Presidency of the Council of Ministers

Eighth Constitutional Government

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Press Release

Meeting of the Council of Ministers of October 2, 2019

The Council of Ministers met at the Government Palace in Dili and heard a presentation by the Minister of Defense, Filomeno da Paixão de Jesus, on the development plan of the Port of Hera. The project aims to transform it into a reference military port and provides for the creation of a dock, facilities for repair, maintenance and storage, and also the construction of the Naval Command Headquarters and the National Maritime Authority (AMN).

The prime Minister, Taur Matan Ruak, presented the proposal for a Government Resolution, approved by the Council of Ministers, concerning the renewal of the mandate of the members of the of the Timorese Archive and Resistance Museum IP (AMRT). Considering that the members of the AMRT Board of Directors are appointed by the Council of Ministers, under a proposal from the Prime-Minister, after hearing the President of the Republic, for four-year renewable mandates and that the Government and the President of the Republic make a positive evaluation of the work carried out by the current members, the Government decides to renew the mandates of the members of the AMRT Board of Directors.

The Council of Ministers approved the Government Resolution on the reserve for Timor Gap-Timor Gas & Petroleum, E.P. in public procurement for the conclusion of petroleum contracts. The resolution sets out a maximum participation interest of 20% to Timor Gap, in each production-sharing contract to be celebrated in the context of public procurement, in accordance with the legislation in force, to be negotiated on a case-by-case basis between the National Petroleum and Minerals Authority (ANPM), investors and Timor Gap.

The Minister of Strategic Planning and Investment, Agio Pereira and the National Procurement Commission presented two proposals for deliberation, relating to the process of early procurement and amendment of the contract for satellite broadband update. The proposal will again be analyzed at a future meeting of the Council of Ministers.

The Council of Ministers approved the final proposal of the General State Budget for 2020, with a total amount of 1.95 billion US dollars, to cover the program needs and national priorities defined by the Eight Constitutional Government. Of this value, 241,271,000 are for wages and salaries, 738,428,000 for goods and services, 457,773,000 for public transfers, 53.267 for minor capital and finally, 459,260,000 for development capital. ENDS