On September 10, the Government of Timor-Leste, through the Ministry of Justice, Dionísio Babo, delivered the certificate of land ownership to ten people in the district of Ermera.

“In Timor-Leste, as in other countries, one of the important aspects for maintaining national stability,  is the existence of a legal status which regulates the property rights, and the lack of which can cause instability and insecurity in any country, not only in Timor-Leste. Therefore, I want to thank the IV Constitutional Government, who in cooperation with USAID, managed to survey the data of the land, large and small parcels, included in the Ermera district, into private property,”said Dionísio Babo.

The Minister of Justice pointed out that the IV Constitutional Government carried out the data survey throughout the territory of Timor-Leste and managed to register 50,000 parcels of land: “We hope that in the future, we will register many others, so that, according to the law, we may recognize the right of ownership of every citizen. “

The district administrator of Ermera, Victor Santos, asked the Minister to continue the data collection program, which had been initiated by the former Minister of Justice.

The ceremony was attended by the Minister of Justice, Dionísio Babo Soares; the Vice Minister of Justice, Ivo Jorge Valente; the Secretary of State for Land and Property, Jaime Xavier Lopes; the Public Defender, Sérgio Ornai; the Commissioner for Children’s Rights; the Administrator of the Ermera district, Victor Santos; and the Commander of PNTL in that district.