Disclosure of the Policy for Administrative Decentralization and Local Government in Manatuto
The Prime Minister, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão was, last May 21st and 22nd, at the district of Manatuto, the twelfth district receiving the disclosure of the Policy for Administrative Decentralization and Local Government. In Manatuto, this event was received and named “Rest time is over, now it is time for us to rise, stand-up, get together and move forward”.
The Administrator for Manatuto’s district, Aleixo Soares, started by saying: “municipality’s creation needs good preparation and enough human resources for the functions’ allocation. It is also important to reflect the district’s geographic condition. On what concerns to revenue, agriculture might be a potenial source, because the district has got an extensive agricultural area. Besides agriculture, tourism, trade, industry and private sector have also increased year by year in this district, therefore it might be ready to receive the Municipality”.
The Prime Minister started his intervention welcoming an initiative: “Congratulations to Klibur Manatuto Anan’s Association by the manual produced. I hope it succeeds, although it is not yet completed, so we may improve it. I call on Manatuto’s people to set, as a primary goal for this district, the eradication of poverty and ask Klibur Manatuto Anan to better prepare itself to the implementation of the municipality. We have a more adjusted model to our socioeconomic and cultural reality, so that, in future, our People can get rid of poverty. That is decentralization’s main goal”.
The Head of Government still added that “municipality means approach of the Government to the People and today we are here together to understand such concept. I understand that, when we compare with Portugal and Australia’s Municipalities, we’re not yet at the same stage, for we are still in the beginning of the process, nevertheless, we hope that in the future we might turn into a developed country, like the others. Presently, we are taking huge steps, by phases and stages to achieve our goal, as our social, economic and cultural context is different from those countries and we are at a lower level”.
Manatuto’s district has an area of 1.706 square kilometers, with a population density of 41.200 inhabitants. It is made out of 6 sub districts (Manatuto, Laleia, Lakló, Laklubar, Soibada and Natarbora), which are divided in 29 sucos. Manatuto borders the districts of Baucau, Viqueque, Aileu e Manufahi, has got a mild climate, which contributes to soils’ fertility. The main activities are subsistence agriculture, livestock breeding, rice culture, tourism (in the North Coast), fisheries, oil and gas (in the South Coast).
