DILI, 03 december 2020 (TATOLI)— To protect public health in Timor-Leste, The Government requested that the National Parliament (PN) authorise the President of Republic, Francisco Guterres Lú Olo to issue the level eighth instalment of State of Emergency.
“The Government is here today at National Parliament to request the extension of the State of Emergency, which will ensure the closure of borders and restrictions to entrance points. The State of emergency also includes mandatory quarantine to people arriving from abroad and also those who test positive to the disease should being sent into isolation centres. The nation will continue with social distance, wearing masks, washing hands and charges for those who make the legal movement trough the borders,” Prime Minister, Taur Matan Ruak at the Plenary today.
Following the results from the World Health Organisation (WHO), the coronavirus cases have been surging across the 216 countries and have affected 64.4 million people around the world, 41.4 have been recovered from the virus and around 1.4 million fatalities.
Speaking today, the mentioned that, Timor-Leste is blessed with the effort from the entire population and capability of identifying all the infected cases transported from outside the country and make the proper treatment in the isolation centre and avoid the local transmission within the communities.
“These measures can have had positive outcomes, when we have limited the right for international circulation, freedom of circulation and the retention of the residences through the policy given by the public authority, and this is only possible if we renew the state of Emergency,” PM said.
COVID-19 has not taken the life of any citizens in Timor-Leste; thus, the Government needs to continue to ensure it is epidemiological vigilant to prevent and reduce the possibility of importing the virus.
With this reasoning, the Prime Minister requested for the members of Parliament to authorise the Presidential issue for the State of Emergency for another 30 days.
The Previous State of Emergency was issued on November 4 at 00:00 until December 3, 23:59.
And the renewal of the eighth State of Emergency will commence on December 4 at 00:00 am until January 2, 23:59.
Journalist: Florencio Miranda Ximenes
Editor: Julia Chatarina/Nick Kettle
