CNE approved the voting papers

Dili - TP - The National Commissioner for Election (CNE) has approved the voting paper that was proposed by the Technical Secretary of Electoral Administration (STAE) on the two presidential candidates.

“The day before yesterday (27/3), CNE has approved the proposed voting ballots from STAE on the two candidates so that they can start printing the voting ballots,” said the commissioner Arif Sagran on Wednesday (28/3).

According to the schedule, STAE will then send instruction to the Grafica Nacional to start printing the voting paper and distribute it to the voting centers throughout the country. 720.000 voting papers would be printed for the second round of the presidential election.

FRETILIN respects PD but believes that they will vote for Lu – Olo

Dili - JND - The success team of presidential candidate Lu – Olo, Jose Manuel Fernandes “Nakfilak” said that his party appreciates PD’s political decision of giving the militants votes of conscience but believes that the PD militants would still vote for Lu – Olo.

“We hope that though they say they vote according to their conscience but they also have the option of vote of preference – they know whom to vote,” said Mr. Nakfilak at the CCF on Wednesday.

According to the Lu – Olo’s success team member, their team will work together with La Sama’s success team and its structure at the base to give their votes of confidence to the presidential candidate Francisco Guterres Lu – Olo.

Lucia considers the corruption allegation were just hear-says

Dili - JND -

The minister of justice Lucia Lobato considered the corruption allegations against her by the public ministry were only hear-says but she is willing to cooperate with the Court in the hearings in coming May.

“The Court had notified me (finally) on March 14, and I think the accusations against me before were just hear-says. The public and media judged me on the street.  I feel when the right time comes I will go to the Court to tell the truth,” said Mrs. Lobato in her office in Caicoli, Dili (28/3).

The National Parliament has recently voted secretly to remove the Minister’s immunity in order to be trialed at the Court on Corruption allegation. Mrs. Lobato is charged by the Public Ministry for falsifying documents of re-tenderization to the project of constructing 8 Civil Registration Conservatory in the Districts, abusing power and harmful administration.

Despite of the removal of her immunity, Mrs. Lobato still continues her function as the Minister of Justice.

Lere: there will be no Coup-de-ta

Dili - TP - Major General Lere Anan Timor said there will be no Coup-de-ta from the force as long as their first generation of the resistance fighters are still alive and lead the Defense Force.

“Force those who are traumatized with Defense Force to do Coup-de-ta, do not think much. Trust in PNTL and F- FDTL institutions. While we those who were from the resistance still leading, coup-de-ta is not yet,” said General Lere during an interview at the PNTL-day celebration in Caicoli, Dili (27/3). 

According to the Major General, the sole role of F-FDTL is dictated by the article 146 of the Constitution which is to guarantee the country’s independence, its territorial integrity liberty to the people and secure the country against foreign threats.

The Government to build Comoro Bridge II in April

Dili - JND - The Director of the National Development Agency (ADN) Samuel Marçal said that the government is planning to build Comoro Bridge II in order to facilitate movements of transports in the area.

“The design for the Comoro Bridge II is already with ADN in order to verify the price of the project. We have fixed the design but we are still negotiating with the company on the price. Once the companies agreed with the price in April, the construction could have started this year,” said Mr. Marçal.

The director added, they are currently consulting the report to the Prime Minister and once he agrees with the plan, the construction can already start. The Comoro Bridge II will be built alongside with Comoro Bridge I while the Comoro Bridge III will be built later near Timor Blok.

Japanese Government supports US$177,453 to the Salesians Sisters

Dili - JND - The Government of Japan through its Ambassador to Timor Leste Yoshitaka Hanada handed over a total amount of US$177,453 to the Salesians Sisters for the rehabilitations of orphans’ dormitory in Baucau as well as primary school in Bazartete.

In his intervention, Mr. Hanada said “the fund is a social support that will be implemented through assistance fund for the human security project to communities at the base.”

The fund was delivered to the Salesians sisters as well as Rafaela East Timor Fund (REFT) with the definition of US$67,664 for the orphans’ dormitory while the remaining US$109,789 is for the rehabilitation of primary school in Bazartete.

Militants of PD from 9 districts to vote according to Conscience

Dili - JND - The representatives of the Democratic Party from 9 districts declared openly to vote according to conscience in the second round of presidential election while 4 districts declared to vote for presidential candidate Taur Matan Ruak.

Despite of the differences, the National Political Council of the party (CPN) decided to leave the ultimate rights to the party president Fernando La Sama to decide on which candidate to support in the second round of the presidential election.

Hence, according to the information, La Sama is to announce to the public on Wednesday morning about 8.am in the PD headquarter in Colmera one of the three options, whether to support Lu – Olo or Taur Matan Ruak or to vote according to the conscience.    

The National Parliament ready to fix the Land Law

Dili - JND - Inrelation to the Land Law that was vetoed by the President of the Republic, theMembers of Parliament promised they will fix the law before their mandates endor that they will recommend it to the new legislatives to review the law inorder to give rights to poor people a piece of land.

“I really lament over the rejection of the law by the president. However it is his competency, we are waiting that the Parliament reschedules the agenda so that we will fix and approve again. Otherwise, we ask the next legislatives to give attentions to the law because it secures the rights of the poor people to a piece of land,” said MP Arão Noé from on Monday at the Parliament (26/3).

The Land Law is composed of three parts, the Land Law, the Compensation Law and the Creation of Compensation Fund.

The government allocates US$6 million to fix roads in Dili

Dili - JND - The government allocates US$6 million to renovate the main roads in Dili as part of preparation of the restoration of the independence on May 20.

According to the state Secretary for Public Works Domingos Caeiro, the road repair is considered an emergency projects and that it has to be finished before the celebration of 20 of May this year where there will be visits of guests from Australia, Indonesia, and former UN General Secretary Kofi Annan.

“The project is to fix all the roads in Dili that have been identified. But the priority is the road from the Airport out to Comoro and from Comoro to Palacio Nobre Lahane and from Comoro to Taci Tolu,” said Mr. Caeiro in his office on Monday (26/3).

Despite of the critics from the Member of Parliament, Mr. Caeiro is optimistic that the project will finish on time.

The Government - Timor Telecom to sign an agreement on Liberalizing Telecommunication

Dili - JND - The Government has approved a decree law on liberalizing telecommunication on Monday (26/3). The decree law therefore allows two foreign telecommunication companies, Digicel of Ireland and Telkomsel of Indonesia, to operate in Timor Leste and compete with Timor Telecom.

“Tomorrow will be the signing of the agreement with Timor Telecom on the liberalization,” said PM Xanana before leaving Dili to Oecusse on Monday.

The signing of the agreement would be done between the Minister of Infrastructure Pedro Lay and Timor Telecom’s representative in Timor Leste, Manuel Amaro.

Lu – Olo asks Major General Lere to stop groups threating communities

Dili - TP - Presidential candidate Francisco Guterres Lu – Olo calls on the Major General of F-FDTL Lere Anan Timor to stop threats in villages by supporters of some presidential candidates.

“I ask the Major General Lere Anan Timor and Brigadier General Filomeno Paixão including other commanders to announce to the public issues of some groups threatening there would be war if a candidate loose in the election. Hence, I ask the commanders to appear in the Television and appeal to the people to calm the situation,” said Mr. Lu – Olo in the residence of Cannosian sisters in Balide, Dili on Sunday (25/3).

The former speaker of the National Parliament believed his long time comrade Taur Matan Ruak would be the inciter or the threats because he has known Ruak for long time. Mr. Guterres appeal to the security sector in this country to be watchful always because other people might create intimidation on their behalf and destroy their images.

The FRETILIN party president added that the 2006 crisis has taught Timorese suffering and similar crisis should not repeat because people want to live in peace and development.

PSD Militants are free to vote any of the two presidential candidates

Dili - TP - The president of Social Democratic Party (PSD) Zacarias Albano da Costa said he gives freedom to his members to vote one of the two presidential candidates in the second round of presidential election.

"My personal recommendation is to continue giving the party militants the freedom to choose because some of our militants support the former military General Taur Matan Ruak while the others supports Francisco Guterres Lu – Olo as well as other candidates. But we see, the two candidates who enter into the second round are all good, strong and our national hero. I think whoever wins the election will continue to bring this nation forward,” said Mr. da Costa on Friday (23/3).

The minister of foreign affairs also said that for the second round of election, “the party’s National Council would announce but personally I would recommend to continue with the neutral position.”

Xanana curious about Horta – La Sama colligation

Dili - JND - The president of CNRT party Xanana Gusmão is waiting to be briefed on the colligation between Ramos Horta and La Sama before giving a comment on the colligation.

“On this matter I just came back from abroad and hence I do not know how things have been in this country,” said Mr. Gusmão on Sunday (25/3) after his foreign visit to Japan and Indonesia.

The Prime Minister also recognized that the two presidential candidates to proceed to the second round of election are of good quality and have the capacity and hence let the people decide in the election.

69 UNTL students to study in Brasil

Dili - JND - 69 UNTL students will leave the country to study in different universities in Brasil.  The coordinator of Brasil universities, Marcos da Cruz said that according to the plan, they were willing to send 70 students but one resigned at his own will and therefore they send only 69 to Brasil. The students will continue their studies in different fields and at different level before returning to Timor Leste. 

Horta: Presidential background of Military is not good for the nation

Dili - TP - President Jose Ramos Horta said that a presidential candidate of military background and intentional is not good for the nation and that if a president is elected from terrorizing the votes, Horta will not collaborate with that president.

 “I would like to appeal to all people that and ask to the two candidates that whoever is to be elected, do not have threatening or violence background because right now people are already afraid of what is going to happen,” said president Horta after a farewell ceremony with the presidential staffs in the Presidential palace on Wednesday (21/3).

Mr. Horta also added that in a short while he will call a meeting with the diplomatic corps to tell them some candidates who have the tendency of militarization and that cannot be accepted.

Horta and PD form a blog

Dili - TP - President Ramos Horta declared that he will walk together with the Democratic Party (PD) both in the coming second round presidential election as well as the parliamentary election in June this year. “I am together with presidential candidate Fernando La Sama de Araujo declare starting from today onwards we will work together to prepare for the parliamentary election and the formation of the V constitutional government,” declared Mr. Horta during a joint press conference in Hotel Timor on Wednesday (21/3). Horta added that it was a wise decision for him considering PD as an alternative party providing political balance in the country. However, the current president highlighted that he is not joining the Democratic Party but considering the recent outcome of the presidential election and his votes adds with La Sama’s votes could offer a significant change in local politics.

In his intervention, the president of PD Fernando La Sama said that he was very happy with the present of big brother Ramos Horta working with him towards the parliamentary election. However, the new blog has not decided yet on which presidential candidate to give their supports.

Second Round of PResidential Elections on April 16: One on one race now...!

Dili, 22 Mar 2012 – The second round run-off presidential election will occur on April 16 (Monday), thus fulfilling the legal deadline of 30 days following the first round, according to the decree promulgated on Wednesday by the Head of State, Dr. José Ramos-Horta.
     
             The decree read:

            Faced with the need of scheduling a date for the second round presidential election, pursuant to articles 86º, paragraph c) and 76º, number 3 of the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, and article 12º, number 2 of no. Law 7/2006, of December 28, amended by Law no. 5/2007, of March 28, and Law no. 8/2011, of June 22
           
I designate April 16, 2012 (Monday) as the date for the second round of the presidential election.


PPR/end