Presidency of the Council of Ministers

Eighth Constitutional Government

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Press Release

Meeting of the Council of Ministers on November 9th, 2022

The Council of Ministers met, at the Government Palace, in Dili, and approved the draft Decree-Law, presented by the Prime Minister, Taur Matan Ruak, which proceeds with the first amendment to Decree-Law No. 37/2022, of May 25^th, regarding the year-end allowance to the “Uma Kain”(Household) clarifying the scope of its application.

With this amendment, all households registered until February 28^th, 2022, in the “Uma Kain”(Household) Registry Book, which are present in the national territory and in which none of the members regularly receive monthly income from work in public institutions or private entities, from business income, from land income, or income resulting from the payment of social benefits from contributory, non-contributory, or special schemes, in an amount exceeding US$ 500, will benefit from this support.

To receive the payment, the representative of the “Uma Kain” beneficiary must sign a statement confirming that none of the members of the household has a regular monthly income exceeding US$ 500. Any “Uma Kain” representative who signs this statement knowing that the statement is false, will be required to return to the State the amount received and will incur criminal liability under the law.

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The Council of Ministers approved the draft Decree-Law on the regulation of financial support attributed to each of the veteran combatants of the national liberation, demobilized from 15 to 19 years of combat, for housing purposes, presented by the Minister for the Affairs of National Liberation Combatants, Júlio Sarmento da Costa “Meta Mali”.

This draft Decree-Law sets financial support in the amount of US$ 40 thousand, to be granted to the combatant veteran of the national liberation, demobilized from 15 to 19 years of combat, who still doesn’t have a condign and adequate housing, who is building his housing and hasn’t finished it yet, or who already have decent and adequate housing.

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Also presented by the Minister for the Affairs of National Liberation Combatants, two draft Government Decrees were approved for the:

• Approval of the rules on the organization and functioning of the Secretariat of the National Liberation Combatants’ Fund. The mission of the Secretariat is to provide administrative support to the Board of Directors of the National Liberation Combatants’ Fund in the exercise of its respective competencies. The Secretariat is composed of civil servants, agents or workers of public administration who are assigned to the Office of the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance and the Ministry for the Affairs of National Liberation Combatants. Its members shall perform their duties on a part-time basis and shall not be entitled to any additional remuneration, salary supplement or benefit.

• Approval of the value of the attendance fee to be paid to the members of the Investment Committee of the National Liberation Combatants’ Fund, for each meeting of that body in which they take part. Thus, the members of the Investment Committee are entitled to receive an attendance voucher, in the value of US$ 1,000, for each meeting that body attended. The Investment Committee may not meet more than once each month. The Investment Committee is a body for consultation, support and participation in the definition of the National Liberation Combatants Fund’s investment policy and the Board of Directors’ deliberations.

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Also approved was a draft Resolution of the National Parliament, presented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Adaljiza Albertina Xavier Reis Magno, for the approval of the agreement between the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia and the Government of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, regarding cooperation in the defence area and the status of the Visiting Forces.

This agreement will make it possible to strengthen cooperation between both countries in the area of defence and security, especially in the maritime area, given our shared border and contiguous maritime zones.

It will also allow the reinforcement of joint operations, exercises and training, as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief actions.

Under this agreement, Timorese military personnel undertaking operations or training in Australia will be able to receive the same protections, responsibilities and privileges as Australian military personnel in Timor-Leste.

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The Council of Ministers, following the projects presented by the Minister of Public Works, Abel Pires da Silva, decided to approve, subject to prior approval by the Chamber of Accounts, in compliance with the law:

• the amendment of the contract with Sinoitech Engineering Consults, for the provision of public works supervision consultancy services for the construction of the road between Manatuto – Natarbora and Laclubar, in the amount of US$ 6.1 million; and
• the amendment of the contract signed with Katahira Engineers International, using Addendum No 1, which corresponds to variation orders no. 1 to 6, taking into account the actual total cost of the procurement operation which now amounts to US$ 9.4 million.

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Lastly, the Minister of Finance, Rui Augusto Gomes, presented the draft Decree-Law, approved by the Council of Ministers, on the extraordinary payment of one month’s additional salary to civil servants, agents and contractors of Public Administration, public office holders, members of the F-FDTL, the PNTL and the National Intelligence System and former holders and former members of sovereign bodies. Foreign contracted employees are not entitled to extraordinary payment. END