Ministry of Foreign Affairs: “ We Say No to Corruption”

February 28, 2012: At the close of one-day seminar organized by the Anti-Corruption Commission (CAC) on strengthening public service performance in combating and preventing corruption, Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared “We Say No to Corruption.” The statement was written by participants on a whiteboard with background of Timor-Leste map to demonstrate that Ministry of Foreign Affairs is committed to effective use of public resources and clean government.

The one-day seminar focused on raising awareness of Foreign Service staff about the role and function of the Anti-Corruption Commission as defined by law, socializing the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) as well as promoting cooperation on the implementation of the Treaty in Timor-Leste and to strengthening a control mechanism for effective use of public resources including public finance and for the public service to mitigate corruption risks.

The seminar was opened by Minister for Foreign Affairs Zacarias Albano da Costa and accompanied by CAC Commissioner Aderito de Jesus Soares and his two deputies, Manuel Bucar and Jose Neves. More than 80 participants including Vice-Minister for Foreign Affair Carlos Alberto, General Secretary, Directors General, National Directors, and the ministry’s regular staff participated in the seminar throughout.

Minister da Costa in his opening remarks affirmed Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ commitment and full support to collaborate and work together with CAC in preventing and combating corruption within the ministry. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, under the Council of Ministry’s direction, is representing the Government of Timor-Leste as a gatekeeper and is responsible for matters pertaining to diplomatic relations, international cooperation, consular, and to defend and protect Timorese interests abroad. Commissioner De Jesus stated that CAC is committed to continue work hard with the government of Timor-Leste to build trust and confidence and to prevent and combat corruption in the public service.

The seminar was part of CAC’s series of engagements with line ministries in preventing and combating corruption in the public service.

Ministériu Negosius Estranjeiru: “Ami Hatete Lae ba Korrupsaun”

Horiseik loroik, molok atu remata semináriu nebe organiza husi Komisaun Anti-Korrupsaun konaba fortifica dezemphenhu funcionáriu públiku konaba kombate no prevene korrupsaun, Ministériu Negosiu Estranjeiru deklara “Hatete Lae ba Korrupsaun.” Lia fuan hirak ne’e participante sira mak hakerek no asina iha kuadru mutun ida nebe iha mapa Timor-Leste nian. Lia fuan ne’e hatudu katak Ministériu Negósiu Estranjeiru iha komitementu ba rekursu públiku nian sira tenki uza ho efektividade no oinsa iha governasaun mos.

Semináriu loron ida ne’e konsentra ba asuntus hirak hanesan atu hasa’e konhesimentu staff Ministeriu nian konaa papel no funsaun Komisaun Anti-Korrupsaun nebe lei defini ona, halo sosializasaun konaba Konvensaun Anti-Korrupsaun ONU nian (UNCAC) no oinsa atu promove kooperasaun entre parseiru relevante sira konaba implementasaun Tratadu ne’e iha Timor-Leste no oin sa atu hametin liu tan mekanismu ida atu kontrola konaba efektividade husi uza rekursu publiku nian, inkluindu financeira publiku no oinsa atu funsionáriu públiku sira bele mitiga riskus korrupsaun iha funsaun publiku.

Semináriu ne’e Ministru Negósius Estranjeitu Zacarias Albano da Costa maka loke no akompanha husi Komisáriu CAC no nia adjuntu na’in rua, Manuel Bucar no Jose Neves. Partisipantes hamutuk 80 resin, inkluindu Vice-Ministru Negósius Estranjeiru Alberto Carlos, Sekretariu Jeral, Diretores Jeral no Nasional no funsionáriu  regular ministériu nian mak hola parte iha seminiaru ne’e to’o rohan.

Ministru da Costa iha nia diskursu abertura afirma Ministériu Negosiu Estranjeiru nia komitementu no suporta maximu atu kolabora no atu servisu hamutuk ho CAC hodi prevene no kombate korrupsaun iha ministériu nia laran. Ministériu Negósius Estranjeiru, ho diresaun Konseilhu Ministrus nian, representa Governu Timor-Leste, hamrik iha oin, responsabiliza ba asuntus konaba relasoens diplomátika, internasional kooperasaun, konsular no atu defende no proteje interesses Timor-Oan nian iha estranjeiru. Komisáriu de Jesus hatete katak CAC iha komitementu atu kontinua servisu maka’as ho Governu Timor-Leste atu harii konfiansa no atu prevene no kombate korrupsaun públiku iha funsaun públiku.

Semináriu ne’e ne’e hanesan parte iha husi servisu CAC nian ba ministériu tomak atu hodi prevene no kombate korupsaun iha funsaun públiku.

Number of Electoral Contestants is High But Their Political Will?

Dili, Timor-Leste—The number of 2012 electoral contestants is high, however their political will towards national concern on electoral corruption has yet to balance—that was the phenomenon during the join national conference organized by CAC-CNE last Saturday 25 February 2012 on “Transparency and Accountability towards Electoral Process: A Path to Distant from Electoral Corruption” at the Dili Conventional Center, Caicoli Dili. The electoral contestants shown lack of interest and did not make use of momentum provided. There were very few representatives of political parties and not a single presidential candidate marked their presence in the event.

Political parties representatives who participated in the seminar were President of the National Unity Party Fernanda Borges, representatives of the Opposition Party Fretilin, Social Democratic Party (PSD), National Unity of Timorese Resistance Party (UNDERTIM), National Development Party (PDN), Kmanek Haburas Unidade Nasional Timor-Oan Party (KHUNTO) and Liberta Povu-Aileba Party (PLPA). Other invitees included Second-Commander-in-Chief of the National Police of Timor-Lese (PNTL) Afonso de Jesus, representatives of United Nations Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) and Civil Society Organizations.

The one-day seminar presented five speakers: Indonesian Constitutional Court Judge Hamdan Zoelva spoke about Indonesia’s experience on political corruption; Former Commissioner of the Independent Electoral Commission in Timor-Leste Michael Maley on challenges and opportunities in electoral process–particularly on electoral corruption that involves political parties and independent candidates; President of the Court of Appeal Claudio Ximenes on electoral laws from legal perspectives; CNE Commissioner Faustino Cardoso Gomes on appreciation and assessment on electoral budget; and  CAC Deputy Commissioner Manuel Bucar on the role of CAC in the electoral process and assets declarations.

Majority participants in the conference, especially representatives of political parties, welcomed the initiatives of the joint conference and considered the importance of having to establish an appropriate control mechanism to monitor government resources for the 2012 electoral purposes. During questions and answers session, participants raised various burning issues regarding challenges and opportunities related to electoral process and mechanisms to address electoral corruptions. Among the most discussed issues included mechanism for legal process if there is complaint about political corruption, mechanism for asset declaration, subsidy for electoral contestants and mechanism to present electoral account to CNE, and how to detect if there is any electoral crime.

This joint conference marked a first step of the CAC-CNE joint effort. In the near future, a similar initiative is expected to take place and involve political parties and presidential candidates who will compete in the 2012 elections.

Numeru Konkorentes Eleitoral Bo’ot Maibe Vontade Politika?

Dili, Timor – Leste— Numeru partidus politiku no kandidatus prezidensial bo’ot maibe vontade politika ba asuntu nebe sai prekupasaun nasional seidauk bo’ot hanesan—ne’e maka fenomena nebe akontese iha loron Sabadu 25 Fevereiru iha konferensia konjunta nebe CAC ho CNE organiza ba konkorentes eleitoral ba tinan 2012 konaba “Transparensia no Fiskalizasaun ba Kontas Eleitoral: Dalan atu Hado’ok Aan husi Korupsaun Eleitoral,” iha Sentru Konvensaun Dili, Caicoli, Dili. Oportunidade diak ba konkorentes eleitoral sira maibe ladun hetan interese no la aproveita didiak momentu ne’e. Partisipasaun husi partidus politiku sira minimu tebes, kandidatus presidenzial nian laiha ema ida maka marka prezensa, apenas reprezentante ida rua husi sira nia ekipa suksesu deit.

Politiku na’in sira nebe marka prezensa ohin maka Prezidente Partidu Unidade Nasional (PUN) Fernanda Borges, reprezentantes husi Partidu Opozisaun Fretilin, Partidu Frente Mudansa, Partidu Social Demokrata (PSD), Partidu Unidade Nasional de Rezistensia Timorense (UNDERTIM), Partidu Dezenvolvimentu Nasional (PDN), Partidu Kmanek Haburas Unidade Nasional Timor-Oan (KHUNTO) no Partidu Liberta Povu Ai-Leba (PLPA). Konvidadus seluk nebe marka prezensa maka Sigundu-Komandante Polisia Nasional Timor-Leste Afonso de Jesus, reprezentantes husi Misaun Nasoens Unidas (UNMIT), no Sosiedade Sivil.

Konferensia konjunta ne’e aprezenta oradores na’in 5 mak: Juiz Tribunal Konstitusional Hamdan Zoelva husi Indonesia koalia konaba esperiensia Indonesia konaba korupsaun politika, Michael Maley husi Australia koalia konaba dezafius no oportunidades iha prosesu eleitoral, liu-liu konaba korupsaun politika nebe involve partidus politika no kandidatu independente sira, Prezidente Tribunal Rekursu Claudio Ximenes koalia konaba perspektiva legal ba leis eleitoral nian, Komisariu CNE Faustino Cardoso Gomes koalia konaba apresiasaun no avaliasaun ba kontas partidus politiku sira no koligasaun partidus politiku sira no Komisariu Adjuntu CAC Manuel Bucar koalia konaba papel CAC iha prosesu eleitoral no deklarasaun riku-soi.

Diskusaun nebe maka mosu barak liu iha sesaun perguntas no resposta maka konaba mekanismu ba prosesu legal wainhira iha keizas ruma nebe iha relasaun ho korupsaun politika no mekanismu konaba deklarasaun riku-soi. Kuaze reprezentantes partidu politiku nebe marka prezensa konkorda ho asuntu prekupasaun konaba reseitas estadu no oinsa tenki iha mekanismu ida atu kontrola rekursu estadu nian hodi uza ba prosesu eleitoral ba tinan 2012. Asuntu seluk nebe diskuti mak konaba subsidiari ba konkorentes eleitoral nian no nia mekanismu atu aprezenta kontas ba CNE no oinsa deteta krimi eleitoral.

Ikus mai, husi lia menon husi CAC no CNE nebe nudar na’in ba konferensia ne’e hatete katak konferensia ne’e hanesan pasu inisia ida husi esforsu nebe organizasaun rua ne’ hala’o.  Iha tempu besik mai iha planu atu involve nafatin partidus politiku no kandidatu prezidensial sira atu koalia hamutuk liu-liu konaba korupsaun politika ka korupsaun eleitoral.

CAC and CNE To Hold A Joint Conference for Electoral Contestants

CAC and CNE To Hold A Joint Conference for Electoral Contestants

Dili, Timor – Leste–The Anti-Corruption Commission (CAC) and the National Electoral Commission (CNE) are expected to host a joint national conference tomorrow Saturday, 25 February 2012 in Dili. The conference is entitled “Transparency and Accountability in Electoral Process: A Path to Distant from Electoral Corruption,” aiming at all political parties and independent candidates in light of the presidential and parliamentary elections this year.

The purpose of this joint conference is to create a public space that is critical towards democratic electoral process and to raise public awareness of political parties and independent candidates about preventing electoral corruption in Timor-Leste. Another equally important objective is to reaffirm the electoral contestants’ commitment for combating and preventing corruption when they come to power.

The joint conference is scheduled to be attended by representatives of all political parties and independent candidates who will compete in the coming elections, government officials, diplomatic corps, civil society organizations and interested citizens. The one-day conference is planned to take place in the Dili Conventional Center from 8:30AM to 5:30PM.

The seminar is expected to present speakers from the Australian Electoral Commission Michael Maley and the Indonesian Constitutional Court Hamdan Zoelva, President of the Court of Appeal Claudio Ximenes, CNE Commissioner Faustino Cardoso and CAC Commissioner Aderito de Jesus Soares. Father Martinho Gusmão from CNE will moderate the conference. Topics of presentations will cover issues related to the role of CAC during and after the electoral process, electoral laws from legal perspective and comparative study about electoral systems in the region.

The initiative to hold this joint conference came after the two institutions, CAC and CNE, conducted a series of discussions regarding the 2012 electoral process.

CAC ho CNE Atu Hala’o Konferensia Konjunta ba Konkorentes Eleitoral sira

Dili, Timor – Leste–The Anti-Corruption Commission (CAC) and the National Electoral Commission (CNE) are expected to host a joint national conference tomorrow Saturday, 25 February 2012 in Dili. The conference is entitled “Transparency and Accountability in Electoral Process: A Path to Distant from Electoral Corruption,” aiming at all political parties and independent candidates in light of the presidential and parliamentary elections this year.

The purpose of this joint conference is to create a public space that is critical towards democratic electoral process and to raise public awareness of political parties and independent candidates about preventing electoral corruption in Timor-Leste. Another equally important objective is to reaffirm the electoral contestants’ commitment for combating and preventing corruption when they come to power.

The joint conference is scheduled to be attended by representatives of all political parties and independent candidates who will compete in the coming elections, government officials, diplomatic corps, civil society organizations and interested citizens. The one-day conference is planned to take place in the Dili Conventional Center from 8:30AM to 5:30PM.

The seminar is expected to present speakers from the Australian Electoral Commission Michael Maley and the Indonesian Constitutional Court Hamdan Zoelva, President of the Court of Appeal Claudio Ximenes, CNE Commissioner Faustino Cardoso and CAC Commissioner Aderito de Jesus Soares. Father Martinho Gusmão from CNE will moderate the conference. Topics of presentations will cover issues related to the role of CAC during and after the electoral process, electoral laws from legal perspective and comparative study about electoral systems in the region.

The initiative to hold this joint conference came after the two institutions, CAC and CNE, conducted a series of discussions regarding the 2012 electoral process.