Presidency of the Council of Ministers

9th Constitutional Government

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Press Release

Extraordinary Meeting of the Council of Ministers on August 10th, 2023

The Council of Ministers met at the Government Palace in Dili, and decided to approve, according to the proposals presented by the Minister of Defence, Donaciano do Rosário da Costa Gomes, to submit to His Excellency the President of the Republic:

The proposal for the appointment of Colonel Domingos Soares “Dobu” as Commander of the F-FDTL Land Component; and

The proposals for the promotion of:

Brigadier-General Américo Ximenes “Sabika Besi Kulit” to the rank of Major-General;

Brigadier-General Cornélio Ximenes “Maunana” to the rank of Major-General;

Brigadier-General João Miranda “Aluk Descartes” to the rank of Major-General;

Colonel José da Costa Soares “Trix” to the rank of Brigadier-General; and

Captain of the Navy (Capitão-de-Mar-e-Guerra) Higino das Neves to the rank of Commodore.

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The Council of Ministers approved the draft Decree-Law, also presented by the Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, regarding the Supplementary Payment to employees, agents and fixed-term contractors at the National Press of Timor-Leste, IP (INTL – acronym in Portuguese), assigned to the printing of ballot papers for the 2023 parliamentary elections, held last May 21^st.

This additional payment is intended to reward workers involved in printing ballot papers, compensating them for the special conditions of restriction of personal freedom and extreme workload to which they were subjected.

Only INTL employees, agents and fixed-term contractors who were involved in printing ballot papers and worked permanent shift work for 24 hours a day, without interruption, for the duration of that task, are entitled to the additional payment.

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The Council of Ministers approved the draft Decree-Law, presented by Minister Tomás do Rosário Cabral, which approves the Organic of the Ministry of State Administration.

The Ministry of State Administration is the government department responsible for designing, executing, coordinating and evaluating the policy defined and approved by the Council of Ministers for the areas of Local Government, administrative decentralisation, support for community organisations, promotion of local development, organisation and execution of electoral and referendum processes, promotion of hygiene and urban organisation, and classification and conservation of official documents with historical value.

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The draft Government Decree, also presented by the Minister of State Administration, was approved to set the dates for holding Hamlet (Aldeia) Assemblies and Village (Suco) Councils as part of the procedures for electing community leaders.

The Village (Suco) Council consists of the Village Chief, Hamlet (Aldeia) Delegates, Hamlet Chiefs, a Lian-na’in and Village youth representatives, all elected for seven-year terms. Following the elections held in October and November 2016 that selected the current community leaders, the process of electing the members of the Village bodies, who will assume responsibilities from 2023 to 2030, is now underway.

On October 13^th, 2023, Village (Suco) Councils meet to establish Village election boards and to receive Village Chief nominations. On October 28^th, 2023, the Hamlet (Aldeia) Assemblies meet to hold elections for the Hamlet Delegates (male and female) to the Village (Suco) Council, Hamlet Chief and the Village Chief. If none of the candidates for Village Chief obtains more than half of the votes validly, Hamlet Assemblies meet to hold the second election on November 13^th, 2023.

Village Councils meet on November 8^th, 2023, to elect the Lian-na’in and youth representatives sitting on the Village Council. In Villages where a second ballot is held for the election of the respective Village Chiefs, the Village Council shall meet on November 23^rd, 2023, for the election of the Lian-na’in and the youth representatives sitting in the Village Council.

This calendar does not apply to Village (Suco), whose community leaders’ terms of office end in April 2024.

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The Council of Ministers approved the draft Decree-Law, presented by Minister Gil da Costa Monteiro “Oan Soru”, approving the Organic of the Ministry of National Liberation Combatants’ Affairs.

The Ministry of National Liberation Combatants’ Affairs is the government department responsible for the policy’s design, implementation, coordination and evaluation, defined and approved by the Council of Ministers, for the affairs of former National Liberation Combatants.

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The Council of Ministers approved the draft Decree-Law, presented by Minister Donaciano do Rosário Gomes, approving the Organic of the Ministry of Defence.

The Ministry of Defence is the government department responsible for the policy’s design, implementation, coordination and evaluation, defined and approved by the Council of Ministers, for national defence and military cooperation. END