22 of March of 2023Meeting of the Council of Ministers on March 22nd, 2023Presidency of the Council of Ministers
Eighth Constitutional Government
.............................................................................................................................
Press Release
Meeting of the Council of Ministers on March 22nd, 2023
The Council of Ministers met at the Government Palace in Dili and approved a few amendments to the draft Decree-Law, presented by the Minister of Health, Odete Maria Freitas Belo, concerning the legal regime of commercialisation of breast milk substitutes.
This draft Decree-Law had already been approved in the meeting of the Council of Ministers on January 25th, 2023. However, in the final drafting phase, it was found necessary to introduce some changes.
…..
The Council of Ministers approved the draft Decree-Law, presented by the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Joaquim Amaral, which aims to extend the period for the distribution of the basic food basket established by Decree-Law no. 10/2022, of March 4th, which approved the measures to reinforce the distribution of the basic food basket to the Timorese families in need and to support local economic operators, and which established a special provisioning regime for this purpose, within the scope of the economic recovery plan.
With the approval of this Decree-Law, the deadline for the distribution of the food basket, previously set until May 30th, 2023, is extended until June 30th, 2023, and the distribution activity should be suspended during the election campaign period, legally set for the legislative elections scheduled for May 21st, 2023.
…..
The draft Law Proposal, presented by the Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, Taur Matan Ruak, concerning the Traffic Code, has been approved.
The project aims to improve road prevention and safety and reduce traffic accidents in the country. In addition, the amendments are intended to provide greater legal protection to public road users, planning to overall adapt the current system to current needs in a search for balance between the growing demands posed by the continuous increase in traffic.
The legal rules applicable to traffic on public roads will be better harmonised and updated, matters relating to administrative offence proceedings have been densified and clarified, and the amounts of fines for violations of the Traffic Code and its regulations have been updated.
…..
Also approved was the draft Decree-Law, presented by the Minister of Petroleum and Minerals, Víctor da Conceição Soares, on the Conduct of Decommissioning Activities at the Bayu-Undan Field.
As the production lifespan of the production sharing contracts concluded between the members of the Bayu-Undan joint venture and the National Petroleum and Minerals Authority (ANPM - Portuguese acronym)comes to an end, it is necessary that all platforms, structures, gas or oil pipelines, as well as their associated structures and equipment, be decommissioned, as provided for in the Production Sharing Contracts.
This Decree-Law aims to establish a legal regime for exercising Decommissioning Activities in the Contract Area and onshore territory of Timor-Leste while protecting the health, safety, and environment of Timor-Leste and its people.
…..
The Council of Ministers approved the draft Decree-Law, presented by the Prime Minister, Taur Matan Ruak, and by the President of the Authority of the Special Administrative Region of Oe-Cusse Ambeno (RAEOA - Portuguese acronym), Arsenio Bano, concerning the Management of the RAEOA International Airport and airport infrastructure located in this region.
The Decree-Law establishes the legal framework for the public service of management, operation, maintenance, supervision and development of airport infrastructure in the Special Administrative Region of Oe-Cusse Ambeno, as provided for in the legislation in force.
The powers and prerogatives relating to the activities and services inherent to the aerodromes and airports of this region are transferred from the public company Administration of Airports and Air Navigation of Timor-Leste (ANATL, E.P.) to RAEOA. However, no attributions, competencies or rights of ANATL, E.P. related to air navigation and aeronautical meteorology are included in the Decree-Law.
Land and other real estate intended for civil aviation support facilities in the region form an integral part of the public airport domain and constitute state property directly allocated to the RAEOA.
The establishment and definition of aeronautical and administrative easements related to airport activities are subject to the approval of the RAEOA Authority.
…..
The Council of Ministers approved the draft Government Decree, presented by the Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Fidelis Manuel Leite Magalhães, establishing the value of the trainer's remuneration supplement and the maximum number of hours that each civil servant or Public Service agent may teach annually and the conditions for its exercise.
This Government Decree aims to regulate the trainer's salary supplement established by Decree-Law 73/2022, of October 19th.
Thus, the Government defines that the hourly value of the trainer's remuneration corresponds to 100% of the hourly pay calculated under the Public Administration Remuneration Supplements Regime and the maximum number of hours per year that the trainer can deliver during the standard working period is 120.
…..
The Council of Ministers also approved the draft Government Resolution, also presented by the Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, determining, for the year 2023, the table of levels for public legal persons and personalised services covered by Decree-Law 92/2022, of December 22nd, to determine the remuneration of the members of their bodies.
As provided for in Decree-Law 92/2022, of December 22nd, the remuneration of the members of the management bodies of legal persons:
with an average expenditure equal to or greater than US$ 10 million, consists of the amount of 90% of the Prime Minister's remuneration;
with an average expenditure equal to or greater than US$ 5, consists of the amount of 80% of the Prime Minister's remuneration;
with an average expenditure equal to or greater than US$ 1 million, consists of the amount of 70% of the Prime Minister's remuneration; and
with an average expenditure of less than US$ 1 million, consists of the amount of 60% of the Prime Minister's remuneration.
…..
The Council of Ministers approved the draft Government Resolution, presented by the Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, Armindo Maia and the Secretary of State for Youth and Sports, Abrão Saldanha, on the National Youth Action Plan and the Integrated Approach to Youth Development.
With this Resolution, the Government at this moment reaffirms its commitment, will and determination towards youth development and the implementation of the National Youth Policy, as well as proceeding with the approval of the Youth Action Plan 2023-2027 and the definition of youth markers and mechanisms of the integrated approach to youth development set out in the national planning of the various interministerial sections.
This Government Resolution is essentially aimed at launching the bases of a new way for the Government to legislate in the area of Youth to promote the establishment of norms that are beneficial for the development of young people, on whom the future of Timor-Leste is deposited, given the youth of the country. Therefore, all the legislation that the Government will produce must be the object of an in-depth analysis which will focus on its impacts on young people, the positivity or negativity of this impact and the compatibility of the norms under analysis with the National Youth Policy, as well as other legislation which implies rights and obligations for young people.
Private entities, whether or not they hold the status of public interest, are also encouraged to adopt in their business and activities, whatever their nature, internal evaluation measures of the impact on youth, and are encouraged, in the pursuit of their goals and in carrying out their activities, to consider the significant axes defined by the National Youth Policy.
The National Youth Action Plan is based on five main areas (education, healthy living, employment, civic participation, and violence) for which a set of interventions are proposed to be implemented by the various ministerial lines.
…..
The draft Decree-Law, presented by the Minister of Defence, Filomeno da Paixão de Jesus, for the first amendment to Decree-Law No. 5/2022 of January 19th, which approved the Organic Statute of the FALINTIL - Forças de Defesa de Timor-Leste (F-FDTL), was approved.
This amendment aims to adjust the military organic-functional structure of the F-FDTL, clarifying the competencies of its bodies and services and improving the political-military articulation regarding the military component of National Defence. It is also intended to make the organic structure of the F-FDTL compatible with the structuring documents of the National Defence Strategic Planning. With this Decree-Law, the bodies and services of the National Maritime Authority, which are regulated by their own legislation, given their true civilian nature, within the concept of maritime security, are revoked.
…..
According to the projects presented by the Minister of Public Works, Abel Pires da Silva, the Council of Ministers decided to authorise the expenditure for the transfer of funds from the State Budget for the Program "798 Water and Sanitation" from the Ministry of Public Works (MOP) to the Public Company Bee Timor-Leste (BTL, EP) and for the Program "802 Electricity" from the Ministry of Public Works to the Public Company Electricity of Timor-Leste (EDTL, EP).
Therefore, the Council of Ministers decided to authorise the expenses to conclude the grant contracts between the MOP and BTL, EP, in the amount of US$ 18 million, and between the MOP and EDTL, EP, in the amount of US$ 100 million.
These funds transfers aim to provide BTL, EP and EDTL, EP with the necessary resources to carry out and expand the supply of water and sanitation and electricity, respectively, throughout the country, both essential public services to the population and the country's economy.
…..
According to the draft presented by the Minister of Finance, Rui Augusto Gomes, the Council of Ministers decided to authorise the expenditure of US$ 15 million for an annual grant to the Timorese Episcopal Conference (CET – Portuguese acronym).
This annual grant to the Timorese Episcopal Conference is made under the agreement signed on August 14th, 2015, between Timor-Leste and the Holy See and the Framework Agreement signed on June 16th, 2017, between the Government and the CET, which provides for an annual contribution, according to the financial availability of the Government, for the social, educational and church governance activities of the Catholic Church.
…..
The Council of Ministers approved the draft Government Resolution, presented by the Minister of Health, Odete Maria Freitas Belo, to appoint the Board of Directors of the National Institute of Public Health of Timor-Leste (INSP-TL - Portuguese acronym).
Thus, Merita Antónia Armindo Monteiro is appointed to exercise the position of President of the Board of Directors of the National Institute of Public Health of Timor-Leste in a four-year service commission.
Lourenço Camnahas and Ismael Salvador da Costa Barreto are also appointed as INSP-TL Board of Directors members on a part-time, four-year contract.
…..
Lastly, the Minister of Public Works, Abel Pires da Silva, gave a preliminary presentation on the options to solve the payment of the former employees of the company "Lorosa'e Segurança", who carried out security services to the electricity production and distribution facilities and who refused to leave their positions and sign a contract with the new company, namely the workers from the Baucau, Maliana, and Manatuto power substations. END
more 
