REPÚBLICA DEMOCRÁTICA DE TIMOR-LESTE

IV Constitutional Government

SECRETARIAT OF STATE FOR THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

PRESS RELEASE

Meeting of the Council of Ministers 3 September 2008

The Council of Ministers met this Wednesday, 3rd September 2008, in the Council of Ministers meeting room, Government Palace, in Dili where it approved:

1.Decree-Law that changes the Organic Law of the Government

The Decree-Law n..7/2007, 5th of September, is changed by the Decree-Law n. 26/2008, 23rd July, that sets out the structure of the IV Constitutional Government. In accordance with the Government’s Program approved by National Parliament, the creation of a Civil Service Commission is one of the goals of this Government. While the relevant legislation is awaiting approval, it important to implement a National Service which has under its responsibility the Public Administration and make sure that the necessary procedures in order to develop the Civil Service Commission from National Directorate of the Civil Service under the Ministry of State Administration and Territorial Organisation.

Amongst the competencies of the Ministry is the study, proposition and execution of the policies and regulations regarding the civil service, social security of the Civil Service and other related administrative procedures that fall under the responsibility of the National Directorate of the Civil Service.

With this change and in accordance with the diploma approved by the Council of Ministers in today’s meeting, these competencies passed to the Prime Minister, who manages them through a National Service.

2.Decree-Law that changes the structure of the Ministry of State Administration

It is the intention of the Government, as stated Government’s Program approved by National Parliament, the creation of a Civil Service Commission is one of the goals of this Government. While the relevant legislation is awaiting approval, it important to implement a National Service which has under its responsibility the Public Administration and the development of the afore mentioned Commission, which comes into fruition via the diploma approved by the Council of Ministers in today’s meeting.

3.Decree Law that approves the Public Defender Statutes

The Diploma that the Council of Minister approved today establishes and regulates the Public Defender Statutes, where it is defined the attributions, the organisation, the functioning and the competences of the Public Defenders, as well as those of the organs.

In accordance to article 26 the Constitution guarantees to everyone access to courts in order to legally defend their rights, thus ensuring that Justice should be upheld regardless of the economic means of the individual.

4.Resolution that approves a donation to the Republic

The Republic of Cuba has been hit on August 30 by the hurricane “Gustav”, which is considered to be the most violent in sixty years. According to official Cuban sources, “Gustav” destroyed either totally or partially thousands of homes and public buildings, 3.500 tobacco curing warehouses, 136 high tension electrical towers, and provoked serious damage to power and telephone lines and to trees and agricultural fields.

Some of the destroyed buildings are schools, and a few of them are attended by timorese students.

Since the fundamental principles of solidarity and fraternity amongst nations are enshrined in the Constitution of Timor-Leste, the Council of Ministers approved in today’s meeting a Resolution which will donate USD 500.000 to the people and Government of the Republic of Cuba, in order to minimise the nefarious impact of hurricane “Gustav”.

The Council of Ministers also analysed:

A presentation of the National Housing Recovery Policy

The Council heard today a presentation on the Implementation Manual for the Social Rehabilitation Program and Housing Assistance to the Victims of Disasters, having analysed the document and agreed with the proposals it contained.