Media Releases
26 of March of 2019Government announces Popular Consultation and INTERFET Anniversary Organising CommitteePresidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Government announces Popular Consultation and INTERFET Anniversary Organising Committee
On 30th August 2019, Timor-Leste commemorates the 20th Anniversary of the Popular Consultation. On this day 20 years ago, the Timorese people exercised their right to self-determination and voted overwhelmingly for independence. This moment fulfilled the long-held dreams of the people of Timor-Leste to achieve sovereignty over their future.
20th September marks the anniversary of the deployment of the International Force East Timor or INTERFET, the peacemaking taskforce that came to Timor-Leste to address the humanitarian and security crisis from 1999–2000. INTERFET, which was led by Australia, involved 21 countries who made an important contribution at a critical time in the history of Timor-Leste.
The Government of Timor-Leste has announced the Organising Committee for the Anniversaries – an inter-ministerial team, tasked with managing and coordinating all aspects of the anniversary events.
The Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak issued Dispatch no: 04/PM/II/2019 of 18th February, in which Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, leader of the Timorese Resistance and first elected President and former Prime Minister of Timor-Leste, was appointed President of the Organising Committee.
As such, the Organising Committee has started its work on the preparations for the anniversary.
Government spokesperson Minister Agio Pereira said the 20-year anniversary is an occasion to reflect on the birth of our sovereign nation and the first two decades of our development. Led by Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, the Organising Committee will develop a comprehensive program that includes official ceremonies, exhibitions, commemorations, sporting competitions and concerts.
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To honour this historic occasion, the government is calling on anyone who may have photographs, documents, artworks or artifacts relating to this period in their personal collections. An exhibition is being developed of memorabilia from this period, drawn not only from within Timor-Leste but all over the world.
All items are to be taken to the Organising Committee Secretariat at the Maritime Boundary Office at the Palácio do Governo, where a copy or scan of original photographs can be taken for inclusion in the exhibition.
For more information about this initiative, please contact Felismina Carvalho dos Reis on +670 7742 5544 or Domingos Guterres on +670 7705 5344 or email: info@gfm.tl
20 of March of 2019Meeting of the Council of Ministers of March 20, 2019Presidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Meeting of the Council of Ministers of March 20, 2019
The Council of Ministers met at the Government Palace in Dili and heard the presentation of the results of the national survey on public opinion in Timor-Leste conducted between October and November 2018 by the International Republican Institute (IRI). The study reveals high levels of public interest in the national political process and presents as the main concerns of citizens the quality of roads, access to safe drinking water and unemployment.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Dionisio da Costa Babo Soares, presented the proposal for a Council of Ministers' Deliberation on the Strategic Cooperation Program (PEC) between Portugal and Timor-Leste for the period from 2018 to 2022. The PEC defines as sectors of priority intervention the "Consolidation of the Rule of Law and Good Governance", "Education, Training and Culture" and "Inclusive Socioeconomic Development." The Council of Ministers approved the proposed agreement of the PEC to be signed in July 2019 by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the two countries.
Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and the Government of Australia for the participation of national citizens in the Pacific Labor Scheme. This Australian Government program, which began in July 2018, allows workers from various nations in the Pacific region to apply for low-to medium-skilled jobs in rural Australia. The Pacific Labor Program enables Timorese citizens to acquire work knowledge and experience and, on the other hand, allows Australian employers to gain access to reliable labor. The Council of Ministers granted full powers to the Secretary of State for Vocational Training and Employment, Julião da Silva, for the signing of this memorandum of understanding.
The Council of Ministers analyzed alternatives and possible agreements for the international air connections presented by the Minister of Transport and Communications, José Agustinho da Silva, in order to standardize the air transport service in the country. In this regard, the Minister of Transport and Communications was given full powers to sign an Agreement between the Government of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and the Government of Malaysia for air transport services between the two countries. ENDS
18 of March of 2019Government expresses condolences for the death of Gil da Costa AlvesPresidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Government expresses condolences for the death of Gil da Costa Alves
The Government deeply regrets the death on March 17 of Gil da Costa Alves, former Minister of Tourism, Trade and Industry of the Fourth Constitutional Government of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste.
Gil Alves was born in Maubisse on September 17, 1958. He was an economist and lecturer at the Faculty of Economics at Atma Jaya University in Indonesia between 1990 and 1993.
He was Secretary-General of the Social Democratic Association of Timor (ASDT) and after the parliamentary elections of June 30, 2007, his party joined the AMP (Alliance of Parliamentary Majority) coalition. Gil Alves was sworn in as Minister of Tourism, Commerce and Industry on August 8, 2007, in the Fourth Constitutional Government, led by Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão.
In 2018, Gil da Costa Alves assumed the role of Vice-President of the Timor-Leste Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Asia Affairs.
The Eight Constitutional Government joins leaders and institutions of Timor-Leste in honor of Gil Alves and expresses deep condolences to the family and friends of the former Minister. ENDS
17 of March of 2019Government expresses its solidarity with Mozambique and IndonesiaPresidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Government expresses its solidarity with Mozambique and Indonesia
On behalf of the people of Timor-Leste, the Government presents its condolences to the families and friends of the victims of cyclone Idai in Mozambique and the floods in the province of Papua in Indonesia.
The provisional assessment after the passage of cyclone Idai in Mozambique indicates at least 84 people have died and more than 1,000 were injured, but national authorities say the scale of the disaster is huge and could reach a thousand dead. In Beira, capital of Sofala province, 90% of the city and surrounding areas will have been damaged or destroyed. The cyclone, with heavy rains and winds of up to 170 kilometers per hour, hit Mozambique and Zimbabwe and Malawi causing at least 200 deaths, with hundreds of missing people and tens of thousands left isolated.
In the Indonesian province of Papua, floods caused by heavy rains last Saturday killed at least 50 people, wounded 70 and more than 4,000 displaced. Bridges, roads and dozens of homes have been damaged by flooding, with the impact of the disaster and the number of casualties likely to increase.
The Government of Timor-Leste commends the work of the authorities of the affected countries in their search and rescue work under conditions of extreme difficulty.
The spokesman for the Eight Constitutional Government, Minister of State Agio Pereira, said: "Our sentiments go to families who have lost loved ones and we salute those who remain determined in the search for survivors. Timor-Leste expresses its solidarity with the Governments and the people of the Republic of Mozambique and of the Republic of Indonesia, in these difficult days and in facing to the challenges that are presented for the coming weeks and months". ENDS
16 of March of 2019Government stands in solidarity with New ZealandPresidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Government stands in solidarity with New Zealand
The Government of Timor-Leste expresses its solidarity with the Government and people of New Zealand, especially the Muslim community, following the attacks on Friday, March 15 in Christchurch, which tragically resulted in at least 49 deaths and 48 wounded.
The Government of Timor-Leste condemns the attacks the mosques of Al Noor in Hagley Park and Linwood Masjid in the city of Christchurch as acts of criminal violence in all respects unacceptable and expresses its sincere condolences to families and friends of the victims. It also praises the work of the security and emergency services at this difficult time.
The Spokesman of the Eight Constitutional Government, Minister of State Agio Pereira, stated that "our thoughts are with all those who mourn" and expressed his "solidarity with the people and the New Zealander State and for all nations involved in this tragic event". ENDS
16 of March of 2019Meeting of the Council of Ministers of January 16, 2019Presidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Meeting of the Council of Ministers of January 16, 2019
The Council of Ministers met in the Government Palace in Dili and approved the draft Council of Ministers Resolution presented by the Minister of Public Works, Salvador Eugénio Soares dos Reis Pires, on the extension of the contract, with the consortium of companies Esperança Timor Oan, Lda and JV with Winston Oil International (HK) Ltd., to supply fuel to the power plants until September 30, 2019 and authorization to purchase additional fuel for electric power generation. The agreement in force began on June 22, 2017 and ends in March 2019. This resolution aims to ensure the normal supply of electricity to the country and allows the preparation of a new international public tender for the supply of fuel.
The Minister of Public Works also made a presentation to the Council of Ministers on a proposal for cooperation between the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Electricidade de Timor-Leste (EDTL), which includes a set of recommendations for the strengthening of the national electricity system by reducing production costs, increasing revenues, improving quality of service, institutional reform and training of human resources.
The Council of Ministers reviewed the presentation by the Minister of Transport and Communications, José Agustinho da Silva, on the memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Transport and Communications and the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency of the Republic of Indonesia with the objective of promoting the cooperation in the fields of meteorology, climatology and geophysics for the mutual benefits, interests and national development of the two countries.
The Minister of Transport and Communications also presented the memorandum of understanding to be signed with the National Agency of Search and Rescue of the Republic of Indonesia for cooperation between this Indonesian agency and the Ministry of Transport and Communications for air and sea search and rescue that will allow a quick exchange and regular information in cases of existence or possibility of danger, joint actions of search and rescue, sharing of knowledge and technical development and training actions.
José Agustinho da Silva also presented the memorandum of understanding between the Government of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and the Government of the Republic of Indonesia on the delegation of competences in air traffic services to facilitate the safe conduct of international air operations in the airspace of the two countries and the conclusion of an agreement for the provision of Air Traffic Services (ATS) in accordance with international standards and practices recommended by the Chicago Convention.
The Council of Ministers delegated powers to the Minister of Transport and Communications, in coordination with the relevant Ministries, to discuss and sign the above-mentioned three memoranda during his working visit to Jakarta, taking place between the 21st and the 22nd of this month.
The Minister of Legislative Reform and Parliamentary Affairs, Fidelis Manuel Leite Magalhães, presented a proposal for a Government Resolution, approved by the Council of Ministers, on the Legislative Reform Policy. The continuation of the implementation of the legislative policy, for a simple, systematized and accessible quality legislation, is one of the priorities of the Eight Constitutional Government, as stated in the Government program and its organizational structure, which ensures, at ministerial level, an effective policy direction in this area of government intervention. This policy action on legislative reform is aimed at improving the legislative procedure, from the decision to legislate until the entry into force of the legislation of the Government, promoting greater consistency of the systematic operation of the legal system and the ultimate objective of improving the quality of citizens' lives.
The Council of Ministers approved the proposal for a Judicial Reform Policy, presented by the Minister for Legislative Reform and Parliamentary Affairs. Considering that the program of the Eight Constitutional Government establishes that the consolidation of the justice sector proves to be of fundamental importance for the construction of the State and also a crucial factor for transmitting trust and attracting investment in the development of the economy, the ultimate objective of this reform is to improve the quality of life of citizens and is part of the fulfillment of the general political objectives of the Government.
Finally, the Prime Minister, Taur Matan Ruak, presented a proposal for a Government Resolution, approved by the Council of Ministers, which defines the vacancies for the process of career promotion of staff under the General Civil Service Regime for the year 2019. The vacancies admitted to be filled shall be fixed annually by the Government, based on a proposal from the Civil Service Commission, up to a limit of ten per cent of the total number of staff in the respective professional category or group. The competition for the promotions is carried out through a system of classification of the candidates by points, determined by the analysis of seven criteria and the results of a written test. ENDS
13 of March of 2019Meeting of the Council of Ministers of March 13, 2019Presidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Meeting of the Council of Ministers of March 13, 2019
The Council of Ministers met in the Government Palace in Dili and heard the presentation of the Report of the mandate of the Fiscal Reform Commission (CRF), presented by Fernanda Borges, Coordinator of the Commission. The CRF was created by the Sixth Constitutional Government with the purpose of guaranteeing the future of Timor-Leste by diversifying revenue sources and ensuring the sustainability of public finances. During the presentation, Fernanda Borges described the background of the CRF, detailed the activities already carried out since August 2015 and outlined the priorities and recommendations for the future of the fiscal reform program. The report now submitted to the Government will be assessed by the Ministry of Finance which will confirm it and implement the recommendations contained in the report.
The Minister of State Coordinator for Economic Affairs, Agio Pereira, and TradeInvest submitted to the Council of Ministers the proposal for a Special Investment Agreement between the State of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and Pelican Paradise Group, Lda. The project encompasses an investment of USD 700 million for the development of a tourism complex, in an area of approximately 558 hectares between Tasi Tolu and Tibar. Apart from hotel complexes, the project includes a golf course, residential lots, a development centre for youth, an international school, an international hospital and shopping centres. This tourist complex will allow the creation of approximately 1500 jobs in the construction phase, 1300 permanent jobs after the construction and the reforestation of 80% of the project area. This proposal for a Special Investment Agreement will continue to be analysed by the members of the Government.
The acting Minister of the Interior, Filomeno da Paixão de Jesus, presented the proposal for a Government Resolution approved by the Council of Ministers on the appointment of Faustino da Costa as Commander-in-chief and Mateus Fernandes as the 2nd General Commander of the National Police of Timor-Leste (PNTL), on a four-year service commission.
The Council of Ministers has given full powers to the Minister of State Administration for the preparation of the official celebrations of the 17th anniversary of the Restoration of the Independence of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste (RDTL), for the installation of the Organizing Committee and for the appointment of its President.
The Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Joaquim José Gusmão dos Reis Martins, presented the approved proposal for a resolution of the Council of Ministers, authorizing the participation of a delegation of Timorese technicians at a working meeting, organized by the Asian Development Bank, for the negotiation of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Republic of Indonesia and the RDTL for the implementation of a pilot project to facilitate freight transport, expansion of livestock trade and joint promotion of the two countries as a tourism destination.
Finally, members of the Council of Ministers expressed, on behalf of the Government and the Timorese people, condolences to the family of Gordon McIntosh, former Australian Senator and defender of Timorese independence. McIntosh or "Ulun toos," an affectionate name given to him in the 1980s by FALINTIL, who admired his 'stubbornness' and 'discernment' for not accepting the views of his Australian Parliament colleagues during his 1983 visit to the country, was awarded the Order of Timor-Leste in 2014 for his efforts in favour of Timor-Leste's independence. ENDS
13 of March of 2019Government expresses condolences for the death of Gordon McIntoshPresidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Government expresses condolences for the death of Gordon McIntosh
It was with great sadness that the Government of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste received word of the death of Gordon McIntosh, a former Australian Senator and defender of Timorese independence.
Gordon was an enthusiast for the self-determination of our people and was adamant in his struggle against the occupation of our country. The East Timorese people were fortunate to have a fervent supporter in the Australian Parliament.
In 1983 he was in Timor, as part of the first Australian parliamentary delegation to visit the then territory under occupation of Indonesia. After the trip, the Senator wrote a report denouncing the delegation's comments, describing the attempts of some to present Timor as no longer a significant political problem. His petition to the United Nations Decolonization Committee in 1982 was instrumental in keeping Timor on the list of territories with open decolonization processes, and his activities over many years made an important contribution to the Timorese cause.
The former Senator visited Timor-Leste for the last time in March 2016 to participate in the activities of the first Veterans Day celebration. In February of the same year, the former President of the Republic of Timor-Leste, Xanana Gusmão, made public a ten-page letter, written by himself in 1988 and sent to Gordon McIntosh, through Resistance members exiled in Australia. This letter includes a detailed history of the struggle for independence and criticism of the then Australian Government to be motivated by the desire to "safeguard Australia's economic interests to the detriment of the principles worthy of a democratic country". Where he also denounced that everything suggests that the Australian policy towards Timor was determined by the Indonesian offer of joint exploitation of the Timor Gap.
Gordon or "Ulun tos", an affectionate name given to him in the 1980s by FALINTIL, who admired his 'stubbornness' and 'discernment' for not accepting the opinions of his colleagues during the 1983 visit, was awarded the Order of Timor-Leste in 2014 for his efforts in favour of Timor-Leste's independence.
Gordon McIntosh will not be forgotten in East Timor and will be forever remembered with great affection, admiration and respect. In this moment of sadness, we mourn his death, but we celebrate his contribution.
The Government of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, on behalf of the Timorese People, sends condolences to the family of Gordon McIntosh and the gratitude of a nation forever grateful. ENDS
