Development of National Security
The Secretariat of State for Security (SoSS), under the orientation of the Ministry for Defence and Security, is responsible for public security, criminal investigation and immigration.
There are several Directorates under the SoSS responsibility, such as the National Directorate for Civil Protection (which includes the Fire Fighters), the National Directorate for the Migration Service, the National Directorate for the Public Buildings Service and the National Directorate for Prevention of Community Conflicts, that works directly with the PNTL (Timor-Leste National Police) to prevent eventual alterations in public order.
During this year, following the restructuration work that has been done since the swearing in of the IV Constitutional Government, the SoSS will give special attention to the PNTL, to consolidate the institution and to guarantee the country’s internal security and, at the same time, allowing for national development. But 2011 will still be the year for the beginning of the restructuring of the Timor-Leste Fire Fighters and the Department for Migration restructuring.
Also for this year, the Secretariat of State for Security is preparing a Law proposal for the Civil Protection to answer eventual disasters in the country.
“To the Fire Fighters we are giving equipment and constructing infrastructures to better develop their work. To public safety, we are giving training, not only to improve the public buildings security but also that they learn how to communicate with the Police or act in case of a robbery. For the Migration Service, we are preparing, with the support of Portugal and Australia, the setting up of a Pass System – a method to detect passports or other false documents, which is already under experimentation in the Díli Airport and soon will be installed in all Timor-Leste border Posts”, concluded the Secretary of State for Security, Francisco Guterres, in a interview to the Timor-Leste radio program, “Goodbye Conflict Welcome Development”.
