Media Releases
- 16 of March of 2020Tolerance days-off on March 17 and 18, 2020Presidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Tolerance days-off on March 17 and 18, 2020
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 
16 of March of 2020Extraordinary Meeting of the Council of Ministers of 16 March 2020Presidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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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- 11 of March of 2020Meeting of the Council of Ministers of March 11, 2020Presidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Meeting of the Council of Ministers of March 11, 2020
The Council of Ministers met at the Government Palace in Dili and approved the Draft Law, presented by the Acting Minister of Finance, Sara Lobo Brites, on the approval of the 3rd amendment to Law No. 13/2009 of October 21 on Budget and Financial Management. This changes Article 31 on the duodecimal regime and provides for a set of exceptions and easing rules, allowing full compliance with state obligations.
The Council of Ministers approved a draft Government Resolution, presented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Dionísio da Costa Babo Soares, for the extension of the application and implementation of temporary interdiction measures and restriction of entry into national territory of foreign citizens, who in the last four weeks have left or been in transit in the People's Republic of China, the Republic of Korea, the Italian Republic and the Islamic Republic of Iran. Considering the risk associated with the rapid spread of the new coronavirus, the interdiction measures defined in accordance with this Resolution are reviewed every two weeks with a view to their maintenance or elimination. Under this Government Resolution, the Acting Minister of Health was also mandated to re-instruct the competent services of the Ministry of Health to, in coordination with the relevant ministerial lines, act in accordance with the protocols established by the World Health Organization.
The Minister of Public Works, Salvador Soares dos Reis Pires, presented a draft Decree-Law, approved by the Council of Ministers that creates the National Authority for Electricity and approves its Statutes. Through it, a Public Institute is created that will have as its main function to raise the quality of public electricity supply services, through its supervision and monitoring, providing the public with continuous information on the quality of the public service provided. The Regulation of the sector will provide a qualitative improvement in its operation, establish installation rules and technical standards to ensure the safety of people and goods.
The Minister of Public Works also presented a draft Decree-Law, approved by the Council of Ministers, which creates the Public Electricity Company of Timor-Leste, E.P. (EDTL, EP) and approves its Statutes. EDTL, EP will have as its main function the improvement of the quality of the services provided for electricity supply. Through a public company specialized in the electricity sector it will be possible to plan and manage the sector with greater agility, repairing or replacing existing infrastructures, expanding the supply network and applying best practices in the operation with a view to obtaining more revenue by applying the user pays principle. Further improving communication with consumers, raising awareness of the correct and prudent use of these services, establishing effective supervision of illegal connections and connecting with automatic or prepaid counting systems all Consumers.
The Acting Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Fidelis Manuel Leite Magalhães, gave a presentation to the Council of Ministers on the Process of Accession of Timor-Leste to the World Trade Organization (WTO) – Questions and Answers concerning the "Memorandum on the Timor-Leste External Trade Regime" (MFTR). This presentation to the Council of Ministers aimed to share the main issues raised by some WTO member countries, as well as information on the first round of negotiations. All responses are based on policies and legal texts in force in Timor-Leste. The Council of Ministers authorised the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, as Chief Negotiator of the WTO accession process, to formally submit to the WTO Secretariat the Document on Questions and Answers on the MFTR and also encouraged the Chief Negotiator of the WTO Accession Process to proceed with the preparatory actions necessary for the first round of accession negotiations within the Working Group.
Finally, the members of the Council of Ministers heard a presentation by the Acting Minister of Health, Élia António de Araújo dos Reis Amaral, to analyze the state of play of the prevention and control measures of the new Coronavirus (COVID-19). The General Directorate of Health Provision (DGPS), of the Ministry of Health, is monitoring the epidemiological situation under technical guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO) and has worked closely with the National Health Laboratory, the Guido Valadares National Hospital, the authorities responsible for the control and management of ports of entry, as well as other structures to support the management of outbreak prevention and control measures in Timor-Leste. The Acting Minister of Health presented the activities already carried out since January and the contingency plan that defines the level of response and action to minimize the risks of transmission by COVID-19 in Timor-Leste. It also presented the state of play of the preparation of the sites for isolation, quarantine and treatment, the protocol of sending samples of patients with suspected COVID-19 to Australia and the protocol of medical intervention to be performed in the case of positive cases. ENDS 
04 of March of 2020Meeting of the Council of Ministers of March 4Presidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Meeting of the Council of Ministers of March 4, 2020
The Council of Ministers met at the Government Palace in Dili and approved a draft Decree-Law, presented by the Secretary of State for the Environment, Demétrio de Amaral de Carvalho, regarding the disposal, import and production of plastic bags, packaging and other objects. This diploma aims to prevent and reduce the impact of waste on the environment, mainly focusing on single-use plastic products. The Decree-Law provides for the prohibition of the disposal, import and production of non-recyclable plastic products and the prohibition of the acquisition, distribution, import and production of certain plastic objects. The diploma also provides for the establishment of the following fundamental principles: precaution, prevention, sustainable development, global environmental security, polluter pays, reuse and recycling and energy recovery.
The Acting Minister of Health, Élia António de Araújo dos Reis Amaral presented a draft Decree-Law, approved by the Council of Ministers, on the creation of the National Ambulance and Medical Emergency Service, I.P.. This draft normative act aims to increase the level of operation and response of medical services capable of ensuring emergency or medical emergency care throughout the national territory, including the transport victims of accidents or of sudden illnesses to appropriate healthcare institutions. The National Ambulance and Medical Emergency Service is created as a public collective person, in the form of a public institute, endowed with administrative, financial and patrimonial autonomy and under the tutelage and superintendence of the member of the Government responsible for health area, in order to respond more quickly and autonomously to the collective needs of the population.
The Acting Finance Minister, Sara Lobo Brites, presented a Government Deliberation project, approved by the Council of Ministers, on the budget ceiling for the month of March under the duodecimal regime, with a total value of USD 116 449 057.
The Council of Ministers approved a draft Decree-Law, presented by the Minister for the Affairs of Combatants of the Acting National Liberation, Gil da Costa Monteiro "Oan Soru", relating to the 6th amendment to Decree-Law No. 15/2008, of June 4, which regulates the pensions of combatants and martyrs of national liberation. With this amendment, part of the pension of combatants and martyrs of national liberation is withheld, except in cases where there is express opposition to such retention. The amounts retained by the State are intended to be deposited into a bank account held by the Council of National Liberation Fighters and administered by the State.
The Acting Minister of State Administration, Abílio José Caetano, received full powers from the Council of Ministers to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Governments of the Republic of Indonesia and of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste. Institutional cooperation provided for in this Memorandum of Understanding will improve the conditions of access to electricity and clean water of population in remote areas in the municipalities of Baucau, Bobonaro, Dili and Manatuto. ENDS
28 of February of 2020Extraordinary Meeting of the Council of Ministers of february 28, 2020Analyzed:more
1 - Government Decree which aims to establish a remuneration supplement for the exercise temporary positions of management or leadership to be assigned to teachers who have held such functions in public technical-vocational secondary schools.
Approved:
1 - Deliberation regarding the approval of the procurement procedure for the acquisition of fuel for the Hera Power Plant - Lot 1.
27 of February of 2020Extraordinary Meeting of the Council of Ministers of february 27, 2020Approved:more
1 - Government Resolution on the Tariff Regime Associated with the Use of the Port of Tibar and Associated Services;
2 - Use of the IDA 18 concessional loan from the World Bank.- 19 of February of 2020Day Off on the 26th February 2020Presidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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February 19, 2020
Press Release
Day Off on the 26th February 2020
Law nº. 10/2005, of August 10, in the wording defined by Law no. 3/2016, of May 25, establishes the days that are national holidays, the official commemorative dates and the other circumstances in which tolerance days-off may be granted. When it comes to tolerance days-off, paragraph C) of nº 2 of article 7 of the same law determines that a religious celebration not contemplated by law may be subject to tolerance.
Among the official commemorative dates is Ash Wednesday, which, each year, has a variable date. Ash Wednesday is one of the solemnities that holds great significance in the Christian community. Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent on the calendar of the Catholic religion that occurs forty days before Easter and this year corresponds to Wednesday, February 26.
Thus, considering the provision in paragraph c) of nº 2 of article 7, and in paragraph d) of nº 6 of that article, the Government determines the following:
1. A tolerance day-off is granted on February 26, 2020, throughout the day;
2. This order covers all officials and agents of the Ministries or services under their dependency, as well as of the institutes and bodies integrated in the indirect administration of the State. ENDS
- 19 of February of 2020Meeting of the Council of Ministers of february 19Presidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Meeting of the Council of Ministers of February 19, 2020
The Council of Ministers met at the Government Palace in Dili and approved the draft Government Resolution presented by the Prime Minister, Taur Matan Ruak, for the repeal of Government Resolution Nº 16/2013 on the extinction of martial arts groups. The Government also instructs the National Police of Timor-Leste to step up actions to combat crimes related to the illicit practice of martial arts and rituals.
The Minister of Legislative Reform and Parliamentary Affairs, Fidelis Manuel Leite Magalhães, presented five legislative initiatives approved by the Council of Ministers.
The first Draft Law passed refers to the Social Security Legal Regime of Holders of Sovereignty Bodies. This legal regime seeks to promote the exercise of the right to social security on an equal footing, valuing the contributory career of holders of sovereignty bodies.
Members of the Government also approved the Legislative Authorization Bill on the General Bases of the Organization of Public Administration. This legislative instrument aims to fill the constitutional gap in matters of administrative organization, providing the entire public administration with the general bases of its operation.
The proposal for a Decree-Law of the Organization of Direct and Indirect Administration of the State was also approved by the Council of Ministers. The main objective of this legislative diploma is to adequately organize the direct and indirect administration of the State, promoting the effectiveness of its performance and facilitating the pursuit of its activities by the interoperability and intercommunicability of human and material resources.
The Minister of Legislative Reform and Parliamentary Affairs also presented the Public Administration Reform Program. This programme contains a set of administrative reforms aimed at strengthening the management and improvement of the functioning of the Ministries and Agencies of the Central Government.
The last legislative diploma proposed by the Ministry of Legislative Reform and Parliamentary Affairs concerns the establishment of the Interministerial Commission for the Preparation of the Single Citizens Identifier System. The objective of this system is to improve the provision of services to citizens, greater social inclusion and the launch of electronic governance at national level. The Technical Committee will be chaired by the Executive Director of the ICT Timor Public Institute and composed of representatives of relevant Ministries. The Commission should within a maximum of six months complete an integrated strategy for the materialisation of that single identifier system, together with a detailed implementation plan and its budget, to be submitted to the Ministers.
The Council of Ministers approved a Government Resolution, presented by the Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry, regarding the appointment of Alexandre Pires, as chairman of the Board of Directors and Alves Gomes Martins and Cecilia da Fonseca, as members of the Board of Directors of the Institute for the Quality of Timor-Leste, IP. The Government also appointed Carlito Gama and José Gonçalves to the Fiscal Council of the Institute for Quality of Timor-Leste, IP.
Finally, the Acting Minister of State Administration, Abílio José Caetano, presented the draft Government Resolution, approved by the Council of Ministers, regarding the appointment of Filomena da Costa Nunes, as the new Administrator of the Municipality of Manufahi, a position that had been vacant since October 2018, due to the death of its holder. ENDS
