The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Social Communication, Francisco Martins da Costa Pereira Jerónimo, on Tuesday, September 7, officially launched the program “Government among the people” – “NAROMAN BA SUKU” and held a community dialogue in the Suco Mulo, in the Administrative Post of Hatu-Builico, in the Municipality of Ainaro.

This dialogue has as its main objective to inform the population about the government programs that will be implemented in this location, as well as to identify and promote the suco’s potential.

Minister Francisco Jerónimo said in his speech that the “Government among the People” program serves to identify and disseminate to the public, through the media, the village’s potential. He also announced that an information center for the suco will be created by the ministry aimed at young people to develop activities such as Citizen Journalism or Citizen’s Journalism, and to train young people in the dissemination of the suco’s potential.

The top leader of MAPCOMS also added that “NAROMAN BA SUKU” “is one of the priority programs of the VIII Constitutional Government to bring the Government closer to the community, to promote the potential of sucos and listen to the concerns of people at the base”.

The program has four main objectives; 1. Promote and encourage people’s ability to access information about rural sucos; 2. Inform the public about the programs of the VIII Government and listen to development issues and concerns to forward them to the relevant ministries; 3. Increase public knowledge about development means and processes, including at the suco level and the process of implementing development plans on participation and control; and 4. Increase community activity to participate in the development process and enjoy its development and benefits.

The youth representative of the village of Mulo asked the ministry to find a solution to promote the potential of rural tourism. Parent representatives also asked MAPCOMS to convey to the relevant ministry the need to install electricity in villages that do not yet have access.

On the questions raised, the Minister of MAPCOMS replied that the ministry will train young people to use the equipment offered in this Information Center and also note the concerns to convey to the relevant ministries dealing with the issue.

The member of this Government, who is also responsible for the interministerial team for the vaccination campaign, took the opportunity to raise awareness about the Government’s efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19 and encourage the public to take the vaccine against the disease.

Also present at the dialogue were the Chief of Staff of SECOOP, representing the Secretary of State for Cooperatives, the Director of DNDI, the Administrator of the Municipality of Ainaro, the Administrator of the Hatu-Builico Administrative Post, community authorities, veterans and community.