Meeting of the Council of Ministers on September 29th, 2021
Presidency of the Council of Ministers
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Meeting of the Council of Ministers on September 29th, 2021
The Council of Ministers met at the Government Palace in Dili and after analyzing the presentation of the epidemiological situation of the country, carried out by the coordinators of the Situation Room of the Integrated Center for Crisis Management (ICCM), decided:
- Not to renew the imposition of a sanitary fence in the Municipality of Dili, which ends today at 23:59 hours.
The draft Government Decree on measures to implement the Declaration of the State of Emergency, carried out by Decree of the President of the Republic No. 81/2021, of September 28, to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, was approved. The state of emergency, now renewed, covers the entire national territory and will be in force between 00:00 hours on September 30, 2021 and 23:59 hours on October 29, 2021.
Regarding the implementation measures of the previous declaration of the state of emergency, there are three changes, and it is now established that:
- The entry into national territory of those who have completed vaccination, including those who come or have passed through countries that have notified the Delta variant of SARS-COV-2, is no longer subject to quarantine, maintaining the obligation of prior presentation of a negative COVID-19 detection result and within 48 hours after arrival in the country, they must perform a new COVID-19 diagnostic test.
- In the event of an outbreak of COVID-19 anywhere in the country, all individuals residing in Timor-Leste are required to undergo COVID-19 diagnostic medical examinations or submit full vaccination certification.
- All public administration employees must be vaccinated against COVID-19.
The remaining rules maintain, namely, the obligation for all individuals residing in Timor-Leste to maintain a distance at least one meter from other individuals with whom they do not live in the same residence. They are also still required to wear a face mask that covers the nose and mouth when they have to access or remain in public or private places of collective use and to sanitize their hands when they intend to enter commercial, industrial or service establishments or buildings where functioning public administration services.
During the duration of the state of emergency, licenses, permits, visas and residence permits and other administrative acts and documents remain valid regardless of the period of validity. The draft Bill of Law, which has as its object the approval of the Civil Registration Code, presented by the Minister of Justice, Manuel Cárceres da Costa, was approved.
The aim of this project is to create the necessary procedures for the registration of birth, adoption, marriage and death, thus allowing the realization of the rights, freedoms and guarantees contained in the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste. The Law Proposal also aims to provide a legal framework for the possibility of registration supports being drawn up in a computer system and provide the civil registry services with a normative framework that fills the existing gaps and provides regulatory instruments for the procedures necessary for the execution of registration acts related to the state and capacity of individual people.
The draft Decree-Law, presented by the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Culture, Longuinhos dos Santos, was approved. Which revokes Decree-Law No. 30/2008, of 13 August, regarding the regime for attributing scholarships for study abroad.
The attribution of scholarships abroad will be regulated by a Ministerial Diploma of the MESCC, under the Regulation of the Human Capital Development Fund (HCDF).
Therefore, it is intended, to guarantee the correct application of the HCDF regulation, to improve the protection mechanisms of Timorese students abroad and to clarify, improve and modernize the legal system in the higher education sector.
The draft Government Resolution approving the Pelican Paradise Group investment project and the Special Investment, Agreement Draft, presented by the Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs, Joaquim Amaral and the Executive Director of the Agency for the Promotion of Timor-Leste Investment and Export, IP – TradeInvest Timor-Leste, Arcanjo da Silva. This project foresees an investment of 700 million US dollars for the development of a tourist complex, in an area of approximately 558 hectares, in the area between Tasi Tolu and Tibar, which includes, in addition to the hotel units, a golf course, residential lots, a youth development center, an international school, an international hospital and shopping malls. This tourist complex will create around 750 posts during the construction phase and 1300 permanent posts after construction is completed. It is also expected that 80% of the project area will be designated for reforestation and restoration of flora and fauna.
The Council of Ministers decided to grant full powers to the Minister of Transport and Communications, José Agustinho da Silva, to sign two Air Services Agreements with the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. These agreements aim to boost connectivity between Timor-Leste and the rest of the world, allowing for the creation of conditions for the operation of more regular flights in the country, as well as to increase the options for flight destinations.
Finally, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Planning and Planning, José Maria dos Reis and the Minister of State Administration, Miguel Pereira de Carvalho, presented to the Council of Ministers the options of locations for the implementation of multipurpose reception centers to provide response to emergency situations and serve as a temporary shelter for victims of serious accidents and natural disasters. The Council of Ministers did not present any objections to the continuation of the process. THE END
