DÍLI, August 17, 2020 (TATOLI) – The Director-General of Social Solidarity and Inclusion (MSSI), Rui Manuel Gago Exposto, said the second period of backdated payments for eligible families across the 12 districts in Timor-Leste would continue until the end of this month.
According to Mr Exposto, the MSSI team identified several households’ that were not on the list during the first period of backdated payments.
“We will give priority to those families whose names were not on the list during the first period of backdated payments, and they will be included in the payment of the second phase at the end of August,” the Director Exposto told Tatoli at his office in Caicoli, Dili.
Mr Exposto recalled that there were 16.000 households complained about not having access to the government’s $200 payments.
According to him, these complaints did not make sense, but the Ministry of State Administration (MEA) will be responsible and perform the verification of all data recorded.
“our part, we have done everything to accomplish the payments. However, a large number of irregularities were recorded,” he said.
For this reason, he said, if the payment is not finalised by the end of August, the deadline of fees may be extended to next the month to solve the cases that may generate more confusion.
He added that MSSI needs to thoroughly verify, evaluate and analyse all complaints based on data before payments are made.
The amount of the budget allocated to make the second backdated payments is enough to make payments for the second period.
Journalist: Osoria Marques
Editor: Cancio Ximenes/Nick Kettle
Translation: Nelia Borges
