DILI, 26 may 2023 (TATOLI) – The Speaker of the National Parliament, Aniceto Guterres, said that due to the fact that the mandate of the current MPs is coming to an end, there would not be enough time to review and amend the lifetime pensions laws.
Guterres made the comments after he met with the President of the Republic, José Ramos Horta, at the President’s Palace, in Dili, today.
With their mandate coming to an end, the current MPs will not be able to accelerate the review and amendment of the lifelong pension laws.
He said it was up to the new parliament to alter the laws: “A new initiative is needed.”
Guterres stressed that in order to alter the laws, the new government could also present its proposal for the amendment of the laws.
The lifelong pensions laws were promulgated by the current President of the Republic, José Ramos Horta, during his first five-year mandate, in 2007.
The laws continued to be controversial and some political parties, in their 2023 election campaigns still promised to alter the laws.
Every year, Timor-Leste spends tens of thousands of US dollars of public funds to pay these pensions.
Therefore, the majority of the Timorese people continue to protest against this unjust law, as the money could be spent on something else that could benefit many people who still live below the poverty line.
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia Borges
