Meeting of the Council of Ministers on September 19th, 2023
Presidency of the Council of Ministers
Ninth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Meeting of the Council of Ministers on September 19th, 2023
The Council of Ministers met at the Government Palace in Dili and approved the draft Law Proposal, presented by the Minister of State Administration, Tomás do Rosário Cabral, for the fourth amendment to Law no. 11/2009, of October 7th, which approves the Administrative Division of the Territory.
As provided for in the 9th Constitutional Government's programme, this amendment is intended to extinguish the municipality of Ataúro and create a new first-level administrative division, called "Ataúro", following the definition in Article 5 of the Constitution of the Republic, which states that Ataúro enjoys special administrative and economic treatment.
The reference to "Village (Suco)" as part of the administrative divisions has also been removed since the Village (Suco) are entities associated with the Autonomous Administration and do not form part of the administrative division of the territory.
With this amendment, the territory of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste comprises the following first-level administrative divisions: Ataúro; Municipality of Aileu; Municipality of Ainaro; Municipality of Baucau; Municipality of Bobonaro; Municipality of Covalima; Municipality of Díli; Municipality of Ermera; Municipality of Lautém; Municipality of Liquiçá; Municipality of Manatuto; Municipality of Manufahi; Municipality of Viqueque; and Special Administrative Region of Oe-Cússe Ambeno.
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The draft Decree-Law, also presented by the Minister of State Administration, for the third amendment to Decree-Law 6/2014 of February 26th on material resources and financial incentives for community leadership and creating the Village (Suco) administration service, was approved.
This legislative intervention establishes the Village (Suco) Administration Service as an administrative support service for the Village (Suco) Chief. The value of the public grant awarded by the State to the Village (Suco) to finance expenditures related to the payment of the salaries of the human resources who work in the Village (Suco) Administration Service now created is reinforced. The statute also harmonises its wording with Decree-Law 49/2023. It allows the payment of subsistence allowances to community leaders when they are mobilised by the State's central administration, directly or indirectly, to participate in activities organised and carried out by its bodies and services.
The Village (Suco) Administration Service comprises the Village Administration Secretary, the Village Administration Officer, the Village Finance Officer and the Village Social Affairs Officer. The Village Administration Secretary is responsible for directing and supervising the activities carried out by the administration, finance and social affairs officers, ensuring that they comply with the Village Chief's instructions and guidelines and receive a monthly salary of US$ 170. The Village Administration Officer is responsible for supporting the Village Chief in matters of administration and general office, under the guidance of the Village Administration Secretary, and earns a monthly salary of US$ 150. The Village Finance Officer is responsible for supporting the Village Chief in managing the Village finances under the guidance of the Village Administration Secretary and earns a monthly salary of US$ 150. The Village Social Affairs Officer is responsible for supporting the Village Chief in matters of Village social affairs, under the guidance of the Village Administration Secretary, and earns a monthly salary of US$ 150.
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The Council of Ministers approved the draft Decree-Law, presented by the Vice Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs and Minister of Tourism and Environment, Francisco Kalbuadi Lay, concerning the Organic Law of the Ministry of Tourism and Environment (MTE).
The Ministry of Tourism and the Environment is the government department responsible for designing, implementing, coordinating and evaluating the policies defined and approved by the Council of Ministers for the tourism and environment areas.
The MTE's various duties include drawing up the policies and drafting legislation and regulations necessary for its areas of responsibility, supporting implementing the "Blue Economy" development strategy, assessing and licensing tourist developments, inspecting and monitoring tourist activities, and protecting the environment and biodiversity. It is also responsible for establishing mechanisms for collaboration and cooperation with national and international organisations whose work is aimed at the Ministry's areas of activity to simplify licensing processes in the tourism sector.
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Also approved was the draft Decree-Law, presented by Minister Marcos da Cruz, approving the Organic Law of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Forests.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Forestry is the government department responsible for designing, implementing, coordinating and evaluating the policy defined and approved by the Council of Ministers for agriculture, forestry, fisheries and livestock.
The Government considers agriculture the basis of the country's economic development. The improvement of this sector and the fisheries and livestock sectors are intended to improve the quality and well-being of all Timorese in the short term. The aim is also to strengthen national food security, tackle poverty in rural areas and support the transition from subsistence farming to the commercial production of agricultural, livestock, fisheries and forestry products. Promoting environmental sustainability and the conservation of Timor-Leste's natural resources is also a priority.
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The Council of Ministers approved the draft Decree-Law, presented by the Vice Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs and the Secretary of State for Cooperatives, Arsénio Pereira da Silva, on the Organic Law of the Secretary of State for Cooperatives (SECOOP).
The Secretary of State for Cooperatives comprises the set of bodies and services that support the Secretary of State for Cooperatives in the exercise of his powers and is responsible for promoting and strengthening the social economy sector by deepening cooperation between the State and the organisations that make up the cooperative sector, to stimulate its potential in the service of the country's socio-economic development.
Given the importance of developing a strategic plan to promote, organise, invest in the training of human resources, institutional capacity building, support, and elevate the production activities of cooperative products in rural areas as the basis of the nation's economy, the Secretary of State for Cooperatives intends to equip itself with a functional structure that obtains the means to increase the effectiveness, efficiency and quality of the services it is legally responsible for providing, to stimulate active participation in economic development and consolidate the cooperative production model.
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The draft Decree-Law, presented by the Vice Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs and the Secretary of State for Vocational Training and Employment, Rogério Araújo Mendonça, concerning the Organic Law of the Secretary of State for Vocational Training and Employment (SEFOPE), was approved.
SEFOPE is the government department whose mission is to assist the Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs in designing, implementing and supervising the policy defined and approved by the Council of Ministers for labour, vocational training and employment.
The Secretary of State for Vocational Training and Employment is committed to defining labour, vocational training and employment policies, implementing the national employment strategy and executing the technical and vocational education and training (TVET) plan. SEFOPE also aims to improve the labour force's skills, facilitate mobility and access to job opportunities, training and professional internships, and support national economic development as a very young nation. The structure of the Secretary of State for Vocational Training and Employment thus aims to be efficient and effective, to provide qualified, quality vocational training and create employment opportunities.
The policy of job creation and improving the quality of vocational training are priorities of the 9th Constitutional Government to contribute to reducing the unemployment rate, reducing the minimum poverty rate to 10% and creating the conditions for greater inclusion, well-being and dignity in society.
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The Council of Ministers decided to authorise the negotiation and signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Hunan Province of the People's Republic of China and the Municipal Administration of Manatuto, represented by the Minister of State Administration of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, to establish cooperation relations for the promotion of administrative decentralisation and local development in the municipality of Manatuto, Timor-Leste. The Council of Ministers also granted the Minister of State Administration full powers to sign the aforementioned Memorandum of Understanding.
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The Council of Ministers decided to grant authorisation for the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Planning and Strategic Investment of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and the National Development and Reform Commission of the People's Republic of China on strengthening the exchange of information in the field of macroeconomic management and medium and long-term development planning, to promote the economic and social development of both countries, allowing for the promotion, development and strengthening of trade, investment, tourism and cultural exchange.
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The draft Government Resolution, presented by the Vice Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs and Minister of Tourism and Environment, Francisco Kalbuadi Lay, for the appointment of Virgílio Smith to the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Tourism Authority of Timor-Leste, I.P. (ATTL, IP) and Ildefonso de Carvalho to the position of Member of the Board of Directors of ATTL, IP, for four-year terms, was approved, taking into consideration their technical competence and aptitude for the exercise of these functions.
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Lastly, the Council of Ministers authorised the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Timor-Leste, represented by the Vice Prime Minister, the Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs and the Minister of Tourism and Environment, and the Government of Brunei Darussalam, for a programme to send workers from Timor-Leste to that country. Timor-Leste's Ambassador to Brunei, Abel Guterres, will assist in preparing the national workers. END
