On May 22th, the Secretary of State for Social Communication (SoSSC), Nélio Isaac Sarmento, signed a public funds transfer agreement to the 14 community radio stations across the country at a ceremony held in the hall of the Ministry of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, at the Government Palace, in Díli. The distribution of funds is under a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the SoSSC and the Community Radios, with the objective of supporting the media.

Accompanied by the National Director for Information Dissemination, Orlando da Conceição, and by the Director of the Radio Community Centre, Luís Evaristo Soares, the SoSSC, Nélio Isaac Sarmento, recalled that this is the second support benefiting the radios, following the previous one given in 2014.

“I ask the community radios to use the funds wisely”, he requested. In a first stage, 40 % of the value will be transferred and the remaining 60 % will be attributed in a second stage.

In order to facilitate the implementation of the Public Transfer Fund, Nélio Isaac asked the directors of the radio stations to present a report at the end of the implementation period.

The community radios benefiting from these funds are the Tatamailau Community Radio (Ainaro), Rai Husar Community Radio (Aileu), Matebian Community Radio (Baucau), Bucoli Community Radio (Baucau), Maliana Community Radio (Bobonaro), Ermera Community Radio, Kova Taroman Community Radio (Covalima), Tokodede Community Radio (Liquiçá), Vox Populi Community Radio (Lospalos), Iliwai Community Radio (Manatuto), Mauloko Community Radio (Maubisse), Atoni Lifau Community Radio (Oe-Cussi), Manufahi Community Radio (Same) e Povo de Viqueque Community Radio.