DILI, 22 april 2022 (TATOLI) – The Ministry of Petroleum and Minerals (MoPM) would implement the fossil fuel subsidy next week, following the promulgation of the decree-law on fossil fuel subsidy, presented by the Government of Timor-Leste to solve the rising petrol price in the country.
The government of Timor-Leste, through the meeting of the Council of Ministers (CoM), approved, on april 13, the draft deliberation presented by Minister of Petroleum and Minerals, Víctor da Conceição Soares, regarding the fossil fuel subsidy for the public transport operators, including land, water, and air transport, to stabilize the petrol prices in Timor-Leste.
On april 19, the President of the Republic, Francisco Guterres ‘Lú Olo, approved the decree-law on the fossil fuel subsidy, presented by the government as an immediate action to lower the price paid by the fossil consumers in the country.
“Next week, our public transport operators would receive the vouchers for the fossil fuel subsidy,” Minister of Petroleum and Minerals, Víctor da Conceição Soares made the comments at his office, in Bebora, Dili, yesterday.
He said the implementation of the subsidy required the collaboration between the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MoTC), the Ministry of Petroleum and Minerals (MoPM), the Ministry of Tourism, Trade, and Industry (MoTTI), the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MoAF) and etc.
“Each ministry would carry out its work. Such as, MoTTI would regulate the petrol and diesel prices in the country, meanwhile MoPM would be responsible for controlling the petrol and diesel price distributors to not make up prices,” he said.
Soares informed that MoAF would soon receive the list of the farmers and fishers who required the subsidy to run their agricultural and fisheries activities.
Moreover, MoTC would also soon submit a list of all registered public transport, including minibuses (microlete), taxis, buses, and etc.
“Today, we have a line ministries meeting, and each ministry would produce a diploma for the implementation of the fossil fuel subsidy,” he stressed.
The subsidy would be distributed through vouchers, and the National Petroleum and Minerals Authority (ANPM) is currently preparing it.
Soares said that ANPM would identify a number of petrol stations that would receive the vouchers.
“We need the list of the farmers and fishers from MoAF and the list of public transport operators from MoTC for us to produce the vouchers,” he added.
Previously, Interim Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Rui Augusto Gomes said that the war in Ukraine led to a substantial increase in the fuel prices in the country. Therefore, the government wanted to stabilize the petrol prices to prevent any harmful consequences to the economy and the people of Timor-Leste.
Journalist: Arminda Fonseca
Editor: Julia Chatarina/ Nelia Borges Rosario
Translation: Filomeno Martins
