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Press Release
Meeting of the Council of Ministers on March 7th, 2025
The Council of Ministers met at the Government Palace in Dili and approved the draft government decree presented by the Minister of State Administration, Tomás do Rosário Cabral, on the Conditions for Awarding the School Lunch Programme Subsidy.
The Government recognises the importance of adequate nutrition for healthy growth, effective learning and the reduction of inequalities. The School Meals Programme has emerged as a strategic initiative to guarantee universal and equitable access to nutritious meals in the country’s pre-school and basic education establishments.
This programme aims not only to tackle food insecurity and improve school performance, but also to promote the sustainable development of local communities by encouraging the production and consumption of food from local agriculture. The implementation of the School Meals Programme is thus a commitment by the state to the well-being and future of children, contributing to the eradication of hunger, the strengthening of the local economy and the development of Timorese human capital.
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The Minister of Health, Élia A. A. dos Reis Amaral presented to the Council of Ministers the procurement procedure for the construction of a new building for the Ministry of Health, which began with the 8th Constitutional Government. However, the reasons behind the contracting by the previous Government were profoundly modified with the approval of the 9th Constitutional Government’s programme, so its continuation would imply the use of financial resources without benefit to the Timorese, which goes against the public interest.
Due to the aforementioned reasons, on October 3rd, 2024, the Minister of Health notified the company ASBALAN, Unipessoal, Lda of the decision to terminate the contract, following Article 138(1)(a) and (b) of Decree-Law No. 22/2022, of May 11th, which approves the Legal Framework for Procurement, Public Contracts and Related Infringements, as amended by Decree-Law No. 14/2023, of April 12th.
ASBALAN, Unipessoal, Lda submitted a complaint on October 21st, 2024, although it was after the legal deadline (the 15-day deadline expired on October 18th, 2024).
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The Council of Ministers also approved the draft Government Resolution presented by the Vice Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs, Francisco Kalbuadi Lay, concerning the dismissal of Mrs Agusta Antónia Gomes, from the position of Deputy Executive Director of the Business Registration and Verification Service, I.P. (SERVE, I.P.).
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Lastly, in accordance with the draft presented by the Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Francisco da Costa Monteiro, the Council of Ministers decided to authorise expenditure on the programme on ‘implementation of the Tasi Mane project on the country’s southern coast’ in the amount of US$ 40,500,000. END