Extraordinary Meeting of the Council of Ministers on September 24th, 2021
Presidency of the Council of Ministers
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Extraordinary Meeting of the Council of Ministers of September 24th, 2021
The Council of Ministers met at the Government Palace in Dili and approved a vote of regret and decided to declare national mourning for the death of the Commander Ma’Huno Bulerek Karathayano, former Commander of the Armed Forces for the National Liberation of Timor-Leste (FALINTIL), former Secretary of the FRETILIN Board of Directors and currently First Vice President of the CNRT Party, throughout the national territory, for a period of national mourning, the national flag is hoisted, at half mast or half-halyard, throughout the country, in places of mandatory use, including in diplomatic missions.
The Council of Ministers also approved the aggregate and disaggregated expenditure ceilings to be considered in the General State Budget (GSB) for 2022, presented by the Minister of Finance, Rui Augusto Gomes.
The Aggregate Ceiling has a total amount of US$ 1.675 billion, in view of the execution of the Government’s program and the national priorities defined by the 8th Constitutional Government.
The 8th Constitutional Government defined six national priorities for the 2022 General State Budget: 1) human capital development (education, vocational training and health); 2) housing and social inclusion; 3) productive sectors (agriculture and tourism), environment and connectivity; 4) private sector development; 5) rural development; and 6) good governance.
The total amount of the 2022 General State Budget, 233 million correspond to salaries and wages, 449.8 million refer to goods and service, 565.9 million are public transfers, 24.4 million correspond to minor capital and 401.7 million refer to the development capital.
The Council of Ministers approved, with amendments, the draft Decree-Law regarding the new remuneration regime for FALINTIL –Timor-Leste’s Defense Forces (F-FDTL), presented by the Minister of Defense, Filomeno da Paixão de Jesus. The project proceeds with salary increase of around 5% in all military posts and the updating of salary supplements.
This legislative intervention aims to make the military career more attractive, with a salary condition consistent with the modernization and growing professionalization of the armed forces. It is also intended to harmonize this statute with the proposed amendment to the F-FDTL Military Statute.
The Draft Decree-Law on the new remuneration regime for the Timor-Leste’s National Police of (PNTL) presented by the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Taur Matan Ruak and Vice Minister of the Interior, António Armindo, was also approved, with amendments, With this project, global remuneration increases in the order of 5 %of the base remuneration are carried out and the remuneration supplements are updated.
The Council of Ministers decided to declare its non-objection to the exchange of diplomatic notes regarding the agreement with the Government of Japan on the Japanese State’s support for the implementation of the President Nicolau Lobato International Airport expansion project. The deliberation project was presented by the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Julião da Silva. With this agreement, it is expected that the President Nicolau Lobato International Airport will benefit from a modern passenger terminal with an area of 11,653 square meters, and a building suitable for a power station.
Finally, the Minister of State Administration, Miguel Pereira de Carvalho, made a presentation regarding the options for measures for the population resettlement affected by the floods of April 4th 2021.
Of the 15,876 people housed in 57 reception centers in the Dili, more than 15,000 have already returned to their homes and their families. The presentation described the options and the respective existing socio-economic impacts for relocating the 765 people (137 families) who are housed in seven centers that still active.
The Council of Ministers will continue the analysis of the options and respective deliberation at a subsequent Executive meeting. END
