FLAS H   N E WS   •  20  JU LY  -   23  AU G U S T

Flash News National Parliament’s Permanent

Committee’s meetings
During the parliamentary recess period from 15 July - 15 Au-
gust, the Permanent Committee of the National Parliament
met (i) to discuss the methodology for developing the annual
report on the activities of the National Parliament; and (ii) the
preparation of the agenda for the first week after the recess.
The Permanent Committee is chaired by the President of the
National Parliament and consists of the Vice Presidents and
MPs representing the different party benches.

Learning through the arts

Training activities conducted at the National Parliament usually
focus on sharing technical knowledge related to the work that
a parliament is expected to perform in accordance with its man-
date. During the recess period, the Department of Human Re-
sources of the National Parliament, with the support of Denise
Zanuni, UNDP Human Resources Advisor and Ana Fraga,
UNDP Legal Advisor to the Standing Committees, took ad-
vantage of the break in order to organize a two-week training
program that focused on staff attitudes and behavioral change.
Painting, games, dances, and images were used to stimulate cre-
ativity, team work, rapid thinking and problem-solving and lan-
guage comprehension, as well as promote rule-oriented
behavior and respect for the work of others.

Australia’s Reproductive Health

Alliance (ARHA) meets with GMPTL
On 4 August, Ms. Jane Singleton and Ms. Alice Ruxton from
the Australia Reproductive Health Alliance (ARHA) met with
the Women’s Caucus (GMPTL) and other MPs. The meeting
provided an opportunity to discuss the establishment of a Par-
liamentary Group on Population and Development in Timor
Leste. The Australian Parliamentary Group on Population and
Development (PGPD) is a cross-party group of party parlia-
mentarians from the Federal and State/Territory Parliaments
Flash News
who focus on sexual and reproductive health issues
domestically and internationally. ARHA, with the sup-
port of UNFPA, supports the establishment of Par-
liamentary Groups on Population and Development
in Timor-Leste and Papua New Guinea.
Visit to the Philippines
During the period of 7-15 August, 8 members of the
Women’s Caucus and the President of Committee E
went on a study visit to the Philippines. The purpose
of the visit was to gather information and gain expe-
rience regarding Gender Equality Legislation. During
the visit, the Timorese delegation met with MPs from
both the Upper and Lower Chambers of the Philip-
pine Congress who were involved in the drafting of
the Philippino Magna Carta of Women.
Four new Draft Resolution ad-
mitted to Parliament and re-
ferred to Committees
On 17 August four important Draft Resolutions were
admitted to Parliament and referred to the relevant
Standing Committees for consideration.
• Draft Resolution n.32/II, “Convenção sobre
o Estatuto dos Apátridas” and Draft Resolution n.33/II,
“Convenção para a Redução dos casos de Apátridas”
were referred to the Committee for Constitutional Af-
fairs, Judiciary, Public Administration (Committee A).
These conventions deal with the status of stateless peo-
ple and focus on the legal and political steps required to
reduce their numbers.
• Draft Resolution n.34/II, “Aprovação do
Acordo Básico de Cooperação entre a Republica
Democrática de Timor-Leste e o Reino de Espanha”
represents the cooperation agreement between Timor-
Leste and Spain and was referred to the Committee for
Foreign Affairs and Defence (Committee B).
• Draft Resolution n.35/II, “Adesão à Convenção
de Viena para a Protecção da Camada de Ozono e o
Protocolo de Montreal para a Redução de Substâncias
que Empobrecem a Camada de Ozono,” dealing with
the protection of the ozone layer and the substances
that deplete it, was referred to the Committee for Agri-
culture, Fisheries, Forestries, Natural Resources and En-
vironment (Committee D)
Assessment Mission from the
Portuguese Parliament
An Assessment Mission from the Portuguese Parliament
arrived on 17 August. The Mission’s purpose is to assist
in the drafting of the Assistance Program between the
Parliaments of Timor-Leste and Portugal. The Por-
tuguese Delegation is composed by the Deputy S-G, Ms.
Teresa Xardoné, the Director for Information and Doc-
umentation, Mr. Rui da Costa, and Head of the Divi-
sion for International Relations, Ms. Cristina Ferreira.
The mission held meetings with parliamentary officials
and UNDP.
Government Bill on Budget and
Financial Management was ad-
mitted to Parliament and re-
ferred to the relevant
Committee
On 18 August, Government Bill n. 28/II, “Orçamento
e Gestão Financeira,” was admitted to Parliament and
referred to the Committee for Economy, Finance and
Anti-Corruption (Committee C) for consideration. This
bill defines the role of the Executive and the Legisla-
ture regarding budget and financial management and
outlines the principles of public financial accountability. It will Labour and Professional Education (Committee H)
replace UNTAET Regulation 2001/13. held Public Hearings on Government Bill n. 24/II “Lei
de Base do Desporto” - the first legislative initiative in
Committee D holds Public Timor Leste to regulate the area of sports and define the
Hearings on the Proposal of system, structure, conditions and opportunities to practice
sports as a fundamental activity in the development of
Resolution n.35/II youth and for the strengthening of national identity. The
On Wednesday, 19 August, the Committee for Agriculture,
Hearings started with a meeting with the Timor-Leste Na-
Fisheries, Forestries, Natural Resources and Environment held
tional Olympic Committee and Timor-Leste National
Public Hearings with the Secretary of State for Environment,
Para-Olympic Committee and will continue until the be-
Mr. Abilio Lima, on Draft Resolution n.35/II regarding the
ginning of next month.
adoption of the Vienna Convention for the protection of the
ozone layer and of the Montreal Protocol on substances that
deplete the ozone layer. The Council of Administra-
The Convention is a framework agreement for international tion approved the National
efforts to protect the ozone layer and entered into force in Parliament Budget for 2010.
1988. It aims to protect human health and the environment On 19 August, the Secretary General of The National
against adverse effects resulting from the depletion of the Parliament, Mr. João Rui Amaral, presented the proposed
ozone layer. The framework provided by the Convention Parliament Budget 2010 to the Council of Administra-
refers to (1) research on substances and processes which mod- tion. The budget was approved after a lively debate. The
ify the ozone layer and impact on human health and the envi- Council of Administration will now send the budget to
ronment; (2) international cooperation on measures for the Committee on Economy, Finance and Anti-Corrup-
controlling the depletion of the ozone layer and the establish- tion (Committee C) for its review and opinion.
ment of protocols for this purpose; and (3) exchange of rel-
evant scientific, technical, socio-economic, commercialandlegal
information.
The Protocol was established under the Vienna Convention
and entered into force in 1989. The objective of the Protocol
is to protect the ozone layer by controlling of emissions of
substances that deplete the ozone layer and to do this in an
equitable manner with special consideration for developing
countries.

Committee H holds Public

Hearings on Government Bill
n. 24/II
On 19 August, the Committee for Youth, Sports,

Please Remember to Tune In:

Parlamentaria’ is the radio program of the National
Parliament produced in cooperation and coordination with

Radio Timor-Leste (RTL). ‘Parlamentaria’ is a 30 minute
programme in Tetum with news on the National
Parliament and interviews with its members. The
programme is broadcast every Sunday at 6:30pm on RTL.
UNDP Timor-Leste
Democratic Governance Unit
Parliament Project
alessandra.ronchi@undp.org
COMING UP
Committee C will hold Public Hearings on Gov-
ernment Bill n. 28/II
The Committee for Economy, Finance and Anti-Cor-
ruption will organize a seminar to discuss on Govern-
ment Bill n. 28/II “Orçamento e Gestão Financiera”
that was admitted to Parliament on Tuesday, 18 Au-
gust.