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VIII Constitutional Government of East Timor

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VIII Constitutional Government

VIII Constitutional Government of East Timor
Date formed22 June 2018 (2018-06-22)
Date dissolved1 July 2023 (2023-07-01)
People and organisations
Presidents
Prime MinisterTaur Matan Ruak
No. of ministers
  • 22 June 2018–12 May 2020:
  • 1 Prime Minister
  • 11 other Ministers
  • 7 Deputy Ministers
  • 10 Secretaries of State
  • 24 June 2020–1 July 2023:
  • 1 Prime Minister
  • 2 Deputy Prime Ministers
  • 17 other Ministers
  • 12 Deputy Ministers
  • 11 Secretaries of State
Member parties
  • 22 June 2018–25 May 2020:
  • Alliance for Change and Progress
  • (CNRTPLPKHUNTO)
  • 24 June 2020–1 July 2023:
  • Fretilin–PLP–KHUNTO–PD
Status in legislature
  • 22 June 2018–17 January 2020:
  • Majority
    34 / 65 (52%)
  • 24 June 2020–21 May 2023:
  • Majority
    41 / 65 (63%)
History
Election2018
PredecessorVII Constitutional Government
SuccessorIX Constitutional Government

The VIII Constitutional Government (Portuguese: VIII Governo Constitucional, Tetum: VIII Governu Konstitusionál) was the eighth Constitutional Government (administration or cabinet) under the Constitution of East Timor. Formed on 22 June 2018, and restructured in mid-2020, it was led by the country's seventh Prime Minister, Taur Matan Ruak, and was replaced by the IX Constitutional Government on 1 July 2023.

Initial (AMP) composition (22 June 2018–24 June 2020)

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The Government at its swearing in
The Government at its swearing in

Initially, the VIII Constitutional Government was drawn from and supported by a coalition known as the Alliance for Change and Progress (AMP), which was made up of the National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction (CNRT), the People's Liberation Party (PLP) and Kmanek Haburas Unidade Nasional Timor Oan (KHUNTO).[1]

The Ministers, Deputy Ministers[note 1] and Secretaries of State appointed to form the government as from 22 June 2018 until the government was restructured in mid-2020 were:[2][3]

Ministers

[edit]
Party Minister Portrait Portfolio
PLP Taur Matan Ruak
CNRT Hermenegildo Ágio Pereira
  • Minister of State of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers
    (22 June 2018 – 12 May 2020)[4][5]
PLP Fidelis Manuel Leite Magalhães
  • Minister for Legislative Reform and Parliamentary Affairs
CNRT Dionísio da Costa Babo Soares
Independent Manuel Cárceres da Costa
CNRT Dulce de Jesus Soares
  • Minister of Education, Youth and Sports
    (22 June 2018 – 25 May 2020)[5]
PLP Longuinhos dos Santos
  • Minister of Higher Education, Science and Culture
KHUNTO Armanda Berta dos Santos
Independent Salvador Soares dos Reis Pires
KHUNTO José Agustinho da Silva
KHUNTO Joaquim José Gusmão dos Reis Martins
Independent Filomeno da Paixão de Jesus

Deputy Ministers

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Party Deputy Minister[note 1] Portrait Portfolio
CNRT Sara Lobo Brites
  • Deputy Minister of Finance
CNRT Abílio José Caetano
  • Deputy Minister of State Administration
    (22 June 2018 – 25 May 2020)[5]
CNRT Élia dos Reis Amaral [de]
  • Deputy Minister of Health
    (22 June 2018 – 3 April 2020)[6]
PLP Bonifácio dos Reis [de]
  • Deputy Minister of Health
KHUNTO João Zacarias Freitas Soares
  • Deputy Minister of Education, Youth and Sports
PLP Signi Verdial
  • Deputy Minister for Social Solidarity
KHUNTO Nicolau Lino Freitas Belo
  • Deputy Minister of Public Works

Secretaries of State

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Party Secretary of State Portrait Portfolio
KHUNTO Julião da Silva
  • Secretary of State of Vocational Training and Employment
CNRT Arsénio Pereira da Silva
  • Secretary of State for Cooperatives
    (22 June 2018 – 25 May 2020)[5]
PLP Demetrio do Amaral de Carvalho
  • Secretary of State for the Environment
PLP Merício Juvenal dos Reis Akara
  • Secretary of State for Social Communications
KHUNTO Mário Ximenes
  • Secretary of State for Land and Property
CNRT Nélio Isaac Sarmento [de]
  • Secretary of State for Youth and Sport
    (22 June 2018 – 25 May 2020)[5]
PLP Teófilo Caldas
  • Secretary of State for Arts and Culture
KHUNTO Gil da Costa Monteiro Oan Soru
  • Secretary of State for the Affairs of Combatants of National Liberation
Independent Alexandrino de Araújo
  • Secretary of State for Civil Protection
PLP Maria José da Fonseca Monteiro de Jesus [de]
  • Secretary of State for Equality and Inclusion

Restructured composition (24 June 2020–1 July 2023)

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The restructured government, 24 June 2020
The restructured government, 24 June 2020

Following a breakdown of the AMP coalition during the first few months of 2020, the government was restructured on 12 May 2020,[4][5] new officials were appointed on 29 May[7][8] and 24 June 2020.[9]

At the swearing-in ceremony held on 29 May 2020, the Prime Minister said that the swearing-in of the government's new members aimed to "ensure the restoration of governing normality".[10] He added that the Government intended:

"... with this reshaping, to pave the way for political stability that allows the contribution and involvement of all Timorese, regardless of the ideology they have, the party of which they are members or the aspirations they have towards the country."[10]

He also said that:

"...the construction of the future of our nation does not dispense with the contribution of any Timorese and it is with awareness of this fact that the Eight Constitutional Government opens itself to the participation of new political forces in an effort of concertation and dialogue that is fundamental to ensure that Timor-Leste and the Timorese can aspire to a more prosperous and happy future."[10]

Since the government's restructure, the Ministers, Deputy Ministers[note 1] and Secretaries of State in the government have been as stated in the tables below.[11][12]

In March 2022, six officials in the government were replaced. The first four replacement officials were sworn in on 22 March 2022,[13][14][15][16] and the remaining two on 31 March 2022.[17] Details of all of those officials, including the dates of their cessation or commencement in office, are included in the tables below.[14][15][16][17]

On 1 July 2023, the government was replaced by the IX Constitutional Government.[18]

Ministers

[edit]
Party Minister Portrait Portfolio
PLP Taur Matan Ruak
KHUNTO Armanda Berta dos Santos
Fretilin José Maria dos Reis
PLP Fidelis Manuel Leite Magalhães
  • Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers
Fretilin Joaquim Amaral
  • Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs
Fretilin Francisco Martins da Costa Pereira Jerónimo
  • Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Social Communication
Fretilin Fernando Hanjam
Independent Rui Augusto Gomes
Fretilin Adaljíza Albertina Xavier Reis Magno
PLP Manuel Cárceres da Costa
Tiago Amaral Sarmento
Fretilin Miguel Pereira de Carvalho
Fretilin Odete Maria Freitas Belo
Fretilin Armindo Maia
  • Minister of Education, Youth and Sport
PLP Longuinhos dos Santos
  • Minister of Higher Education, Science and Culture
PD Júlio Sarmento da Costa "Meta Mali"
  • Minister for the Affairs of National Liberation Combatants
PLP Salvador Soares dos Reis Pires
PLP Abel Pires da Silva
KHUNTO José Agustinho da Silva
Fretilin José Lucas do Carmo da Silva
KHUNTO Pedro dos Reis
Independent Filomeno da Paixão de Jesus
Fretilin Víctor da Conceição Soares

Deputy Ministers

[edit]
Party Deputy Minister[note 1] Portrait Portfolio
Independent Sara Lobo Brites
  • Deputy Minister of Finance
    (22 June 2018 – 22 March 2022)[15][16]
António Freitas [de]
  • Deputy Minister of Finance
    (22 March 2022 – July 2023)[15][16]
KHUNTO Julião da Silva
  • Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation
KHUNTO José Edmundo Caetano
  • Deputy Minister of Justice
Fretilin Lino de Jesus Torrezão
  • Deputy Minister of State Administration
PLP Bonifácio Maucoli dos Reis
  • Deputy Minister of Health
KHUNTO António Guterres
  • Deputy Minister of Education, Youth and Sport
PLP Signi Chandrawati Verdial
  • Deputy Minister of Social Solidarity
KHUNTO Nicolau Lino Freitas Belo
  • Deputy Minister of Public Works
Fretilin Inácia da Conceição Teixeira
  • Deputy Minister of Community and Cultural Tourism
Fretilin Domingos Lopes Antunes
  • Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry
KHUNTO Abílio Xavier de Araújo
  • Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries
KHUNTO António Armindo
  • Deputy Minister of the Interior

Secretaries of State

[edit]
Party Secretary of State Portrait Portfolio
KHUNTO Alarico de Rosário
  • Secretary of State for Vocational Training and Employment
Fretilin Elizário Ferreira
  • Secretary of State for Cooperatives
PLP Demetrio do Amaral de Carvalho
  • Secretary of State for the Environment
PLP Merício Juvenal dos Reis "Akara"
  • Secretary of State for Communications
KHUNTO Mário Ximenes
  • Secretary of State for Land and Property
    (22 June 2018 – 31 March 2022)[17]
KHUNTO Eldino Rodrigues dos Santos [de]
  • Secretary of State for Land and Property
    (22 March 2022 – 1 July 2023)[17]
Fretilin Abrão Saldanha
  • Secretary of State for Youth and Sport
PLP Teófilo Caldas
  • Secretary of State for Arts and Culture
KHUNTO Gil da Costa Monteiro "Oan Soru"
  • Secretary of State for the Affairs of Combatants of National Liberation
    (22 June 2018 – c. 14 March 2022)[14][15][16]
Júlio da Conceição "Loro Mesak"
  • Secretary of State for the Affairs of Combatants of National Liberation
    (22 March 2022 – 1 July 2023)[15][16]
KHUNTO Elídio de Araújo
  • Secretary of State for Fisheries
KHUNTO Joaquim José Gusmão dos Reis Martins
  • Secretary of State for Civil Protection
PLP Maria José da Fonseca Monteiro de Jesus [de]
  • Secretary of State for Equality and Inclusion
    (22 June 2018 – 31 March 2022)[17]
PLP Maria do Rosário Fátima Correia [de]
  • Secretary of State for Equality and Inclusion
    (22 March 2022 – 1 July 2023)[17]

References

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Footnote

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  1. ^ a b c d The Constitution of East Timor provides, in sections 104 and 105, for the appointment of officials referred to in its English language version as "Deputy Ministers". In other English language publications, those officials are commonly referred to as "Vice Ministers", even though the word "Vice", in context, arguably has a different meaning in English from the word "Deputy". In this article, the constitutional expression "Deputy" is used.

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Leach 2018a.
  2. ^ "Primeiro grupo de membros do VIII Governo timorense tomou posse em Díli" [First group of members of the VIII Timorese Government take office in Dili] (in Portuguese). SAPO. 22 June 2018. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  3. ^ "Transitional Ministerial Administration". Government of Timor-Leste. 25 June 2018. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
  4. ^ a b Soares Martins, Evaristo (14 May 2020). "PM Taur Matan Ruak Gains Two Deputies in Government Restructure". Tatoli. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Sanchez, Hortencio (25 May 2020). "Foreign Minister Dionísio Soares Among Five MPs to Resign From Cabinet". Tatoli. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  6. ^ Ximenes, Florencio Miranda; Gusmão, Antónia (6 April 2020). "'I lost my Trust in her': PM Taur Explains Élia Amaral Sacking". Tatoli. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  7. ^ Colo, Cipriano (29 May 2020). "Eight New Members Sworn into TL Cabinet". Tatoli. Archived from the original on 3 June 2020. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  8. ^ "Presidente timorense dá posse a oito novos membros do Governo" [Timorese President swears in eight new members of the Government]. RTP News (in Portuguese). Lusa. 29 May 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  9. ^ "Swearing-In and organic structure of the Eight Constitutional Government". Government of Timor-Leste. 24 June 2020. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  10. ^ a b c "New members of the Government sworn-in". Government of Timor-Leste. 29 May 2020. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  11. ^ "Structure of the VIII Constitutional Government". Government of Timor-Leste. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  12. ^ "Timor-Leste's Eighth Constitutional Government (updated 17 July 2020)". La'o Hamutuk website. La'o Hamutuk: Timor-Leste Institute for Development Monitoring and Analysis. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  13. ^ Gusmão, Antónia (8 March 2022). "Prime Minister Ruak to reshuffle his cabinet in the near future". Tatoli. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  14. ^ a b c Martins, Filomeno (17 March 2022). "Prime Minister Ruak's cabinet reshuffle is underway". Tatoli. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Martins, Filomeno (22 March 2022). "'Lú Olo' calls on newly appointed cabinet members to better serve Timorese people". Tatoli. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Swearing-in of the four new members of Government". Government of Timor-Leste. 22 March 2022. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  17. ^ a b c d e f "Swearing-in of two new Secretaries of State". Government of Timor-Leste. 31 March 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  18. ^ Martins, Filomeno (29 June 2023). "Gusmão presents list of members of next Govt to President Horta". Tatoli. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  19. ^ a b "Lú Olo swearing-in of the New Minister of Finance Rui Gomes". Tatoli website. Tatoli. 23 November 2020. Retrieved 28 November 2020.

Further reading

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