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Press Release
Meeting of the Council of Ministers of March 13, 2019
The Council of Ministers met in the Government Palace in Dili and heard the presentation of the Report of the mandate of the Fiscal Reform Commission (CRF), presented by Fernanda Borges, Coordinator of the Commission. The CRF was created by the Sixth Constitutional Government with the purpose of guaranteeing the future of Timor-Leste by diversifying revenue sources and ensuring the sustainability of public finances. During the presentation, Fernanda Borges described the background of the CRF, detailed the activities already carried out since August 2015 and outlined the priorities and recommendations for the future of the fiscal reform program. The report now submitted to the Government will be assessed by the Ministry of Finance which will confirm it and implement the recommendations contained in the report.
The Minister of State Coordinator for Economic Affairs, Agio Pereira, and TradeInvest submitted to the Council of Ministers the proposal for a Special Investment Agreement between the State of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and Pelican Paradise Group, Lda. The project encompasses an investment of USD 700 million for the development of a tourism complex, in an area of approximately 558 hectares between Tasi Tolu and Tibar. Apart from hotel complexes, the project includes a golf course, residential lots, a development centre for youth, an international school, an international hospital and shopping centres. This tourist complex will allow the creation of approximately 1500 jobs in the construction phase, 1300 permanent jobs after the construction and the reforestation of 80% of the project area. This proposal for a Special Investment Agreement will continue to be analysed by the members of the Government.
The acting Minister of the Interior, Filomeno da Paixão de Jesus, presented the proposal for a Government Resolution approved by the Council of Ministers on the appointment of Faustino da Costa as Commander-in-chief and Mateus Fernandes as the 2nd General Commander of the National Police of Timor-Leste (PNTL), on a four-year service commission.
The Council of Ministers has given full powers to the Minister of State Administration for the preparation of the official celebrations of the 17th anniversary of the Restoration of the Independence of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste (RDTL), for the installation of the Organizing Committee and for the appointment of its President.
The Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Joaquim José Gusmão dos Reis Martins, presented the approved proposal for a resolution of the Council of Ministers, authorizing the participation of a delegation of Timorese technicians at a working meeting, organized by the Asian Development Bank, for the negotiation of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Republic of Indonesia and the RDTL for the implementation of a pilot project to facilitate freight transport, expansion of livestock trade and joint promotion of the two countries as a tourism destination.
Finally, members of the Council of Ministers expressed, on behalf of the Government and the Timorese people, condolences to the family of Gordon McIntosh, former Australian Senator and defender of Timorese independence. McIntosh or “Ulun toos,” an affectionate name given to him in the 1980s by FALINTIL, who admired his ‘stubbornness’ and ‘discernment’ for not accepting the views of his Australian Parliament colleagues during his 1983 visit to the country, was awarded the Order of Timor-Leste in 2014 for his efforts in favour of Timor-Leste’s independence. ENDS