The National Parliament approved today, April 20th, 2021, in overall vote, the Law Proposal draft for the first amendment to the 2021 State Budget Law, with 44 votes in favour, 21 abstentions and no votes against.
With this amendment, the consolidated expenses of the Public Administrative Sector now amount to 2,165.1 million US dollars and the revenues of the bodies and services of the Central Administration now amount to 1,932.5 million US dollars. The budgets of the Special Administration Region of Oe-Cusse-Ambeno and Social Security remain unchanged.
The amendment will fund a set of six main intervention measures, prepared by the Government, which are 1) employment support; 2)credit moratorium; 3) students support; 4) food security; 5) support for the frontline professionals; and 6) COVID-19 prevention and mitigation.
Prime-Minister began his speech by expressing his “solidarity with people of Timor-Leste, who was victim of a deadly natural disaster and continue to suffer from COVID-19” and “on behalf of the Government”, conveyed his “sincere condolences to the people of Timor-Leste and bereaved families, who are going through the traumatic experience of losing loved ones” and his “deepest sympathy and solidarity with the people affected by COVID-19, especially the families of those who did not recover and died from this disease.”
The Head of the Government recalled that “in March 2020, “quickly” more than $US 220 million was mobilized, including $US 92 million for immediate economic response measures” and further stated that “with unprecedented planning and speed” the Government put “an emergency response unit in place”.
He also gave a description of the “bold and comprehensive decisions” taken “in record time” regarding to the strengthening the health care system and the “stabilization measures that have protected families from losing income, falling into poverty and unemployment, and helped businesses maintain their cash flow and keep many workers employed.”