Meeting of the Council of Ministers from May 12th, 2015
Presidency of the Council of Ministers
Sixth Constitutional Government
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Dili, May 12th, 2015
Press Release
Meeting of the Council of Ministers from May 12th, 2015
The Council of Ministers met this Tuesday, May 12th, 2015, in the meeting room of the Council of Ministers, at the Government Palace in Díli, and approved:
1. Decree Law approving the Organizational Structure of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries
Decree-Law no. 6/2015, of 11th of March, which approves the organizational structure of the Sixth Constitutional Government, reformulated the responsibilities of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries to reflect more clearly the Government’s policy for the sector, notably by enhancing its central role in the protection and conservation of nature and biodiversity.
The structure of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries is also made more flexible, ensuring a better coordination and articulation of its organs and, consequently, improving the provision of services to the public.
2. Decree Law approving the Judicial Holidays
This Decree-Law establishes the regime applicable to judicial holidays, determining that, each year, the activity of courts is suspended for holidays from 1st of August to 15th of September, a period during which, the urgent activity of courts is ensured through shifts. Thus, it is established a single period for judicial holidays, during which the courts shall suspend their activity, guaranteeing only the provision of urgent services.
This law also stipulates that judicial magistrates shall, as a rule, enjoy their holidays in the period corresponding to the judicial holidays, and these should be organized in such a way as to ensure the shift work.
3. Decree Law approving the Public Prosecutor’s secretariat structure
This Decree-Law establishes and regulates the Public Prosecutor’s secretariat structure, including their organization, its responsibilities, its operation and its staff, as foreseen in the statutes of the Public Prosecutor's Office.
4. Government Resolution approving the appointment of the members of the Authority of the Special Administrative Region of Oe-Cusse Ambeno
This diploma establishes that the Authority of the Special Administrative Region of Oe-Cusse Ambeno is, initially, composed by seven members. The Government nominates: Arsénio Paixão Bano, as Regional Secretary for Education and Social Solidarity; Leónia da Costa Monteiro, as Regional Secretary for Finance; Pedro de Sousa Xavier, as Regional Secretary for Territorial Planning and Cadastre; Francisco Xavier Marques, as Regional Secretary for Administration; Régio Servantes Romeia da Cruz Salu, as Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Rural Development; Lusia Taeki, as Regional Secretary for Health; Inácia da Conceição Teixeira, as Regional Secretary for Community Tourism.
Planning and Infrastructure shall remain under the responsibility of the President of the Authority. Also approved, were the criteria concerning the remuneration of the members of the Authority of the Special Administrative Region of Oe-Cusse Ambeno.
5. Government Resolution approving the appointment of three Commissioners and the President of the Civil Service Commission
The Government has decided to appoint Faustino Cardoso Gomes to serve a term of five years, under exclusive dedication regime, as Commissioner and President of the Civil Service Commission. Also appointed as Commissioners of the Civil Service Commission, are: Maria Domingas Alves and Jacinta Bernardo, for a mandate of five years, in a partial dedication regime.
It should also be recalled that the Civil Service Commission is composed of five members, two of which are elected by the National Parliament and the others are appointed by the Government, which indicates, among these, its President.
6. Law Proposal on the first amendment to the Law of Community leaders and Their Election
This amendment to Law No. 3/2009, of 8th July (Law of Community Leaders and Their Election) aims to ensure the viability of the reform of the legal framework currently in place for community leaderships, setting the date of the election of community leaders for the month of December, and thus extending their mandates for two more months. It also establishes that it is the responsibility of the Technical Secretariat for Electoral Administration (STAE) to propose the election schedule, which must be approved by the National Elections Commission (CNE), up to 60 days before the elections.
The Council of Ministers analysed:
1. Presentation on the concession of the Tibar Port
The Public-Private Partnership model, through grant, was approved by the Council of Ministers, at the meeting from August 2nd, 2013, following the conclusion of the technical and market studies.
The Council of Ministers discussed the details of the project, presented by an inter-ministerial team composed by the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Planning and Strategic Investment and by the Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Communications, in collaboration with the International Finance Corporation (IFC). The presentation focused on the project’s background and the structure of the PPP, main risks, cash flow projections, project costs, economic benefits, environmental and social aspects, necessary decisions and the competitors’ profile.
Currently, the development of the final version of the Concession Contract to send to competitors is ongoing.
This essential infrastructure for the country is foreseen in the Strategic Development Plan 2011-2030, and is all the more important as the Port of Díli is increasingly saturated, both in terms of maritime traffic and in terms of road traffic.
2. Presentation on additional financing from ADB for improvement of the road Díli - Tibar
The inter-ministerial team composed by the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Planning and Strategic Investment and by the Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Communications, presented to the Council of Ministers the proposal for additional funding from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for improving and expanding the road between the capital and Liquiçá. The project foresees the realignment and widening to four lanes, of the stretch between Tacitolo and the Port of Tibar, including the construction of a roundabout.
The presentation focused on the feasibility study, the profile of the loan and the implementation structure.
