dili and do not apply to essential services such as security, health, civil protection, etc. The Ministries shall expressly indicate which services are considered essential. Staff should remain permanently in contact if they are required for service. ENDS