Media Releases
- 28 of March of 2020Extraordinary Meeting of the Council of Ministers of March 28, 2020Presidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Extraordinary Meeting of the Council of Ministers of March 28, 2020
The Council of Ministers met at the Dili Convention Center and continued to consider the Civil Protection Law, presented on March 25, by the Acting Minister of the Interior, Filomeno da Paixão de Jesus and the Secretary of State for Civil Protection, Alexandrino de Araújo. This Draft Law contains the fundamental principles of civil protection, defines and organizes the bases of civil protection in Timor-Leste, highlights the Civil Protection Authority as an authority that will shape the entire civil protection system and defines the structure of the National Civil Protection System at regional and municipal level. The Law was approved by the Council of Ministers.
Acting Finance Minister Sara Lobo Brites gave a presentation on the detailed data on the expected cost of the COVID-19 response package and of the flood damages, included in a request to the National Parliament for authorisation to carry out an extraordinary transfer of $100 million USD from the Petroleum Fund. This package includes, in the area of prevention and combat of COVID-19, the purchase of medicines, materials and equipment, expenses associated with quarantine, isolation and treatment sites and expenses related to measures to ensure the distribution and supply of essential goods, including food products. For social protection, home support and recovery from natural disasters, they include food support, the provision of medicines and materials for victims of natural disasters. Part of the value will be applied to economic recovery measures resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular for the creation of low-rate credit lines, for support to small and medium-sized enterprises and direct financial support for citizens and businesses. The Minister of Finance will now present this detailed package of measures and their costs to the National Parliament's Committee C.
The Acting Minister of Health, Élia António de Araújo dos Reis Amaral, presented a draft Decree-Law, approved by the Council of Ministers, concerning the first amendment to Decree-Law No. 18/2004, of November 23, on private health units. The Decree-Law, which regulates the conditions for licensing, operation and supervision of health units, was approved in an economic, social and cultural context, which has since undergone profound changes. Thus, with this amendment, the technical requirements necessary for the granting of licenses are revised, the nomenclature and clarity of the concepts of the legal regime that regulate this activity are adapted, and the possibility is also given to polyclinics of health services to be able to make hospitalizations, responding to the need to increase the supply of the private sector in the area of health, while relieving the pressure of the national health service, it responds the concerns of foreign investors and reduces the State’s expenditure on medical care abroad.
The Council of Ministers approved the draft Government Decree, presented by the Prime Minister, Taur Matan Ruak, on measures to implement the declaration of a state of emergency. Considering the discovery last December of a new strain of the corona virus, called SARS-Cov2 and its rapid spread that led the World Health Organization to declare the disease caused by this virus, COVID-19, as a pandemic, the Government has been adopting a set of preventive measures. Despite the efforts undertaken and the measures adopted and implemented, on March 14, the Ministry of Health announced the first positive test case of COVID-19. In view of the need to strengthen and implement new measures to further reduce the risks of the spread of SARS-Cov2 among the population residing in Timor-Leste, the Government proposed to the President of the Republic the decree of a state of emergency. In view of the declaration of a state of emergency, the Government through this Decree ensures its implementation by adopting the necessary measures that prevent the disease, contain the pandemic, save lives and ensure the subsistence of supply chains of essential goods and services for our population, even if they may limit some fundamental rights and freedoms. The state of emergency is in force between 00:00 hours on March 28, 2020 and 23:59 hours on April 26, 2020 and applies to the entire national territory. The measures adopted are taken with respect for constitutional limits and following the guidelines of the World Health Organization and the example of other States andseek to reduce the risk for new cases of COVID-19 in Timor-Leste.
The Prime Minister also presented an Order on the 2nd amendment to Order No. 005/II/2020 of February 18, which "establishes the interministerial committee for the coordination of the implementation of measures to prevent and control the outbreak of the new Coronavirus. With this amendment the interministerial committee is now chaired by the Prime Minister. ENDS
- 25 of March of 2020Meeting of the Council of Ministers of March 25, 2020Presidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Meeting of the Council of Ministers of March 25, 2020
The Council of Ministers met at the Dili Convention Center and analyzed the Draft Civil Protection Law, presented by the Acting Minister of the Interior, Filomeno da Paixão de Jesus and the Secretary of State for Civil Protection, Alexandrino de Araújo. This Draft Law contains the fundamental principles of civil protection, defines and organizes the bases of civil protection in Timor-Leste, highlights the Civil Protection Authority, as an authority that will encompass the entire civil protection system, defines the Civil Protection National System structure at regional and municipal level. The draft Law will be examined again at a later meeting of the Council of Ministers.
The Secretary of State for Youth and Sport, Nélio Isaac Sarmento, presented a proposal for a deliberation, approved by the Council of Ministers, on the postponement of the holding of the XII Sports Games of the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries (CPLP), scheduled to take place in Timor-Leste, between 10 and 22 July 2020. Considering the international situation, caused by the spread of COVID-19, which represents a real threat to public health and similar to what has been happening worldwide, the Government recommends postponing the holding of the XII CPLP Games to a date to be defined later and instructs the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation to promote the necessary communication with the competent CPLP bodies.
The Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Fidelis Manuel Leite Magalhães, presented a draft Government Resolution, approved by the Council of Ministers, on the policy for reducing the negative economic impacts and for economic recovery resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The approved document provides for a set of measures to be implemented by the Government in a timely manner, in order to anticipate possible intervention needs, in the face of an outbreak of COVID-19 in the country. Measures envisaged include ensuring the continuity of the distribution and supply of essential goods, such as food, medicines and clinical equipment, ensuring continuity of the provision of electronic communications services and their widespread accessibility by citizens, temporary exemption from the payment of taxes and electricity and water tariffs, and the creation of credit lines at reduced interest rates and financial support for citizens and businesses. Ministers were also mandated, within the framework of the tasks of their ministries, to carry out all the initiatives and procedures necessary and appropriate for the implementation of the measures presented, in particular in the preparation of the necessary normative acts, negotiation of the necessary agreements with service operators and preparation of procurement procedures.
Following instructions given by the Prime Minister, Taur Matan Ruak, to the members of the Government, at the last meeting of the Executive, and in order to initiate a significant reduction in the presence of employees in the workplace, the Government approved a draft Government Resolution with the aim of instructing the Members of the Government and the executive bodies of public legal persons within the indirect administration of the State to identify the human resources strictly necessary to ensure the operation, under minimum services, of the public services they run. Minimum services are those whose provision is essential to ensure the functioning of the Public Administration and the provision of goods and services to citizens and businesses that are of an urgent nature or which cannot be postponed. The human resources of the public administration which are exempted from the duty of attendance in their services should remain contactable by telephone and present themselves to the services where they usually provide their professional activity whenever they are summoned by their superior. Where possible, their human resources should be allowed to provide their professional activity on a non-face-to-face basis and through new communication and information technologies. It is also recommended that the human resources of the public administration temporarily exempted from the duty of attendance in their services, adopt social isolation behaviors, in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to contribute to the competent authorities in the efforts to contain the number of infections. ENDS 
23 of March of 2020Extraordinary Meeting of the Council of Ministers of March 23, 2020Presidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Extraordinary Meeting of the Council of Ministers of March 23, 2020
The Council of Ministers met at the Dili Convention Center and approved the content of the letter of request for the declaration of a state of emergency to be sent to the President of the Republic, Francisco Guterres Lú Olo. The proposal aims to ensure that the Government has the necessary legal means to be able to intervene quickly in preventing the emergence of an outbreak of the new Coronavirus in Timor-Leste and, in the event that it takes place, take the necessary and appropriate measures to combat the spread of the virus. The Government believes that the prevention of the occurrence and spread in covid-19 national territory will require the adoption of some measures that will configure limitations and suspension of the exercise of some fundamental rights, freedoms and guarantees. Possible measures to be applied include restrictions on movement, non-essential public and private activities, agglomerations of people, religious events or celebrations, and compulsive confinement at home, or in a health facility. Upon receipt of the Government's request, the President of the Republic will convene the Council of State and the Superior Council of Defense and Security. Before the declaration of a state of emergency, the document will still be debated by the National Parliament for a period of not more than one day.
Several proposals for contingency measures presented by the members of the Council of Ministers were examined, to be implemented during the state of emergency, in order to strengthen prevention, awareness raising and response to COVID-19. Measures to support the population in the national territory and Timorese citizens abroad and to reduce the negative impacts on the national economy were also discussed.
The Deputy Minister for Strategic Development of Health, Bonifácio Maukoli dos Reis, presented to the Council of Ministers the current statos on the ongoing activities to prepare and combat the spread of COVID-19 in Timor-Leste, in particular with regard to the preparation of isolation and treatment sites in Dili and at the land border in Batugade. The Deputy Minister also presented a proposal for an additional budget for the acquisition of medicines, for the adoption of prevention measures and for the rental, preparation, cleaning and safety of isolation sites.
The Prime Minister, Taur Matan Ruak, instructed the members of the Government to initiate a significant reduction in the presence of employees in the workplace, in order to keep only the minimum necessary for essential public services to continue in operation. Civil servants and contractors who are exempt from attending the workplace must continue theur professional activities in their homes, where they remain in contact and in social separation together with their families.
The Prime Minister assured that there will be an incentive plan to strengthen the conditions of health personnel and of health and isolation facilities, equipment and medicines.
The Acting Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Fidelis Leite Magalhães, presented a package of measures to reduce the negative impacts of COVID-19 on the national economy, at the emergency level and in terms of economic recovery.
The Minister of Justice, Manuel Cárceres da Costa, announced that today he will issue a decree for the suspension of visits to prisoners of all national prisons.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Dionísio Babo Soares, presented a draft Government Resolution, approved by the Council of Ministers, for the purchase of medicines and equipment from China and informed that he is also in contact with other international partners, notably Australia and Cuba, which are available to support Timor-Leste in accessing medicines, ventilators and other health equipment.
The Minister of Transport and Communications, José Agostino da Silva, informed the members of the Council of Ministers that a telephone line was created for information on COVID-19. The number is 119 and will be available from the morning of March 24, 2020.
Currently, there is 1 confirmed case of COVID-19 in Timor-Leste. The World Health Organization (WHO) has so far recorded a total of 292,142 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the report of 22 March 2020.
Finally, the Acting Minister of Finance said that four projects were approved by the Infrastructure Fund's Board of Directors to deal with the damage caused by the floods of March 13, 2020. These projects include the creation of river containment walls, cleaning activities and water and sanitation and electricity infrastructure. ENDS
- 22 of March of 2020COVID-19 prevention and control measures - Ministry of Higher Education, Science and CulturePresidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Dili, March 22, 2020
Press Release
COVID-19 prevention and control measures
Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Culture
available soon 
22 of March of 2020Determination of Extraordinary Vacations for all Schools across the country from 23 to 28 March 2020Presidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Dili, March 22, 2020
Press Release
Determination of Extraordinary Vacations for all Schools across the country from 23 to 28 March 2020
Today, March 22, 2020, the Minister of Education, Youth and Sport, after coordinating with the Prime Minister's Office and the Ministry of Health, determined an Extraordinary Teaching Interruption for all public schools and private schools that are part of the public network (Catholic Schools and Foundations), between 23 and 28 March, through the Ministerial Order 9/GM-MEJD/III/2020.
This decision was taken on the basis of the powers of the Minister for Education, Youth and Sport in relation to the determination of the school calendar, in accordance with Article 5 of Decree-Law 3/2015 of 14 January and 4/2015 of 14 January.
The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport is also developing distance learning-teaching mechanisms, which we hope can start to be implemented next week.
According to the recommendations of the Ministry of Health, I would like to emphasize that this SCHOOL BREAK in the week of March 23 to 28, IS NOT TO PLAY, BUT TO STAY AT HOME AND COMPLY with the hygiene standards that were published by MEJD in Order No. 3/2020, as well as the official rules of the Ministry of Health. Therefore, I ask for the understanding of all parents and guardians to BAN the movements of your children on the street.
The MEJD remains in close coordination with the Ministry of Health and the other relevant Ministries to ensure that the education system supports the safety and health of all.
I ask you to remain calm, to trust in God, and to be careful of your body. I ASK STUDENTS to REST a lot, eat well-cooked food, wash hands often and avoid walking hand in hand, kissing, asking/giving the blessing and other physical contacts. They shouldn't spit on the floor either. The most important thing is to relax and enjoy time with the family. Share family stories, plant a family garden, sing together, and enjoy and love each other within the family.
IF YOU FEEL DRY COUGH OR SNEEZING, WITH FEVER, PLEASE CONTACT CLINICS, HOSPITALS OR HEALTH PERSONNEL.
THE MEJD WILL REEVALUATE THIS INTERRUPTION, WHEN IT ENDS, AND WILL THEN INFORM PARENTS AND PARENTS.
Thank you very much and God bless us.
ENDS
20 of March of 2020Exceptional and temporary measures relating to the epidemiological situation of the new CoronavirusPresidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Dili, March 20, 2020
Press Release
Exceptional and temporary measures relating to the epidemiological situation of the new Coronavirus
In order to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus to the national territory, the Government approved, through Government Resolution No.10/2020 of March 19, a set of measures of a temporary and extraordinary nature, including the prohibition of entry into national territory, to all foreign citizens who in the last four weeks have departed or transited through countries with registered cases of infection by COVID-19, according to information published and updated daily by the World Health Organization .
This prohibition does not apply to foreign citizens who were born in Timorese territory and who habitually reside here or who are legal representatives of minors of Timorese nationality or third-party nationals residing in Timor-Leste over whom they exercise parental power or ensure their livelihood and education. The Prime Minister, in duly substantiated cases, related to the defense of the national interest or convenience of service, may authorize the entry of foreigners into national territory.
It is also forbidden to disembark cruise ship passengers unless they are Timorese citizens or foreign citizens who are in one of the situations described above.
Under the government resolution approved, it is also prohibited to all human resources of the Direct and Indirect Administration of the State to take service trips outside the national territory.
Urgent medical evacuations and supplies of medicines, materials and hospital supplies are ensured on a sanitary and/or humanitarian basis.
For the purposes of sea or air transport and release of goods at Ports or Airports, foreign citizens, in charge of and under the responsibility of the carrier, may only remain in the "International Zone".
All nationals and foreign nationals covered by these exceptions, arriving in Timor-Leste by air, land or sea, shall be in voluntary quarantine for a minimum period of fourteen days and shall inform the authorities who are present at border posts of the place where they will be isolated.
The measures to prohibit entry to all foreign citizens, provided for in the resolution adopted, will be reviewed monthly, with a view to their maintenance or elimination. ENDS
18 of March of 2020Meeting of the Council of Ministers of March 18, 2020Presidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Meeting of the Council of Ministers of March 18, 2020
The Council of Ministers met at the Government Palace in Dili and approved a draft law, presented by the Acting Minister of Finance, Sara Lobo Brites, for the request to the National Parliament for Authorization to Carry out a Extraordinary Transfer from the Petroleum Fund in the amount of two hundred and fifty million U.S. dollars, during the duration of the duodecimal regime of budget execution, in order to ensure financial conditions for the functioning of the Public Administration.
The Minister of Legislative Reform and Parliamentary Affairs, Fidelis Manuel Leite Magalhães, replacing the Minister of State of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, presented the draft Decree-Law, approved by the Council of Ministers, on the assignment of contractual position between public entities. This Decree-Law regulates the transfer of a contractual position from a legal person under public law to another legal person under public law in the context of a contract with reciprocal benefits. This law applies to all public contracts concluded by public entities in Timor-Leste with a view to the supply of goods, execution of works or provision of services for public purposes.
The Acting Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Fidelis Manuel Leite Magalhães, gave a presentation on the situation of the economy and food reserves in the country. The data presented on essential items, such as rice, wheat and fuel, indicate that there are sufficient reserves in the national territory for several months, with no risk of stock breakage. Measures are also being put in place to combat price speculation and product hoarding. The Government is also buying more 3,800 tons of rice to increase the national reserve.
The Council of Ministers heard a presentation of the Technical Working Group to respond to the impacts of the floods of 13 March 2020 on the extraordinary measures necessary for the rehabilitation of the affected areas, presented by the Minister Of Public Works, Salvador Soares dos Reis Pires, together with the Ministry of Planning and Strategic Investment and with the Board of Directors of the Infrastructure Fund. The floods in various parts of the city of Dili caused extensive material damage, leaving hundreds of families displaced. Data on all damage and intervention needs was presented so as to restore road mobility, continuing to provide electricity safely and ensuring the repair of water supply systems damaged, and, above all, carry out urgent work of cleaning drainages, normalization and sad removal of streams and construction of retaining walls that prevent the events of last Friday from repeating during this rainy season. The Working Group is composed of the General Directorate of Public Works that leads it through its Director General, and also includes the National Development Agency, the General Directorate of Water and Sanitation, the Institute of Equipment Management, I.P. and the National Procurement Commission.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Dionísio Babo Soares, presented to the Council of Ministers the state of play of the national preparedness for the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). The various ongoing measures for the prevention and control of Coronavirus were presented, including the training of health professionals from all over the country, activities to raise awareness of the population, purchase of ventilators, preparation of isolation sites and hospital centers, health screening at border posts, among others. Several extraordinary measures were also discussed to be implemented in order to contain the outbreak, depending on the declaration of the State of Emergency. So far there is no confirmed case of COVID-19 in Timor-Leste. The World Health Organization has so far counted 184,976 confirmed cases of Coronavirus in 159 countries and territories, killing 7,529 people. The clinical signs and symptoms of COVID-19 are mainly respiratory, such as fever, cough and breathing difficulties. In patients in a more serious condition, the infection can cause pneumonia and even fatal complications. ENDS- 17 of March of 2020Government appeals to the population to Keep Calm in Relation to Pandemic COVID-19Presidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Government appeals to the population to Keep Calm in Relation to Pandemic COVID-19
available soon
