NATIONAL COUNCIL APPROVES CIVIL REGISTRY REGULATION

A Regulation on the establishment of the Central Civil Registry of East Timor was approved today by the East Timor National Council. Civil registration of the East Timorese population will start in March, after a pilot project in Atauro Island near Dili on 26 February to 3 March 2001. The National Council also approved the substance of a draft regulation on the registration of political parties and recommended in a motion that the content of the draft regulation submitted be part of the future election law. Besides considering the draft Regulation on Registration of Political Parties for the Nomination of Candidates to a Constituent Assembly for an Independent and Democratic East Timor, the National Council approved a report by the Standing Committee on Political Affairs on the regulation with several recommendations. Tomorrow, the Committee on Political Affairs is expected to present its report on the transition calendar to National Council members.

CABINET ENDORSES BUDGET TIMETABLE

The East Timor Transitional Cabinet today endorsed a Budget Preparation Timetable for 2001-02, leading up to the donors’ conference in Canberra, Australia, in June. The Cabinet also agreed that the 2001-02 Budget to be presented to the National Council will contain information on all budgetary resources, public finances and assistance available to East Timor over the 2001-02 fiscal period. This will include information on resources appropriated under the Consolidated Fund, resources allocated under the Trust Fund, bilateral programs, programs delivered by UN agencies and resources directed to the East Timor Transitional Administration (ETTA) programs from the UN Assessed Contribution Budget. The Cabinet also approved the signing of two Memorandums of Understanding between the Government of Portugal, the air consortium ANA/NAV/ADA and the Transitional Administration for the civilian management of the airport and airspace at Dili’s Comoro Airport. The improved management of the airport will generate income for East Timor through the development of new economic opportunities at the airport, such as shops and parking facilities, among other things. The civilian management will also ensure the continuing availability of services. Finally, the Cabinet endorsed a draft regulation establishing a unified regime governing road traffic in East Timor and a directive establishing road rules, based upon the Cabinet’s policy approval of 24 January 2001. This regime will support the work of the police and traffic wardens, and provide drivers with clear guidelines and responsibilities. The draft regulation will now be submitted to the National Council for its consideration. The proposed regime will respond better to the post-conflict environment of East Timor than the current, complex mix of Indonesian laws, which apply under UNTAET Regulation 1999/1. Furthermore, all the Indonesian institutions that supported their traffic laws, such as driver licensing, insurance, vehicle registration, no longer exist.

SERIOUS CRIMES PROSECUTOR SWORN IN

Buwaneka Aluwihare from Sri Lanka was sworn in as a prosecutor for the Serious Crimes Investigation Unit by SRSG Sergio Vieira de Mello today. Mr. Aluwihare has served as a Senior State Counsel in the Attorney-General’s Department in Sri Lanka for the past 17 years. In that capacity he has worked on a number of high-profile cases related to political violence and terrorism. The Serious Crimes Unit now has five prosecutors, one of them East Timorese.