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Dili, March 19, 2013
Press Release
Meeting of the Council of Ministers on March 19, 2013
The V Constitutional Government met this Tuesday 19 March 2013 at the meeting room of the Council of Ministers, Government Palace, in Dili, having approved the following:
1. Decree-Law approving the Organic of the Ministry of Education
Pursuant to article 26 of Decree-Law n.° 41/2012 of 7 September, which approves the organic structure of the V Constitutional Government, the Ministry of Education is the government body responsible for the design, execution, coordination and evaluation of the policy defined and approved by the Council of Ministers for the area of education, and it is incumbent upon it to exercise the functions assigned to it in that statute.
The new organisational system continues to pursue the challenges launched by the IV Constitutional Government insofar as the policy of education is concerned, with the Ministry of Education continuing to invest in a functional and dynamic structure, covering more effectively the national territory and with a better definition of its different central, de-concentrated and de-centralized services.
Four General Directorates are retained, grouping the respective National Directorates. The Regional Directorates have been suppressed, while the District Directorates are maintained as units for executing and rendering operational the education measures.
2. Decree-Law approving the Organic of the Ministry of State Administration
Decree-Law n.° 41/2012 of 7 September, which approved the organic of the V Constitutional Government, provides for the existence of the Ministry of State Administration as the “body responsible for the design, execution, coordination and evaluation of the policy defined and approved by the Council of Ministers for the areas of local government, administrative decentralization, local and rural development, organization and execution of electoral processes and referenda, and preservation of official documents”.
In the exercise of his or her functions, the Minister of State Administration, the highest body of the Ministry of State Administration, is assisted by the Secretary of State for Administrative Decentralisation and the Secretary of State for Local Development, both of whom have a set of powers which are operationalized and articulated with the structure of the Ministry of State Administration through this statute.
3. Decree-Law that approves the Organic of the Ministry of Tourism
This statute establishes the Organic of the Ministry of Tourism, in compliance with Decree-Law n.° 41/2012 of 7 September which approved the Organic of the V Constitutional Government, and with the Programme of the V Constitutional Government of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste.
The Organic of the Ministry of Tourism updates the structure of its services, providing them with the powers it requires to pursue the policies defined by the Government for these areas, in accordance with the Programme.
4. Decree-Law approving the Organic of the Ministry of Transports and Communications
In accordance with Decree-Law n.° 41/2012 of 7 September, which approves the organic of the V Constitutional Government, the Ministry of Transports and Communications is the Government body responsible for the design, execution, coordination and evaluation of the policy defined and approved by the Council of Ministers for the areas of road, maritime and air transports of a civil nature and ancillary services, communications services, including postal, telegraphic and telephonic services and other communication services, meteorological services and computing.
In terms of transports and communications, the Strategic Development Plan envisages as major objectives the development of regional ports, the expansion of the National Airport, the rehabilitation of district landing runways and the opening of the telecommunications market to other operators.
The proposed organizational model, based on central services and bodies enjoying administrative and financial autonomy, seeks a better and more efficient management of public resources at the service of the population.
5. Mechanisms for Executing the 2013 State Budget
The Council of Ministers approved the mechanisms for the execution of the 2013 State Budget as presented by the Minister of Finance following approval of Law n.° 2/2002 of 1 March on the State Budget for the financial year 2013. Notably, the Council of Ministers approved the general procedure, the procedures on the execution according to each category, the Petty Cash and Advance Payments, public revenues, the 2013 budget execution calendar and the preparation of the 2014 State Budget.
The Council of Ministers also analyzed the following:
1. Presentation of the Operationalization of the Strategic Development Plan
Over the next five years, and with the aim of operationalizing, managing and coordinating the Strategic Development Plan and the Programme of the V Constitutional Government, the need arises to establish the new Mechanism for Coordinating Development Policies.
Based on lessons learnt from the National Priorities Programme (started in 2008 by the IV Constitutional Government), the Mechanism for Coordinating Development Policies should be established and conducted by Timor-Leste, rely on the full participation of, and be in line with, the Government planning and budgeting system.
2. Presentation of the First Appraisal of the Administrative Decentralization and Local Government Policy
Based on paragraph 1 of article 5 and on paragraph 1 of article 72 of the Constitution of the Republic, which provide for the decentralization of the public administration and the establishment of local government, as well on Law n.° 11/2009 of 7 October, according to which the territory of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste is to be divided into 13 municipalities enjoying administrative and financial autonomy and with elected representative bodies, the Minister of State Administration presented the first draft on the Administrative Decentralization and Local Government Policy to the Council of Ministers.