The Port Administration in Timor-Leste – PATL delivered twenty-five cars to the Government, this Thursday, June 4th, 2015 at the Port of Díli. During the past few years, these had been seized because the owners had not fulfilled their legal responsibilities.
Symbolically, the Port Authority delivered the vehicles to Customs, which then passed them to the Ministry of Finance in order to be kept in a state warehouse, as state assets.
The Director of PATL, Lino Barreto, explained that the vehicles, of various brands, were occupying large areas in the port of Díli, limiting the movement and daily technical works in the area.
Some of the vehicles do not meet the criteria defined in the laws of Timor-Leste on imports, in particular, the five-year limit on vehicle production date.
In the meantime, the Director General of Customs, José António Fátima Abílio, informed that a few months ago, the Ministry of Finance proposed to the Council of Ministers to take a decision on the vehicles abandoned in the Port of Díli: “We hope that these materials are stored in state warehouses as assets while the processes for new uses are still ongoing.”
José Abílio also said they will, soon, open the containers that are sealed at the port, with more vehicles, electrical materials, electronics, furniture and more.
The National Director of State Property, Evangelina Guterres, and civil servants, among others attended this occasion.