Meeting of the Council of Ministers on August 25, 2021
Presidency of the Council of Ministers
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Meeting of the Council of Ministers on August 25, 2021
The Council of Ministers met, at the Government Palace, in Dili, and after reviewing the presentation of the epidemiological situation of the country, given by the Coordinators of the Situation Room of the Integrated Centre for Crisis Management (CIGC), approved the draft Government Decree on the implementation measures of the Declaration of the State of Emergency, made by the President of the Republic Decree No. 69/2021, of August 24th, to respond to the pandemic of COVID-19. The state of emergency, now renewed, covers the entire national territory and is in force between August 31st, 2021, 12:00 am, and September 29, 2021, 11:59 pm.
Regarding the implementation measures of the previous declaration of a state of emergency, there has been a change, and all activities involving the gathering of people are now prohibited throughout the country.
The remaining rules remain unchanged, namely the obligation of all individuals residing in Timor-Leste to keep a distance of, at least, three feet from other individuals with whom they do not live in common economy. They are also required to wear a face mask that covers the nose and mouth when having access to or staying in public or private places of collective use and to wash their hands when entering commercial, industrial or service provision establishments or buildings where public administration services operate. During the duration of the state of emergency, licences, permits, visas, residence permits and other administrative acts and documents shall remain valid regardless of their period of validity.
The Council of Ministers approved the draft Government Resolution that imposes the general home confinement of the population of the Dili Municipality, between August 27th, 12:00 am, September 2nd, 2021, 11:59 pm.
Thus, the general home confinement of all persons residing or presently in the Municipality of Dili is imposed, who should remain in their residences or in their places of temporary accommodation, including shelters, except in the situations foreseen in this diploma, namely for reasons of health, work, to access basic goods and services and to receive the vaccine against COVID-19.
The circulation of public transport in the entire area of the Municipality of Dili, namely taxis, microlets, biscotas and angunas, is prohibited.
Collective religious celebrations shall be suspended and the organisation and holding of funeral ceremonies involving the participation of more than ten people shall be forbidden. During these ceremonies, people shall wear a face mask covering the nasal and mouth cavities and keep their distance of at least three feet from other people present at the ceremony.
All commercial, industrial, craft or service establishments will be closed to the public, with the exception of establishments selling food and other essential goods, electricity, telecommunications, medical care, pharmacies, petrol stations and financial institutions.
Restaurants may provide take-away or home-delivered meals and other establishments that are closed to the public may develop their activity through home-delivery services.
The activity of street food vendors and other essential goods is allowed. The Manleuana and Taibessi Municipal markets remain open between 6 am and 6 pm.
The following draft Government Resolutions were also approved:
- maintaining the imposition of sanitary fences in the municipalities of Dili and Ermera until September 13th, 11:59 pm;
- imposing sanitary fences in the municipalities of Covalima and Baucau from August 26th, 2021, 12:00 am, until September 8th, 11:59 pm;
- maintaining the imposition of sanitary fences in the areas covered by the village (suco) Naimeco, in the Administrative Post of Pante Macassar, and the village (suco) Bobometo, in the administrative post of Oesilo, both in the Special Administrative Region of Oe-Cusse Ambeno, until September 8th, 11:59 pm.
Thus, the prohibition of movement of persons between the said areas and municipalities and other administrative districts is imposed, except in cases duly justified on grounds of public safety, public health, humanitarian assistance, maintenance of public supply systems or the achievement of public interest. Individuals who provide proof of full vaccination (two doses) against COVID-19 and accompanying children under the age of six are not covered by this travel ban.
Also approved was the draft Government Resolution that maintains the general home confinement of the population of the Administrative Posts of Ermera and Railaco, in the Municipality of Ermera, until September 1st, 11:59 pm.
Thus, the ban on movement of persons between these administrative posts and the other administrative districts is maintained, except in cases duly justified on grounds of public safety, public health, humanitarian assistance, maintenance of public supply systems or the achievement of public interest. Individuals who provide proof of full vaccination (two doses) against COVID-19 and accompanying children under the age of six are not affected by this movement ban.
The Council of Ministers approved, with amendments, the draft Decree-Law, presented by the Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Fidelis Manuel Leite Magalhães, on the General Bases of Organization of Public Administration. This draft Decree-Law aims to promote coherence in the legislation adopted in administrative matters, in order to promote unity, efficiency and effectiveness of its action. The diploma defines, as a principle of administrative efficiency, that the direct and indirect administration of the State should be organized in such a way as to guarantee maximum efficiency in the use of public resources to satisfy collective needs, according to the public interest and respecting citizens' rights. The direct and indirect administration of the State must be organised in such a way as to effectively fulfil the public interest, and the consideration of any private interest in its organisation is forbidden.
The draft Decree-Law for the first amendment to Decree-Law no. 19/2018, of December 27th, which approved the Organic Law of the Minister for the Affairs of National Liberation Combatants, presented by Minister Júlio Sarmento da Costa "Meta Mali", was approved, with amendments. This amendment aims to improve the implementation capacity of the services of this Ministry, namely the services to National Liberation Combatants and to strengthen the institutional capacity of some of its technical and operational aspects, particularly in terms of capacity building and professional training of human resources or in terms of information technology, protocol and institutional communication.
The Council of Ministers approved the draft Government Resolution, presented by the Minister of Finance, Rui Augusto Gomes, regarding the definition of the composition of the Political Review Committee (known by the acronym CROP) for the 2022 General State Budget. It is the responsibility of the Political Review Committee to verify the strategic allocation of resources of the budget submissions, with a view to achieving the commitments and objectives contained in the strategic documents and to assess the feasibility of the plans for the 2022 financial year. The CROP will be chaired by the Prime Minister and also composed of the Vice Prime Ministers, the Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, the Minister of Transport and Communications and the Minister of State Administration. The Secretary of State for Equality and Inclusion, the Secretary of State for Youth and Sports, and the Commissioner for Children's Rights will also attend the CROP meetings, as observers. The CROP meetings will be held from 2 to 16 September, at the Ministry of Finance Auditorium.
Finally, the Council of Ministers attended the presentation of the Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, Armindo Maia and the Secretary of State for Youth and Sports, Abrão Saldanha, on the status of the preparation of the XII Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) Sports Games. This event was foreseen to take place in Timor-Leste, between 10 and 22 July 2020, having been postponed to 2022, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, similar to other sporting events worldwide. Considering that the concerns that dictated the previous postponement of the event remain, the Government recommended the postponement of the XII CPLP Games to 2024. END
