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Press Release
Meeting of the Council of Ministers of January 30, 2019
The Council of Ministers met at the Government Palace in Dili and approved the Government’s proposal for a resolution submitted by the Prime Minister, Taur Matan Ruak, on reducing the use of single-use or disposable plastic products in the public administration. Reaffirming the commitment made by the Government in its program to implement the “zero-plastic policy” and considering that the pollution caused by the use of plastic products is one of the main challenges facing mankind and that approximately half of the plastic products manufactured are disposed of in the oceans, seas, lakes and rivers, the proposal aims to reduce the use of single-use plastic products in the public administration by prohibiting its bodies and services from buying and using these single use or disposable products.
The Prime Minister also presented the proposal for a Government Resolution, approved by the Council of Ministers, on the creation of the interministerial commission for the coordination and reform of the management of the State’s assets. The commission will be composed of the Prime Minister and members of the Government responsible for the governance areas of legislative reform, finance, justice and state administration and will have as its mission the improvement of the public heritage management system through the update of the inventory of all state movable and immovable property in order to make the best possible use of it and prevent useless expense.
The Council of Ministers approved the proposal for a resolution to the National Parliament, presented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Dionisio da Costa Babo Soares, on the technical cooperation and cooperation program of volunteers from Japan between the Government of the Republic Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste (RDTL) and the Government of Japan, with a view to contribute to the economic and social development of Timor-Leste with training activities for national citizens, the visit of Japanese experts and volunteers and the supply of equipment and machinery.
The Council of Ministers examined the agreement for the exchange of notes between RDTL and the Federal Republic of Germany on technical cooperation between the two countries, to be signed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
The Minister of Defense, Filomeno da Paixão de Jesus, presented the draft Council of Ministers’ Deliberation regarding the beginning of negotiations with the Government of the United States of America for the development of Baucau airport. This airport allows a considerably longer runway extension than Dili airport and is one of the airports with the greatest potential of the country for its privileged location, so the proposal aims at authorizing the start of negotiations of the terms of the agreement necessary for the cooperation project destined to rehabilitate and to develop the airport of Baucau. The Council of Ministers approved the proposal of deliberation and mandated the Minister of Defense, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, the Minister of Transport and Communications and the Minister of Public Works to negotiate with the US counterpart.
The Minister for Combatants of National Liberation, Gil da Costa Monteiro “Oan Soru”, made a presentation to the Council of Ministers of the preparations for the celebrations of the 20th anniversary of the Popular Consultation and the Mission of INTERFET.
The Council of Ministers approved the proposal for a Decree-Law, presented by the Minister of Justice, Manuel Cárceres da Costa, to regulate the organization and operation of the Land and Property Commission, a body responsible for resolving cases of disputes over immovable property. The purpose of this proposal is to establish the rules governing the organization, operation and status of the members of the Land and Property Commission, and to lay down the rules applicable to the cases falling within its competence.
Finally, the Government decided to grant a tolerance day-off on the 5th of February, on the occasion of the Chinese New Year celebrations, for all the officials and agents of the ministries and services under their dependency, as well as of the institutes and bodies part in the indirect administration of the State. ENDS