Meeting of the Council of Ministers on November 25, 2020
Presidency of the Council of Ministers
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Meeting of the Council of Ministers on November 25, 2020
The Council of Ministers met at the Government Palace, in Dili, and approved, with amendments, the Decree-Law draft that creates the National Institute for the Rights of the Child, I.P. and which approves the respective Statutes, presented by the Vice Prime Minister and Minister for Social Solidarity and Inclusion, Armanda Berta dos Santos. This Public Institute succeeds, in all rights, obligations and assets, the National Commission for the Rights of the Child, and its mission is to contribute to the promotion, defence, safeguarding and monitoring of the rights of the child.
The Council of Ministers approved the Deliberation draft, on the mandate for negotiating Timor-Leste's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), presented by the Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs, Joaquim Amaral. With this deliberation, the negotiation of Timor-Leste's accession to the WTO is authorized, and the Minister responsible for the coordination of economic affairs is given a mandate for the said negotiation of the accession process. In carrying out his mandate, the Minister will be supported by a delegation composed of members representing each of the following Government departments, to be designated by each of the respective Government members: Presidency of the Council of Ministers; Ministry of Finance; Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation; Ministry of Health; Ministry of Tourism, Commerce and Industry; Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries; and Ministry of Petroleum and Minerals.
The Government members approved the Deliberation draft, presented by the Minister of Defence, Filomeno da Paixão de Jesus, on the promotions of high military patents, to be proposed to the President of the Republic, under the new Statute of the Military of FALINTIL - Forces of Defence of Timor-Leste. Thus, the Government decided to propose to the President of the Republic to promote Major-General Lere Anan Timur to Lieutenant-General, Brigadier-General Domingos Raúl (Falur Rate Laek) to Major-General, Colonel Calisto dos Santos Coli (Coliati) to Brigadier-General and Captain-of-the-sea-and-war, Donaciano da Costa Gomes (Pedro Klamar Fuik) to Commodore.
The Council of Ministers decided to extend the mandate, for another four months, of the Eventual Technical Commission for the Preparation of an Integrated Strategy Aiming at the Implementation of a Unique Identifier System for Timorese Citizens and approved the strategic option of the Unique Identifier System.
The Government decided to propose to His Excellency, the President of the Republic, Francisco Guterres Lú Olo, the renewal of the state of emergency, for another thirty days. Given the worrying evolution of the epidemiological situation and the proliferation of contagion of COVID-19 registered cases, both at regional and global levels, and in order to avoid and neutralize the SARS-CoV-2 spreading risks, thus protecting public health and the National Health System response capacity, the Government proposes, to the President of the Republic, that with the renewal of the State of Emergency’s Declaration, the suspension or restriction of the rights of the international movement, circulation and residence and resistance fixation may be allowed.
The Council of Ministers approved the Decree-Law draft for the first amendment to the Organic Statute of the National Liberation Combatants, in order to provide the possibility of including an aggregate amount for financing the National Liberation Combatants Council in the budget, the execution of which is the responsibility of the member responsible for the affairs of the National Liberation Combatants.
The Minister of Justice, Manuel Cárceres da Costa, presented to the Council of Ministers the political and legislative options underlying the Civil Registration Code draft. The political-legislative options presented aim to allow the registration of marriage to all forms of marriage that the law recognizes, gathering the legal presuppositions to produce civil effects, as well as bringing justice closer to the citizens, providing a legal framework for the use of computer support and fill other gaps in civil registration services.
The Minister of State Administration, Miguel Pereira de Carvalho, presented to the Council of Ministers the political and legislative options underlying the Law proposal drafts on the administrative division of the territory and the creation of a budgetary and financial framework for future local authorities.
The project on the administrative division of the territory aims to achieve greater harmonization of the geographical areas of administrative posts and increase access to public services.
The project on the creation of a budgetary and financial framework for the future local authorities aims to guarantee the democraticity and autonomy of local power, as enshrined in the Constitution and in the proposal for the Law on Local Power and Administrative Decentralization, guaranteeing its financial and patrimonial autonomy.
The Council of Ministers analysed the endorsed the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Adaljiza Albertina Xavier Reis Magno, for the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding to be held between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Timor-Leste and Camões, Institute of Cooperation and Language, I.P., related to the rehabilitation works of Pousada Biti Boot, in Maubara and the officially delivery of the building to the Government.
The Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Fidelis Manuel Leite Magalhães, made a presentation on the options for solving issues related to public works carried out without a prior written contract.
Lastly, the Minister of Finance, Rui Augusto Gomes, made a presentation on the political-legislative options underlying the Law Proposal draft to frame the General State Budget and Financial Management. END
