The Secretary of State for the Council of Ministers and
Official Spokesperson for the Government of Timor-Leste
Díli, November 22, 2009
Government requests misinformation to cease by Fretilin as speciality budget debates proceed
The Xanana Gusmão Government is pleased to announce the General State budget of Timor-Leste for 2010 was passed after three days of debate on November 20, 2009.
The Standing Committee C of the National Parliament has played a vital role in the 2010 budget process thus far. The Government would like to thank those on the Committee that worked in the spirit of multi-partisan ship and in the best interest of the state to ensure the process was upheld with integrity.
The Government, in turn, appreciated the opportunity to correct aspects of the report which were incongruent with the most recent data and statistics available and appreciated the level of questioning provided by all the Members of National Parliament to ensure the public had a robust debate on the state of the nation and the Government’s agenda for 2010.
The Members of the Standing Committee C voted overwhelmingly to bring the Bill to the floor for the 13-day maximum State Budget debate and the IV Constitutional Government congratulates all of those who demonstrated the vision and responsibility to uphold the interests of our young Nation.
Regrettably, members of the Parliament representing Fretilin have disseminated misinformation to the public which should be clarified.
On November 20, 2009 Jose Teixeira issued the statement Timor-Leste parliamentary committee rejects budget. In it, he states “Timor-Leste’s multi-party parliamentary committee on the economy, finance and anti-corruption, has rejected the Gusmãao government’s 2010 budget sent to parliament for approval.”
It should be noted:
1. All the Standing Committees are multi-partisan in nature
2. Mr. Teixeira is not the spokesperson for Commission C.
3. Fretilin parliamentary members should not be disseminating media on behalf of Commission C, unless duly authorized by it’s president
4. Fretilin should not be representing the findings of Commission C through political propaganda and most importantly
5. Commission C did not reject the 2010 budget. The majority voted in favor and there were no votes against.
Teixeira also writes “The parliamentary committee analyzing the budget has made it clear that because of the failure of the government to comply with basic legal requirements on the structuring of budget allocations and line items, the proposed budget law does not deserve to be approved by parliament”
1. This statement is false
2. The content of the statement is in direct contradiction of the Commission C report
3. The legality of the budget has never been in question
4. The report endorses the legality of the 2010 General State Budget: “It is the opinion of the Commission that the Proposed Bill 29/II “The State’s General Budget 2010” has all the required constitutional, legal and regimental pre-requisites and thus, has the conditions to be submitted to the Plenary for discussion and voting in its generality and speciality, according to the applicable constitutional and regimental proceedings” (IX, p.65)
5. The “Juridical Analysis” of the proposed Budget law by Standing Committee C concluded the proposed Bill met all “The formal requirements for the submission of proposed Bills, according to the terms of Sections 98, 105 and 162 and subsequent sections of the Rules of Proceedings of the National Parliament”.
On November 21, 2009, Jose Teixeira released a statement that contradicted his statement released a day earlier; with the opening line exuding much less hubris “Following the vote on the generality, which was passed, the specifics of the budget will be now be debated next week.”
Teixeira cites the desire for a quicker pay rise as members motivation in passing the 2010 State budget.
Teixeira says “It is commonly known that AMP MPs are checking their bank balances daily and some have expressed their disenchantment and angst at the delay.”
Spokesperson for the IV Constitutional Government, Ágio Pereira noted “There are very few people in National Parliament, including many of the distinguished Fretilin parliamentarians, that would endorse a statement that is so offensive to the dignity of the sovereign institution, the remark is so tasteless it deserves no reply.’
‘Mr. Teixeira has offended members of Commission C, the Government, the National Parliament, and misguided the majority of our citizens who abhor this type of disgusting politicking.’
‘Many of these parliamentarians fought for more than two decades for the rights and freedoms that are upheld in National Parliament; they endured the full magnitude of our struggle and would not make such degrading statements.’
‘As the debates in speciality begin, Mr. Teixeira should conduct the business of his party in a manner much more deserved by the State.”
‘The Budget debate ‘in speciality’ will continue, with the review of expenditure by line ministries. The IV Constitutional Government led by Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão, as during all the hearings of the Standing Committees and Plenary Sessions for the budget debates, will contribute with honesty and transparency towards providing our Nation’s democracy and institutions to function like all other healthy democracies.”