IV CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT
SECRETARIAT OF STATE OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

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PRESS RELEASE

Grant of day-off March 16, 2012

The IV Constitutional Government of Timor-Leste decided to grant a full day-off on March 16,to all employees and agents of ministries and departments under their responsibility, as well as institutes and organisations included indirectly in State administration. The Public Education Institutions must also close all day.

This decision is in compliance with article 63.^o of the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste establishing the citizens’ political participation. Section .^o 1 of this article determines the direct and active participation of women and men in political life, which is a requirement and a key instrument of the democratic system.

The Law n.^o 7/2006, from December 28, regarding the electoral act for president, states in n.^o 4 of article 36.^o that those responsible for companies or services, public or private, operating on election day, should make it convenient  for workers to take sufficient time from service to be able to exercise the right to vote.

Thus, based on Law n.^o 10/2005, from August 10, which determines that the national holidays, the official commemorative dates and days-off, the Government grants a full day-off, on March 16, 2012, since many citizens that are registered voters at a place other than where they reside, and therefore need to travel to exercise their right to vote.