Council of Ministers Meeting of July 20, 2011
IV CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT
SECRETARIAT OF STATE OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS
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PRESS RELEASE
Meeting of the Council of Ministers, July 20, 2011
The Council of Ministers met this Wednesday, July 20, 2011, at the Council of Ministers Meeting Room, in the Goverment Palace, in Díli, and analysed:
1. The role of Civil Engineering Laboratories in the support of infrastructure and development
The Ministry of Economy and Development made a presentation at the Council of Ministers, together with a representative of the National Laboratory of Civil Engineering (LNEC) of Portugal, regarding the importance of supervision of infrastructure projects as to ensure its proper execution and quality standards.
LNEC, primarily created to support the Portuguese in its infrastructure plan has extensive experience in this area including in CPLP countries. LNEC, after reviewing the Strategic Development Plan, was willing to collaborate and cooperate with the Government in infrastructure projects and in creating a Civil Engineering Laboratory of Timor-Leste, conducive to staff training and technology transfer and knowledge
2. UNTL Human Capital Development Plan
The National Timor Lorosa’e University’s (UNTL) Rector presented the University’s Strategic Plan 2011-2020 at the Council of Ministers. Aurelio Guterres aims to increase the number of students, teachers and administrators but also to provide more and better options with the opening of more courses.
In the long term, UNTL aims to be the reference University in Timor-Leste, managed by international standards and recognized by its quality.
3. Medicines supply
The SAMES (Autonomous Service of Medicines and Health Equipment) is under the umbrella of the Ministry of Health and as stated the urgent need for further funding.
SAMES’ aim is to have enough consistency and credibility in the supply of medicines. To make it clear, SAMES made a comparison with similar services in countries in the Asia Pacific region and ASEAN, identifying the lack of stock as a major concern.
In this sense, SAMES calls for more funding to face the annual maintenance of medicines stocks, to support timely delivery operations, keep a 6 months stock and invest in human capital and skills of staff.
4. Agro-food business Park
By rising an agro-food business park, the Ministry of Economy and Development aims to create jobs, build the capacity of workers, create the required conditions for developing business while it promotes, develops and structures the cluster agro-food business activities for the future.
This would be a park-oriented agro-food business, which would integrate various health security related issues as well as support services to companies
5. International Exhibition "Expo 2012 Yeosu Korea"
The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism is currently organizing Expo 2012 Yeosu, Korea. This exhibition is to be held in 2012 and will be open to the public from May 12 to August 12.
The commissioner for Expo 2012 Minister Gil Alves talked about "Crystal-clear waters and white sands" and its logo: Timor-Leste’s pavilion theme. The Minister also explained the commission structure, the plans for Timor-Leste’s National Day at the Expo and the merchandising material and domestic goods that can be sold.
The Expo Organizing Committee also presented the budget and a timetable for both the initial activities and others taking place after the end of the exhibition.
