The Prime Minister, Taur Matan Ruak, hold his first visit to National Police of Timor-Leste (PNTL) Headquarters in Caicoli, Dili, as Minister of Interior, in order to meet with the entire structure of the PNTL General Command.

At the meeting, which get together all the Commanders of the Municipalities, including RAEOA, and the Unit Commanders, the PNTL General Command, Police Commissioner Faustino da Costa, made a presentation on the PNTL general situation and its successes and challenges.

After the presentation by the PNTL General Commander, the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior shared some ideas on what needs to be done, in the future, to improve the PNTL institution, in order to provide better services to citizens, according with the competences assigned by Law.

As Minister of Interior, he explained that he will continue the work that his predecessors left, maintaining what is right, seeking to improve what can be improved and eliminating what is not right, because the PNTL, as a State institution that is vital for nation’s life, like the F-FDTL, needs State’s attention.

In this occasion, the former President of Republic asked the PNTL command to give importance to discipline, hierarchy and loyalty, three pillars of PNTL’s life, because only by following these three principles the PNTL institution could become a stronger and more respected organization. Besides, the Head of Government asked the PNTL to pay attention to three important areas, namely traffic, mainly by imposing rules that prevent road accidents, which have been causing an increasing number of death from year to year, secondly, the improvement of conditions for the Suco Police Officers (OPS) and lastly, he asked for the improvement and dignification of the Border Patrol Unit (UPF) conditions, not forgetting, of course, the other units.

Finally, the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, said that he feels enormously honoured to be able to work with the PNTL, as the Minister of Interior, overseeing the institution.

The Vice-Minister of the Interior, Armindo Antonio, the Second PNTL Commander, Police Commissioner, Mateus de Jesus, as well as other senior officers also attended this meeting.