US supports Timor-Leste to join ASEAN

*Suara Timor-Lorosae, September 24, 2013 Language source: Tetun

The United States of America (USA) Government through its Embassy in Dili strongly supports Timor-Leste to become Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) member in the future. 

“we support Timor-Leste’s application to join ASEAN and we cooperate with the Government to assure that we provide the supports that needs to help Timor-Leste to become good candidate to join ASEAN, for instance, we provide an English expert to Public Service Academy in INAP to work on curriculum and help people in the Government learning English because English is important to ASEAN,” US Ambassador Judith Fergin said at her residence in Pantai Kelapa of Dili recently. 

She added when Timor-Leste joined ASEAN, Timor-Leste would get a lot of benefits from it such as low price in business and with ASEAN good reputation could give good reputation to Timor-Leste too politically and economically.

Timorese Court of Appeal upholds request of suspicion against its President

Claudio Ximenes - The President of the Court of Appeal

Translation of LUSA via SAPO News

September 24, 2013, 08:31

The full Court of Appeal for East Timor granted a request for suspicion against Judge Claudio Ximenes following a complaint filed by prosecutors on the proceedings involving the former Justice Minister Lucia Lobato.

Claudio Ximenes , President of the Court of Appeal was thus unable to participate in processes related to former Justice Minister Timorese arrested in January this year by participating in private business, according to the judgment , dated August, and recently obtained by Lusa.

The decision of the full Court of Appeal referred to above was taken following statements made to the press by the President of that judicial body, Claudio Ximenes .

"From the point of view of the average citizen, given the express public demonstration revealing a judgment in favor of the defendant , referring to the process that ran against her in the Court of Appeal, is susceptible to generate public opinion in this country (certainly with some foundation ) of feelings of personal favoritism, as well as recognition of regular contact with the defendant during the course of the Habeas Corpus, it is to admit the susceptibility of suspicion about the fairness of Mr. Presiding Judge of the Court of Appeal ", stresses the document.
The judgment states that the plenary Claudio Ximenes told reporters that the Court of Appeal should have given "reason to Lucia Lobato on Habeas Corpus."

The application for Habeas Corpus filed by the defense of Lucia Lobato was rejected by two judges of the Court of Appeal with the dissenting opinion of Claudio Ximenes, who explained why he was in favor of the immediate release of Lucia Lobato, especially considering there are procedural errors.

The judges who signed the judgment that accepts the request of suspicion against Claudio Ximenes were also the target of accusations of bias by the former Justice Minister of East Timor� defense lawyers, who previously brought to the prosecutor requests of suspicion against them.

The Court of Appeal, rejected those requests of suspicion against the judges.

Yesterday, in a statement to the press, the Timorese non-governmental organization, The Justice System Monitoring Program, warned that "the public can understand that the decisions were not neutral or fair because decisions on extraordinary appeals were taken by the same judges" in the first appeal.

For the organization, that they are the same judges to consider appeals from the decisions can have a "negative impact on the principle of a fair and impartial trial."

Committee A to prioritize Anti-Corruption Law

The National Parliament of Timor Leste

*Suara Timor Loro Sa’e, September 18, 2013 language source: Tetun

The Parliamentary Committee A has pledged to put Anti-Corruption Law as its top priority in order to better facilitate the commission’s work. 

“We set up the Anti-Corruption Commission (KAK), the National Parliament has not yet drafted the anti-corruption law. The second parliament drafted it, but it has yet not been approved,” MP Paulino Moteiro said. 

Monteiro affirmed that KAK was currently cooperating with the Parliamentary Committee A to draft the anticorruption law. 

MP Franciso Branco from Fretilin Party said so far there had been no discussion on the anti-corruption law, although it was very important for the country.

East Timor’s central bank issues coin with US$1 face value

Timor Leste's 100 cent coin

SEPTEMBER 16TH, 2013    NEWS

The Timor-Leste (East Timor) Central Bank Friday issued a 100 centavo denominated coin with an equivalent face value of US$1, which is the currency that circulates in the country, the bank said in a statement.

The governor of the BCTL, Abraão de Vasconcelos, cited in the statement, said that the coin had been minted because US$1 notes have been “in circulation in Timor-Leste for a long time,” and they deteriorate very quickly.

“Even taking into consideration that minting coins is expensive, they can circulate for a number of years before having to be removed from the market whereas US$1 notes, usually need to be replaced after one year,” the Central Bank said in its statement.

The 100 centavos coin is minted with a picture of Dom Boaventura de Manufahi and is made up of two metals – golden in colour around its edge and silver on the inside.

The new coin, which was minted by the Bank of Portugal, will circulate alongside US$1 notes. (macauhub)

Acting Prime Minister: Education and health important for the country

Acting Prime Minister Agio Pereira. Photo: www.foreignpolicy.com

*Televizaun Timor-Leste, September 16, 2013 language source: Tetun

Acting Prime Minister Hermenegildo Pereira said education and health were important sectors for Timor-Leste. The acting prime minister made the comments after meeting President of the Republic, talking about the activities of Government’s institutions last Friday. 

Pereira affirmed that, these two sectors were very important for the country’s development; therefore two ministers for these sectors would go with the president of the republic for overseas visit. 

“President of the republic is going to visit New York and Portugal; therefore the two ministers can accompany the president to see education and health progresses in those countries,” he said.

MKIA does not tolerate graft at Dili Sea Port

Unloading at Dili Port. Photo: UNHCR 

*Timor-Leste, September 16, 2013 language source: Tetun

The Ministry of Commerce and Environment (MKIA) will not tolerate acts of graft which is committed at Dili Sea Port and pledges to better improve bureaucracy of the Port. Speaking to journalists, State Secretary for Commerce and Industry, Ricardo Nheu said so far bureaucracy at Dili Sea Port had been very restrict and that had appeared graft at the port. 

Mr. Nheu affirmed that, such bureaucracy had made the importers to increase prices which impacted the Timorese people’s lives economically. 

“From now on, we will not tolerate any illegal money collection here at the port. We will continue controlling to halt such activity,” he said.

Portuguese Industrial Association on Timor trade mission

AIP logo - Photo: google

IN GENERAL NEWS · 05-09-2013 11:33:00

The Portuguese Industrial Association (AIP) began a business mission to East Timor this week with a meeting with Timor’s deputy prime minister, Fernando La Sama de Araújo, who spoke about investment opportunities in the country.

La Sama de Araújo had told the AIP members the country was interested in developing the industrial sector and in setting up Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) to build new ports and the airport. The AIP mission, which ends on Saturday, includes business leaders from the building, public works, food, ornamental rock and office equipment areas.

http://theportugalnews.com/news/portuguese-industrial-association-on-timor-trade-mission/29306

The Portugal News

US group General Electric plans to invest in East Timor

U.S. General Electric Co.

SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2013 

US group General Electric plans to invest in East Timor (Timor-Leste), the country’s minister for Public Works, Gastão de Sousa said Tuesday as he welcomed a delegation headed up by the head of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), Kristin Paulson.

According to a statement, Paulson reminded Gastão de Sousa of the US group’s presence in ASEAN nations such as Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia and Myanmar.

Minister de Sousa noted the importance of the US group wanting to be involved in the development of East Timor and mentioned the Tasi Mane project, which is intended to develop the country’s south coast via the oil industry and includes construction of three industrial groups, which will be the backbone of the sector in the country.

Tasi Mane includes the Suai supply base, the refinery and a group of petrochemical industries in Betano as well as a gas unit (supplied by the gas pipeline that the Timorese authorities want to build from the Greater Sunrise field) in Viqueque/Beasu.

The special economic zones, which will be established in areas close to ports and airports, parts of the south coast and the city of Dili, are intended to attract the financial sector including banks, insurance companies and professional services companies. 
(macauhub)