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Dili, February 3rd, 2016
Press Release
Meeting of the Council of Ministers of February 3rd, 2016
The Government met this Wednesday, February 3rd, 2016, in the meeting room of the Council of Ministers, at the Government Palace in Dili, and approved:
1. Decree-Law that approves the Land-use Plan for the Island of Ataúro
The Land-use Plan for the Island of Ataúro, proposed by the Special Regional Administrative Oe-Cusse Ambeno Authority, is an instrument of land management indispensable to the social and economic development of Ataúro. The Plan supports the sustainability of habitation and use, so as to meet the objectives underpinning the creation of Special Economic Zones for Social Market Economy in Timor-Leste (ZEESM TL).
The Plan also sets out a strategy for regional planning, use, conservation and management, which provides for the objectives of economic and social sustainable development, and the conservation and enhancement of the cultural, natural and ecological heritage of the territory. The current legislation is respected, including the Basic Law for the Environment, as well as local traditions, in particular Tara Bandu (ancient form of Community law and order), a usual culture in Timor-Leste and a traditional mechanism regulating the relationship between man and environment.
For its implementation, the Land-use Plan for the Island of Ataúro sets and regulates an occupation, use and management regime of the territory, compatible with the protection and enhancement of natural resources and with the development of human activities. These are regulated in a framework of rational management of natural resources. It takes into account the integration of social and economic dynamics and the correction of the processes that can lead to the degradation of natural values and accelerate environmental risk factors.
The Land-use Plan for the Island of Ataúro must be respected by all Administration, national, local and regional, for the sustainable development of the island of Ataúro and of its population.
2. Decree-law that regulates the Infrastructure Fund
This diploma revises the rules of the Infrastructure Fund, created in 2011, to respond to the current needs of multiannual funding which does not overload the annual General State Budget. It is intended to ensure a proper and effective implementation of the Government Programme. The continuity of multiannual infrastructure investment projects financing is thus ensured. It also guarantees responsibility for implementing the budget and the projects and the transparency and financial rigor which both the law and the nature of strategic infrastructure projects require, while allowing the National Parliament and the Board of Auditors to continue to exercise their supervision and audit responsibilities.
The Infrastructure Fund will now have administrative and financial autonomy, and a distinct legal identity.
3. The Government Resolution on the creation of the news portal, embryo of the future news agency of Timor-Leste
The project to create the national news agency, envisaged in the Government Programme, should meet the information needs of the country, both at national and international levels, reporting on important questions of the people’s lives and nation, in a credible and professional manner.
In the first stage, a news portal is created, embryo of the future agency, developed by a work group that has as final goal the establishment of the news agency of Timor-Leste.
4. The Government resolution approving the National Youth Policy
The new National Youth Policy, examined at the meeting of the Council of Ministers on December 22nd, 2015, details the challenges, objectives and project of the State for this sector, which covers the majority of the population of Timor-Leste. The promotion of civic education, employability of young people and national unity guide the strategies and programmes for youth development, who can count on the support of organizations such as the National Youth Council of Timor-Leste.
With the approval of this policy, the government complies with Article 19 of the Constitution of the Republic, which establishes that it is up to the State to promote the education, health and vocational training of young people and encourages youth initiatives in the consolidation of national unity, reconstruction, defence and development of the country.
5. The Government Resolution on the appointment of the Executive Director of Timor-Leste’s Investment and Export Promotion Agency
The Council of Ministers approved the appointment of Arcanjo da Silva as Executive Director of Timor-Leste’s Investment and Export Promotion Agency – TradeInvest Timor-Leste, for a three years’ term. This appointment was proposed by the Minister of State, Coordinator of Economic Affairs, and is based on technical criteria and seniority, in accordance with the Law.
6. Decree-Law on the National System of Protected Areas
This diploma regulates the legal regime applicable to the establishment and management of the national system of protected areas, repealing UNTAET’s Regulation 19/2000.
This Decree-Law enables the creation of a national system of nature protection, composed of protected land and marine, public, private and community areas. It also advocates the possibility of cross-border protected areas provided for under International Law. The diploma recognizes the existence of 46 areas that are automatically classified as protected areas, allowing the Executive a period of five years to finalize the national plan of creation and management of the national system of protected areas.
7. Decree-Law on the Legal Regime of the Toponomy and Numbering of Buildings
This diploma creates, simplifies and clarifies the procedures for the allocation of name signs and numbers of buildings, through a set of rules that guide, facilitate and harmonize the processes of display to be used by municipalities.
The Legal Regime for the Toponomy and Numbering of Buildings follows the adoption of the list of place names for the city of Dili, at the meeting of the Council of Ministers of October 20th, 2015, aimed at placing the plates with the street names in the capital. The starting of the process will be in phases, which make these guiding principles for the creation of postal address even more necessary.
8. The Government Resolution on the appointment of the members of the Superior Council of Public Prosecutors
The Council of Ministers appointed Rui Pereira dos Santos and Melisa Ibela Diliana e Silva Caldas, respectively, as member and alternate member, from Government, in the Superior Council of Public Prosecutors.
9. Government Resolution on the appointment of the Chief Negotiator of the negotiating team of a Treaty for the Final Delimitation of Maritime Borders
The Council of Ministers appointed Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão as Chief Negotiator of the negotiating team of a Treaty for the Final Delimitation of Maritime Borders with the Commonwealth of Australia and the Republic of Indonesia. The Chief Negotiator is responsible for the definition of the strategy of the Commission for the Final Delimitation of Maritime Boundaries.
The Council of Ministers examined:
1. Framework agreement between the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste
The Vice Minister of Health submitted a proposal for a framework agreement to be signed between the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste. The document regulates the support given by the Global Fund to national and regional programmes for the prevention and treatment of people with HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria diseases.
2. Zika virus
The Vice Minister of Health also informed the members of the Council of Ministers on the prevention measures that will be implemented in the country to prevent a possible occurrence of cases of infection by the zika virus.