Media Releases
- 24 of November of 2021Meeting of the Council of Ministers on November 24th, 2021Presidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Meeting of the Council of Ministers on November 24th, 2021
The Council of Ministers met, at the Government Palace, in Dili, and approved the draft Decree-Law, presented by the Minister of Defence, Filomeno da Paixão de Jesus, regarding the Organic Statute of the F-FDTL.
The present law aims to proceed with the organic reform of the Armed Forces, thus enabling them to provide a more adequate response to new challenges and missions that require increasingly integrated responses together with our strategic partners at regional and global level. The diploma clarifies the competences of the respective bodies and services and promotes the improvement of political-military articulation with regard to National Defence.
This draft Decree-Law also aims to make the organization of the F-FDTL compatible with the current legal context, namely the National Defence Law and the Maritime Authority System, as well as with a set of structuring documents in the area of Defence, namely the Strategic Concept of Defence and National Security, the Strategic Military Concept, the National Force System, the Missions of the Armed Forces and the F-FDTL System.
Also approved was the draft Decree-Law, presented by the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Culture, Longuinhos dos Santos, establishing the legal regime of the national standard curriculum for higher education and regulates the binary system, the legal regime of degrees and diplomas of higher education, the conditions for their attribution, the corresponding credit system, the academic calendar, the system of assessment of course units and the completion of a study programme. The purpose of this draft Decree-Law is to::
• Regulate and develop the diplomas and degrees that the binary education system can offer to higher education students and ensure a system of mobility between them;
• Guarantee the basic knowledge and skills necessary for the exercise of a given profession;
• Define an assessment system for higher education;
• Make students more entrepreneurial and competitive in today's national and international job market, equipping them with knowledge and skills for the 21st century;
• Allow higher education students and teachers to enjoy a national and international mobility framework for their study plans, as well as to have their competences recognised on the international labour market; and
• Facilitate the process of recognition of degrees obtained by our students in national higher education institutions, at international level, as well as allow the recognition of degrees obtained abroad, at national level.
The Council of Ministers approved the draft Decree Law for the creation of the credit line “Fasilidade Garantia Crédito Suave” (Soft Loan Guarantee Facility). The draft Decree-Law was presented by the Minister of Tourism, Commerce and Industry, José Lucas do Carmo da Silva and aims to promote and stimulate social entrepreneurship and investment in innovative projects, which allow the strengthening of the national business and industrial fabric. The Credit Line "Fasilidade Garantia Crédito Suave" (Soft Loan Guarantee Facility) aims to support the capitalisation of companies and facilitate access to financing for micro, small and medium enterprises, especially focused on social entrepreneurship and innovation in the trade, tourism and industry sectors.
The Minister of Finance, Rui Augusto Gomes, presented the draft Decree-Law, approved by the Council of Ministers, on the extraordinary payment of an additional month's salary to civil servants, agents and fix-term contract employees of the Public Administration. All Public Administration employees and agents are covered by this extraordinary payment, except foreign fix-term contract employees.
Also approved was the draft Government Decree, presented by the Minister of Finance, regarding the supplementary payment to employees and agents involved in the preparation of the General State Budget for 2022 and the closing of the General State Account for 2021. This supplement aims to compensate the extraordinary workload of the employees and agents of the Ministry of Finance assigned to these processes, which require a working day much longer than the normal period provided by law.
The Council of Ministers approved, with amendments, the draft Decree-Law, also presented by the Minister of Finance, for the first amendment to the Decree-Law on the Legal Regime of the Public Private Partnership for the Port of Tibar. With this decree-law it is now foreseen that the State must provide the land necessary for the implementation of the measures foreseen in the environmental license, environmental impact statement and environmental management plans and that the concessionaire may access, transit and perform works on those lands.
After the analysis of the presentation of the national epidemiological situation, by the coordinators of the Situation Room of the Integrated Centre for Crisis Management (CIGC – Portuguese acronym) and taking into account the recent promulgation of the first alteration to Law no. 10/2004, the Health System Law, the Council of Ministers has decided:
not propose the renewal of the state of emergency, which ends on November 28th.
approve the draft Decree-Law on exceptional and temporary sanitary surveillance measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Compared to the measures in force, the decree-law maintains most of the imposed measures and introduces some changes, namely that entry to national territory is no longer subject to authorisation granted by the Prime Minister, while entry to the country continues to be subject to sanitary control and presentation of a negative SARS-CoV-2 test result.
Licences, permits and other administrative acts and documents shall remain valid until January 31st, 2022, provided that these time limits are not fixed by international agreement or by a law passed by the National Parliament under reservation of absolute jurisdiction.
The obligation to perform compulsory prophylactic isolation under the terms previously defined, remains. END
- 17 of November of 2021Meeting of the Council of Ministers on November 17th, 2021Presidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Meeting of the Council of Ministers on November 17th, 2021
The Council of Ministers met, at the Government Palace, in Dili and, approved the draft Decree-Law that aims to create the Ataúro Municipal Administration and proceeds to the third amendment to Decree-Law No. 3/2016, of March 16th, amended by Decree-Laws No. 9/2018, of April 9th and No. 54/2020, of October 28th, rectified by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers Rectification Declaration No. 4/2020, of December 16th.
This Decree-Law was presented by the Minister of State Administration, Miguel Pereira de Carvalho, and proceeds with the creation and establishment of the Ataúro Municipal Administration, to which additional competences are transferred to add to those already delegated by the Statute of Municipal Administrations and Authorities, in the areas of environment and tourism, as well as defines a special regime for organizing the Ataúro Municipal Administration services.
The Council of Ministers approved the agreement project between Timor-Leste and the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) for digitization the Chega! National Centre, authorizing its signature by the Minister of Finance, Rui Augusto Gomes.
Under this agreement, KOICA will make a financial contribution in the amount of five million US dollars to build a sustainable management system for the Chega! National Centre.
The project aims to improve the archive preservation system and the management of the centre, by establishing a National Centre for quality Education on History and Peace. Training modules for history teachers will be developed. The project also aims to strengthen national and regional capacities and partnerships for conflict reconciliation, peace building and State building for sustainable development, by organizing national and international reconciliation and peace building meetings.
Lastly, the Council of Ministers decided not to object to the modification of the price and deadline for handover of the construction, provided that it is done in accordance with the law and the contract, regarding the contract for the execution of rehabilitation and maintenance works on the Ermera-Fatubesi road.. The draft deliberation was presented by the Minister of Public Works, Salvador Soares dos Reis Pires. END
- 11 of November of 2021Meeting of the Council of Ministers on November 11th, 2021Presidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Meeting of the Council of Ministers on November 11th, 2021
The Council of Ministers met, at the Government Palace, in Dili, and approved the draft Resolution Proposal of the National Parliament for the ratification of Timor-Leste's accession to the 1973 Convention on the International Regulation to Prevent Collisions at Sea. The draft Resolution Proposal was presented by the Minister of Transport and Communications, José Agustinho da Silva. This Convention, designed to ensure the safety of navigation, establishes the navigation rules to be followed by ships and other vessels at sea, to prevent collisions between two or more vessels.
The draft Government Resolution, presented by the Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Social Solidarity and Inclusion, Armanda Berta dos Santos, regarding to the National Strategy for Social Protection (ENPS - Portuguese Acronym) for the period 2021 – 2030, was also approved.
The aim of the approval of this strategy is to promote the integrated evolution of the social protection system, in order to extend its coverage and reach, and to maximize its impact on reducing poverty and vulnerability.
The strategy also aims to consolidate the rights to social security and social assistance, as well as inclusive access to social services, education and health. The ENPS sets, as strategic objectives, poverty reduction, improvement and expansion of social security for workers and institutional development.
The Council of Ministers approved the draft Decree-Law, presented by the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Social Communication (MAPCOMS), Francisco Martins da Costa Pereira Jerónimo, for the establishment of an allowance for professionals who developed journalistic activities, requested by the Government, to provide news about the SARS-CoV-2 virus during the state of emergency.
These professionals performed their duties in an exemplary way, actively contributing to the dissemination of credible and necessary information on preventing and fighting the pandemic in our national territory.
The list of professionals who will benefit from this allowance will be approved by MAPCOMS’s dispatch, based on information provided by the Situation Room of the Integrated Centre for Crisis Management or by the National Directorate for Dissemination of Information.
Lastly, the Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Social Solidarity and Inclusion, Armanda Berta dos Santos and the Minister of Health, Odete Maria Freitas Belo, as President and Vice-President, respectively, of the Interministerial Commission for the Elaboration and Coordination of the Implementation of the COVID-19 Vaccination Plan, gave a presentation to the Council of Ministers on the state of play of the vaccination campaign against COVID-19.
The vaccination of young people aged between 12 and 17 years old began on October 27th and, until yesterday, November 10th, a total of 15,002 young people under 18 years of age had already received their first dose of the vaccine.
For those over 18 years of age, 76.4% have already received at least one dose and 51% of the population has completed the vaccination.
The three municipalities with the highest percentage of vaccination are Covalima (93%), Viqueque (90.7%) and Dili (83.4%).
The municipalities with the lowest percentage of vaccination are Ermera (59.8%), Liquiçá (63.1%) and Bobonaro (63.6%). THE END
- 05 of November of 2021Meeting of the Council of Ministers on November 5th, 2021Presidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Meeting of the Council of Ministers on November 5th, 2021
The Council of Ministers met in the Government Palace, in Díli and approved, with amendments, the draft Law Proposal for the Precedence and State Protocol, presented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Adaljiza Albertina Xavier Reis Magno. The present draft Law Proposal aims at defining a legal regime related to the organization of official ceremonies, which regulates the protocol relationship of the high public entities in State ceremonies and disciplines the functioning of the State protocol.
Lastly, the Council of Ministers has deliberated to authorise the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation to carry out, in accordance with the law, the necessary acts to conclude the Assistance Framework Agreement between the Government of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and the Government of the Republic of Korea. The objective of this Agreement is to establish the legal basis for a partnership that is intended to be diversified and long lasting, allowing, for the future, the execution of agreements regarding specific programmes and projects in the scope of assistance for the most varied sectors of Timor-Leste's activities, facilitating cooperation of the most diverse national entities with the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). END - 30 of Outubro of 2021Vote of Condolences for the Death of D. Basílio do NascimentoPresidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Dili, October 30th, 2021
Press Release
Vote of Condolence on the death of D. Basílio do Nascimento
It was with great sadness and great consternation that the Government of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste received the news of the passing away of Bishop Basílio do Nascimento, of Baucau, today, October 30th, 2021, at the Guido Valadares National Hospital, in Dili, due to a sudden cardiac stroke.
D. Basílio do Nascimento was born on June 14th, 1950, in Suai, capital of the municipality of Covalima.
He was consecrated priest on June 26th, 1977, in Évora, Portugal. He then went to Paris, France, to work in religious assistance to immigrants. He remained in Paris until 1982 and during this period he completed his Degree in Pastoral Theology and Catechesis at the Catholic Institute of Paris and obtained a Diploma in French Literature and Language.
In 1982 he returned to Évora where he was responsible for the parishes of Cano and Casa Branca in Sousel and Santa Vitória do Ameixial in Estremoz.
In Évora he was also appointed member of the pre-seminary formative team of Vila-Viçosa, Archdiocese of Évora. He was professor of Pastoral Theology at the Higher Institute of Theology, spiritual director of the Major Seminary of Nossa Senhora da Purificação in Évora and also diocesan responsible in the secretariat of the Pastoral Care of Vocations.
He returned to Timor-Leste in October 1994, being appointed parochial vicar of the Parish of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima, in Ainaro. In December 1995, he was appointed Episcopal Vicar for Pastoral Affairs of the Diocese of Dili.
On November 30th, 1996, Pope John Paul II appointed him Apostolic Administrator of Baucau and Bishop of Septimunicia. He took possession of the Diocese of Baucau on March 19th, 1997, on the Feast of Saint Joseph, accompanied by the Apostolic Nuncio in Jakarta, Monsignor Pietro Sambi.
He was appointed Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Dili, a post he held from November 26th, 2002 to February 27th, 2004.
On March 6th, 2004, he was appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Baucau by Pope John Paul II.
In 1999, December 7th, Bishop Basílio do Nascimento was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of Liberty of Portugal.
The Spokesperson of the Government, the Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Fidelis Manuel Leite Magalhães, on behalf of the Council of Ministers and the entire Government, expressed that "we dedicate our thoughts and prayers in these difficult and suffering times and we express our deepest condolences to all the family of the dear Bishop Basílio do Nascimento, to all Catholics and to all Timorese People". END
- 29 of Outubro of 2021Day-off on November 3rd, 2021Presidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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October 29, 2021
Press Release
Day-off on November 3, 2021
Law No. 10/2005, of August 10th, amended by Law No. 3/2016, of May 25th, establishes the national holidays and commemorative official dates, and also sets the conditions for Day-off granting.
Among the commemorative official dates, November 1st and 2nd are included. These two dates are of great importance to the Christian community. On November 1st and 2nd are, respectively, All Saints Day and All Soul’s Day are celebrated in the Catholic Religion calendar.
Given that, this year, November 2nd, date which marks the All Soul’s Day, falls on Tuesday and that a large number of people will travel throughout country, in order to pay tribute to the memory for their deceased, and following the the article 7 (6) (d) of Law no. 10/2005, of August 10th, as amended by Law no. 3/2016, of May 25th, Government decides that:
Day-off is granted on November 3rd, 2021, throughout the day.
This order covers all employees, agents and workers of the direct administration of the State, whether central and decentralized , and in the bodies of indirect administration;
The human resources of public services that, due to the nature of the public activity they carried out, should remain in operation during that period, are excluded from the previous number;
Without prejudice to the continuity and quality of the public service to be provided, the senior managers of those services referred to in the preceding number shall provide the equal exemption from the duty of attendance of their personnel, on a date to be established in due course. END
- 28 of Outubro of 2021Vote of Condolences for the Death of Max StahlPresidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Dili, October 28th, 2021
Press Release
Vote of Condolences for the Death of Max Stahl
With profound sadness, the Government of Timor-Leste received the news of the passing away of Max Stahl, journalist and director, responsible for filming the images of the Santa Cruz Massacre, in 1991, that drew attention to the situation in the Country and put Timor-Leste on the top of the international agenda, which became an important contribution for the self-determination of the Timorese People.
Max Stahl died today, October 28th, in Brisbane, victim of long-term illness, on the same day that marks the 30th anniversary of the death of Sebastião Gomes, which led to the tribute that culminated in the Santa Cruz massacre.
Christopher Wenner, better known as Max Stahl, was born on December 6th, 1954, in the United Kingdom.
After experiencing several conflict scenarios, mainly in Latin America, in August 1991, Max Stahl came to Timor-Leste to film the documentary that would later be called "In Cold Blood: The massacre of East Timor".
On November 12th, 1991, he accompanied the tribute march from Motael Church to the grave of Sebastião Gomes, which culminated in the Santa Cruz Cemetery Massacre, in which hundreds of young Timorese were killed by the Indonesian military. The images travelled around the world and made the Timorese drama known internationally.
His professionalism and extreme courage gave a fundamental boost to the diplomatic front of the Timorese Resistance, putting Timor-Leste on the front pages of the world media, after several years in which the Timorese situation had remained hidden from world public opinion.
Max Stahl interviewed several Timorese resistance leaders, such as Commander David Alex Daitula and Commander Nino Konis Santana.
He also created the Max Stahl Audiovisual Centre in Timor-Leste (CAMSTL), in order to preserve and disseminate the audiovisual collection documenting the resistance period, the events during and after the referendum and the first years of independence up to the present day. In 2013, this collection was recognised by UNESCO by being inscribed in the Memory of the World Register, a programme created with the aim of protecting and promoting the world's documentary heritage through conservation and access to documents.
In 2000, he received the Rory Peck Award, an award that honours independent video journalists. He has received many other awards in recognition of his work in conflict zones, such as the Balkan and El Salvador wars.
In 2009, he was awarded with the Order of Timor-Leste Insignia and in 2019 he received the Necklace of the Order of Timor-Leste, the highest national decoration.
Also in 2019, he was awarded with the Timorese nationality by the National Parliament, in an act that "represents the People of Timor-Leste's tribute to the humanistic spirit, selflessness and extraordinary courage of Max Stahl" and that "expresses gratitude and recognition of the exceptional deeds performed by an exceptional man".
The Spokesperson of the Government, Minister Fidelis Magalhães, on behalf of the Government and all the Timorese People, presented his most heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the dear Max Stahl and stated that "the Timorese People will be forever grateful for his contribution to national self-determination" and that "his courage and the legacy of his work will last forever in the memory of all of us". END - 27 of Outubro of 2021Meeting of the Council of Ministers on October 27th, 2021Presidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Meeting of the Council of Ministers on October 27th, 2021
The Council of Ministers meet, at the Government Palace, in Dili, and, after analysing the presentation of the country's epidemiological situation, held by the Integrated Centre for Crisis Management (CIGC - Portuguese acronym) Situation Room, approved the draft Government Decree on the implementation measures of the Declaration of the State of Emergency, made by the President of the Republic’s Decree No. 95/2021, of October 26th, to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The state of emergency, now renewed, covers the entire national territory and will be in force between October 30th, 2021, 12:00 a.m., and November 28th, 2021, 11:59 p.m..
Regarding the implementation measures of the previous state emergency declaration, there is only one change, establishing that the access to some public administrative services is now conditional on proof of full vaccination against SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 or, alternatively, proof of a negative SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 test result, carried out within five days.
The remaining rules remain unchanged, namely the obligation of all individuals residing in Timor-Leste to keep a distance of, at least, three feet from other individuals with whom they do not live in the same residence. They are also still obliged to wear a face mask that covers the nose and mouth when having access to or staying in public or private places of collective use and to sanitize their hands when they intend to enter commercial, industrial or service provision establishments or buildings where public administration services operate.
While the state of emergency is in force, licences, permits, visas, residence permits and other administrative acts and documents shall remain valid regardless of their period of validity.
The Council of Ministers approved the draft Decree-Law on Territorial Planning Instruments, presented by the Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Planning and Territory, José Maria dos Reis. This decree-law, developing Law No. 6/2017, of April 19th (Framework law of Territorial Planning), establishes the legal regime of territorial planning instruments, which defines, namely, the regime of coordination, at national and municipal level, of the territorial management system and the regime for the approval, execution and evaluation of territorial management instruments.
The draft Government Decree, which creates the integrated management unit for the Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport development project, presented by the Vice Minister of Finance, Sara Lobo Brites, was approved. This unit will report to the Prime Minister and its mission is to provide technical support to the Government in the execution of the Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport development project, in coordination with the various government departments, services and Public Administration entities.
The Council of Ministers approved the draft Government Resolution, also presented by the Vice Minister of Finance, regarding to the first amendment to Government Resolution No. 31/2020, of September 2nd, which established the Interministerial Committee for Fiscal Reform and Public Finance Management. With this draft Government Resolution, the composition of the committee is changed, and now includes the member of the Government responsible for tourism, commerce and industry.
The composition of the technical units that function within the Interministerial Committee for the Reform of Public Finance and the Interministerial Subcommittee for the Reform of the State Property is also altered, now with the participation of representatives of the various services of the Ministry of Finance affected by the reform, and with the possibility of appointing substitutes, while other personalities may also participate.
The Council of Ministers approved the draft Decree-Law, presented by the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Joaquim Amaral, on the implementation of the food security measure provided for in Law No. 8/2021, of May 3rd, which makes the first amendment to Law No. 14/2020, of December 29th, on the General State Budget for 2021 and approval of socio-economic support measures. The food security measure was approved by the National Parliament and aims, on one hand, to mitigate the fragilities of the national economy in the face of the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and, on the other hand, to alleviate the food difficulties of the neediest Timorese individuals and families. CLN (National Logistic Centre) will be responsible for promoting the acquisition and distribution of food products from national agricultural production, preferably cereals, and may only resort to imports when the national supply is insufficient for this purpose.
Also approved was the draft Decree-Law presented by the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Culture, Longuinhos dos Santos, introducing the first amendment to Decree-Law no. 12/2021, of 21 July, regarding the creation of the credit line "Ensinu Superior Kualidade +". The purpose of this draft Decree-Law is to extend the deadlines for implementation of the said credit line. Some improvements were also made in the wording of the document.
The Council of Ministers decided to authorize, through the Ministry of Finance, the negotiation with the Asian Development Bank for the necessary amendments to the loan agreements, in order to include in those agreements the financing of the implementation and supervision costs for the public works of a four lane road between the Nicolau Lobato International Airport roundabout and the Tasitolu area. The Council of Ministers also decided to authorise the start of procurement of the public contracts for the referred public work.
The Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Social Solidarity and Inclusion, Armanda Berta dos Santos and the National Commissioner for Children's Rights, Dinorah Granadeiro, gave a presentation on the implementation of child-related indicators (Markadór ba Labarik) in the public finance management system of the Dalan ba Futuru system. The development of these indicators is an integral part of the public finance management reform. One of their main objectives is to enable monitoring of resource allocation and implementation results of the national child action plan. The development of these indicators is the result of the joint effort of the National Commission for Children's Rights, the Ministry of Finance and UPMA, with consultations held across ministerial lines and with the support of UNICEF. END
