On September 30 the acting Prime Minister José Luís Guterres, and Vice Minister of Finance, Rui Hanjam, delivered the proposed State Budget (SB) for 2012 to the President of the National Parliament, Fernando Lasama de Araújo.

The Vice Minister of Finance highlighted that the proposed State Budget reflects the implementation of policies relating to health, education and security contemplated in the Strategic Development Plan for 2030.

Thus, the total expenditure is $ 1,763.4 million U.S. dollars, representing an increase in relation to the previous year. The increase, in the various categories, is due to a series of measures that the Government considers should be taken in accordance with the set policies.

With regard to Wages and Salaries, the main measures are:
– Increase of wages in education, due to the increase of teachers’ salaries – $ 2.6 million;
– Strengthening of the higher education sector, in particular through the UNTL separate budget – $ 3.5 million;
– Transformation of the temporary staff into permanent public servants, which represented an increase from $ 17.7 million in 2011 to $ 23.2 million in 2012;
– Implementation of health professionals’ special careers – $ 3.4 million.

The increase in Goods and Services category includes:
– Electricity supply for the whole country – $ 87.0 million;
– Professional training of teachers – $ 2.4 million;
– Increase of operational services of the Ministry of Education from $ 2.8 million in 2011 to $ 11 million in 2012.
– Next Year Elections – $ 14.5 million;
– Celebration of the Ephemeris (100 years of the Battle of Manufahi, 500 years of the Arrival of the Portuguese and 10 years of Independence) – $ 4 million.

In the category of Transfers, the increase in value is due to:
– Payments to veterans by the Ministry of Social Solidarity – $ 69.9 million;
– Payments to Elders of age above 60 years and inability to work – $ 32.1 million. This measure will benefit around 89 000 citizens;
– Funds allocated to the Local Development Program of the Ministry of State Administration and Territorial Planning – $ 6.3 million;
– Job creation in rural areas, under the responsibility of the Secretariat of State for Professional Training and Employment – $ 20 million.

The main measures in the Minor Capital category include, among others:
– Purchase of multifunctional vehicles for Health Centers in the value of $ 1.4 million and purchase of medical and hospital equipment worth $ 0.5 million.

The main measures for the increase in Capital Development category are:
– Infrastructure Fund with $ 779.2 million (which provide $ 33.1 million of public debt following the adoption of the Law that regulates the Rules for Public Debt);
– Continuation of Decentralized Development Program I and II – $ 44.1 million;
– Capitalization of the Timor-Leste Investment Company – $ 200 million.

Fernando Lasama de Araújo took the opportunity to indicate that October 15 is the date for the proposal to be submitted to the Commissions, and these may call the Ministries and Secretariats of State considered appropriate to explain the respective Budget.

The discussion in the Parliament Plenary will start on November 3 and can take up to the 25 of that month.