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Press Release
Meeting of the Council of Ministers on March 2nd, 2021
The Council of Ministers met, at Government Palace, in Dili, and approved four Government Decree drafts, presented by The Minister of Public Works, Salvador Soares dos Reis Pires, concerning the value of the remuneration of the members of the governing bodies of the Timor-Leste Electricity Public Company (EDTL,EP) and Bee Timor-Leste Public Company (BTL, EP) and of the National Authority for Electricity Public Institute (ANE,IP) and the National Authority for Water and Sanitation Public Institute (ANAS, IP). Together with these Government Decrees, are also approved the values of attendance vouchers that members of the Board of Directors and members of the Fiscal Council are entitled to receive for their participation in the meetings of the bodies of these public companies and public institutes. The approved values may be subject to amendment, in accordance with the approval of the future remuneration regime applicable to the indirect administration of the State.
It was also approved the Government Decree draft, presented by the Prime Minister, Taur Matan Ruak, on the measures to implement the state of emergency, renewed by the Decree of the President of the Republic No. 15/2021, of March 1st, to respond to the pandemic of COVID-19. The state of emergency, now renewed, covers the entire national territory and is in effect between March 4th, 2021, 00:00 a.m. and April 2nd, 2021, 11:59 p.m.
Thus, the majority of measures already adopted and that are being implemented will remain, namely the ban on land border crossing for traditional or customary purposes and for access to regulated markets; the obligation of all international circulation to take place through border posts, which may be closed by decision of the Minister of the Interior, when security or public health reasons justify it; the subjection of all individuals who want to enter or leave the territory to sanitary control, preventing international circulation to all those who show symptoms of infection by SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19; the imposition of mandatory prophylactic isolation (quarantine) on all those who enter national territory; and subjection of all individuals to whom COVID-19 has been diagnosed, with therapeutic isolation.
During the term of the present diploma, all individuals residing in Timor-Leste are obliged to maintain a distance of, at least, one meter or three feet from other individuals with whom they do not live in a common economy; to wear a face mask that covers their nose and mouth when they have to access or stay in public or private premises for collective use, and to sanitize their hands when they intend to enter commercial, industrial or service establishments or buildings where public administration services operate.
It is now accepted the possibility of temporary suspension of the in-person teaching and learning processes, if the government department responsible for public health recommends it for the purpose of reducing the risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2.
This Government Decree provides that the relatives of the staff of the diplomatic missions accredited in Dili may also comply with the period of prophylactic isolation in a place to be designated by the Ministry of Health or at their home.
The Council of Ministers also approved the Government Resolution draft that renews the imposition of a sanitary fence in the municipality of Covalima, with travel between this municipality and the other municipalities being prohibited between March 4th, 2021, 00:00 a.m. and April 2nd, 2021, 11:59 p.m. The Minister of the Interior may also authorize the movement of persons or goods, based on humanitarian, public health protection, public security or public interest reasons, and shall define under what conditions they are carried out.
Lastly, the Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Planning , José Maria dos Reis, made a presentation on the planning and budgeting of new projects for the year 2022 and on the execution of projects for the year 2021 from the Infrastructure Fund. The main objective of the presentation was to analyse the process and mechanisms for preparing, submitting and implementing projects of the ministerial lines to be carried out through the Infrastructure Fund. END