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Díli, April 29, 2014
Press Release
Meeting of the Council of Ministers of April 29th, 2014
The Government gathered, last Tuesday, April 29th, 2014, at the Council of Ministers meeting room, at the Government Palace, in Dili, and approved:
1. Draft Law on the Statute of the Region of Oe-cusse Ambeno and Ataúro
The draft law approved by the Council of Ministers determines the principles of Oe-cusse Ambeno Special Administrative Region, where the pilot project of the Special Zone of Social Market Economy (ZEESM) will be implemented. The creation of the Oe-cusse Ambeno Special Administrative Region wants it to be a local administrative region, which enjoys administrative financial and patrimonial autonomy, whose aim is the inclusive development of the region giving priority to activities of socio-economic nature and with return to the community.
According to the Draft Law, the island of Ataúro acquires the status of a complementary pole to the Oe-cusse Ambeno Special Administrative Region, in the tourism area.
The ZEESM is crucial to achieving the objectives of regional development, creating national strategic areas attractive for domestic and foreign investors. The aim is to remove the enclave status from Oe-cusse Ambeno and give it the status of national, sub-regional and regional development pole, getting Ataúro under this pole, targeted for integrated tourism.
2. Draft Decree Law on the Licensing, Operation and Control Process of the Activities of Social and Traditional Entertainment Games
This diploma establishes the standards and conditions that must be satisfied in the process of licensing, operation and control of the activities of social and entertainment games, gaming machines and traditional games.
All the matters on games should be considered as public interest given their potential and social, administrative and tax implications so the regulation of this matter looks into reformulating and introduce a more adequate system of monitoring of the activity of games, cautioning the dealers that intend to invest and ensuring the rights and obligations of their clients.
3. Decree-Law on the Statute of the Special Career Regime of Auditors of the Chamber of Auditors of the Superior Administrative, Tax and Audit Court
The Council of Ministers approved Decree-Law on the Statute of the Special Career Regime of Auditors of the Chamber of Auditors of the Superior Administrative, Tax and Audit Court, presented by the Ministry of Justice.
The special auditors’ career, which does not exist in the general framework of the civil service, is justified by the need of the superior audit institution of the state accounts to have a framework of specially trained support staff that allows them to effectively perform their duties.
The approval of this law thus gives effect to Article 24 of Law 9/2011 of 17 August, which approves the structure of this institution, and that gives the government the power to regulate by decree-law the statute of technical support personnel.
4. Government Resolution approving the Agreement for the Establishment of the Regional Secretariat of the Coral Triangle Initiative for Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security
The Government Resolution that was approved today by the Council of Ministers plans to establish a Regional Secretariat for the Coral Triangle Initiative for Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security, to provide greater efficiency in the process of coordinating the implementation of this initiative at the regional level.
5. Decree of the Government approving the Organic Unit of the Mission for the Integrated Sub-Regional Economic Development
The Government Resolution No 20/2013 of 11 September recognized the importance of establishing an ad hoc Mission Unit, under the direction and direct supervision of the Prime Minister, with the aim of implementing a platform of Integrated Sub- Regional Economic Development between Timor-Leste, eastern Indonesia and northern Australia.
The approval of this Government Decree establishing the ad hoc Mission Unit for Integrated Sub-Regional Economic Development, establish its organizational structure and defines its powers.
The Council of Ministers also analysed:
1. The Report of the II Mission of Support to the Electoral Process in Guinea-Bissau
The Secretary of State for Administrative Decentralization, Tomás Cabral, who is also the Head of the Mission of Support to the Electoral Process in Guinea-Bissau, presented at the Meeting of the Council of Ministers the report of the Mission II, which took place between February 1st nd April 17. The Head of Mission presented a review of the pre-election voter education activities carried out by the electoral training team, and by the information technology, legal and logistics services; of activities on election day such as early voting and the vote of the diaspora; and activities of the post-election period. These last include the Observation Missions, including the Electoral Observation Mission of Timor-Leste, and on which the Secretary of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Maria Teresinha Viegas, also spoke to the Council of Ministers.
2. Zero Hunger Challenge (ZHC)
The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries submitted to the Council of Ministers the “Zero Hunger Challenge – ZHC” initiative which contained details of the national status on food security and nutrition, as well as the process of formation of the National Action Plan for this area.
3. Decree Law establishes the basis of a Tourism Policy
The Council of Ministers has considered the Decree-Law that establishes the basis of a Tourism Policy, presented by the Ministry of Tourism, that lays the foundations of tourism policies, sets objectives and principles underlying it and identifies instruments for its implementation as a strategic sector of the national economy, referring to an upcoming meeting for its approval.