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Press Release
Extraordinary Meeting of the Council of Ministers of March 15th, 2021
The Council of Ministers met, at the Ministry of Finance, in Dili and, after the analysis of the presentation of the coordinators of the Integrated Crisis Management Centre, on the state of the epidemiological situation in Timor-Leste, approved a Government Resolution draft for the maintenance of a health fence in the Municipality of Dili, until April 2nd, 2021, 11:59 p.m.
Thus, the border posts installed in the area of this municipality remain closed and the movement of persons between this municipality and other administrative circumscriptions is prohibited, except in cases duly based on reasons of public security, public health, humanitarian assistance, maintenance of public supply systems or the realization of the public interest. The requests for movement between the municipality of Dili and the other administrative circumscriptions are addressed by the interested parties to the Director of the Integrated Crisis Management Centre, preferably submitted through e-mail.
Persons and property who, under the conditions established in this Government’s Resolution enter or leave the municipality of Dili are obliged to transit through one of the integrated control centres, located at the east, centre and west land entrances, and at maritime and air border posts. These integrated control centres operate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, between 06:00 a.m. and 04:00 p.m., and their operation is ensured by teams of officials, agents or civil administration workers appointed by the Ministers of the Interior, Health, State Administration and Agriculture and Fisheries, who inform the Director of the Integrated Crisis Management Centre about the identity and contacts of those workers.
The driver and other crew of vehicles authorised to carry goods intended or destining in the municipality of Dili cease their activity in the integrated control centres and shall be replaced by another separate driver or crew, which shall ensure the continuation of transport. Before the replacements of drivers and crews are carried out, the teams of the integrated control centres shall sanitize the interior of the cabins of the land freight vehicles in which the driver and other crew must remain, in accordance with the standards which are by ministerial diploma of the Minister of Health.
Where the movement of goods takes place by means of sea or air transport, crews shall remain inside their vessel or aircraft or, where this is not possible, shall not be absent from the designated international zones of the port or airport, shall keep the mouth and nasal cavities covered by mask, and shall keep a distance of at least three feet from any other individuals.
A Government Resolution draft has also been approved, to maintain the imposition of general home confinement for all persons residing or currently staying in the municipality of Dili, who must remain in their homes or in their temporary accommodation places.
Exceptionally, may be absent from their residence or place of accommodation in Dili persons who have to travel to receive hospital or medical care; to accompany a family member or person in their custody or care to receive hospital care or medical care; to assist other persons who need it for reasons of health, social protection or humanitarian assistance; to file complaints or report crimes with the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Ombudsman’s Office for Human Rights and Justice or any criminal police body; to appear in judicial or police proceedings for which they have been notified; to buy food, meals, essential goods or fuel; to make payments for electricity, telecommunications or internet access services; to access financial services; to provide professional activity where it is not dispensed by its superior, in the case of officials, workers or civil servants of the public administration, or by their employer, in the case of workers in the private sector of the economy; to attend funerals, in accordance with this Government Resolution.
These journeys shall last only for the time strictly necessary for the purpose for which they are intended and when they occur for work, persons should have with them a document proving the obligation to be in the workplace.
The movement of public transport throughout the area of the municipality of Dili, namely microlets, biscotas and taxis, is prohibited;
All commercial, industrial, artisanal or private sector services establishments which carry out activity in the municipality of Dili, must remain closed to the public, with the exception of commercial establishments selling food, water and other first necessity goods, including supermarkets, minimarkets or kiosks; medical or medical care establishments, establishments providing social protection services; pharmacies; resale stations of fuel or gas; commercial establishments where payments are made relating to the supply of electricity, internet access or telecommunications; media; hotel establishments and the like, in accordance with the rules set out in this Government’s Resolution; restaurants, warungs and the like, in accordance with the rules set out in this Government’s Resolution; financial institutions, including banks and entities licensed for international money transfers; construction companies or construction-related activities that are public procurement contractors; companies providing technical services for the maintenance, repair or operation of power plants or the national electricity grid; land, sea and air cargo transport companies; establishments selling funeral materials or providing funeral services, in accordance with the rules set out in this Government Resolution; pest control services companies; companies providing sanitation and sewage cleaning services.
Workers and customers of these commercial establishments and companies, before accessing them shall sanitize their hands and cover the nose and mouth a with mask. For as long as they remain within those establishments and companies, they shall remain wearing a mask covering mouth and nose, keeping at least three feet from other individuals with whom they do not live in common economy, and shall sanitise their hands frequently. While waiting to enter the establishments, customers must wait outside, keeping a distance of at least three feet from other persons with whom they do not live in common economy;
Commercial, industrial, artisanal or private sector service establishments of the economy which are closed to the public, may develop their activity through home delivery services.
Restaurants and the like may only provide meals at their own doors, for take away , for consumption at home or at the place of temporary accommodation or through delivery for home or hotel establishments. Persons staying in a hotel must have their meals in their rooms.
The Municipal markets of Dili, Manleuana and Taibessi, remain operational, and their operators and users, before accessing the interior of the markets, shall sanitize their hands and remain with a mask covering mouth and nose, and keep at least three feet from other individuals with whom they do not live in common economy. Where security forces find it is not possible to maintain the distance of at least three feet between users, they shall prevent new users from accessing the market grounds until the number of users allows comply with that distance.
Street vendors of essential goods or services, in particular food products, especially vegetables, as well as traders who carry out their activities at fairs, shall remain with a face mask covering mouth and nose, frequently sanitise their hands, maintain a distance of at least three feet from other street vendors or their customers, and prevent the formation of agglomerations of persons near the place where they carry out their activity.
The organisation and holding of funeral ceremonies involving the participation of more than ten persons, is prohibited. In funerals with up to ten persons, during the ceremonies, all persons must wear a face mask covering mouth and nose and maintain at least three feet from other persons present at the ceremony.
The police authorities monitor compliance with the rules contained in this Government’s Resolution and warn the offenders that their persistence in non-compliance with this rules may become a crime of disobedience. The police authorities shall inform the Public Prosecutor’s Office of the identity of persons who, after the warning provided for in the preceding sentence, persist in flouting the rules set out in this Government’s Resolution. In cases where the rules set out in this Government’s Resolution are disregarded by foreigners, the police authorities shall communicate their identity to the Migration Service.
The Government Resolution drafts for the imposition of heath fences and mandatory confinement in the municipalities of Baucau and Viqueque, until March 29th, 2021, were also approved. The rules of application of health fences and mandatory confinement in these two municipalities are similar those of the municipality of Dili, with the appropriate adjustments and adaptations to the reality of these two municipalities. END