Launch of the Construction Phase of the Ministry of Defence and Security Building and F-FDTL General Headquarters
The Prime Minister, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, together with the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China in Timor-Leste, Su Jian, launched the ceremony for the construction of the Building for the Ministry of Defence and Security and the F-FDTL General Headquarters, on the 24th of August, in Fatuhada, Díli.
Xanana Gusmão referred that: “It is with great pleasure the I’m a participant in this long awaited ceremony. We cannot demand of the State institutions the fulfilment of their duties with commitment and professionalism if we don’t advance, in the first place, the appropriate conditions for the exercise of their functions”.
“This ceremony, the launch of the construction, doesn’t mean that the Government is doing favours to the military institution, but that it is fulfilling its duty”, added the Prime Minister.
The Chinese Ambassador, Su Jian, pointed out that the “construction of the Building of the Ministry of Defense and Security and the F-FDTL Headquarters constitutes an offering from China to the F-FDTL, in the sense that they can better carry out their obligations in the future”.
The Secretary of State of Defence, Júlio Tomás Pinto, indicated that “the budget offered by the Chinese Government, intended for this construction, was 8 million American dollars. The Timorese Government spent around 300 thousand American dollars in the earth-moving, water sanitation and electricity.” Further on, Júlio Tomás Pinto highlighted that the construction will begin on the month of October and should be concluded within 15 months.
