DILI, 26 september 2023 (TATOLI)– Acting Prime Minister, Mariano Asanami Sabino, appointed the Minister of Public Works to lead a task force team to reorganize the clean water management system across Timor-Leste.
Mariano Asanami Sabino said that this was the initial process of forming a task force team to reorganize the clean water supply system. This task force team aims to coordinate between ministries in handling the water management system and ensure that all communities and institutions can access clean water to meet their daily needs.
“Today we appointed the Minister of Public Works to lead this task force. All ministries must coordinate with the Ministry of Public Works regarding water supply issues,” Asanami told reporters at the Ministry of Public Works, Caicoli, this Tuesday.
He added that forming the team was a political decision. However, the technical decision will be the responsibility of the Minister of Public Works through BTL.EP.
Likewise, Minister of Public Work, Samuel Marçal said MoPW takes importance to providing a water management system.
“We request a water task force team to respond to the water management system. We have many of water debit, however, we manage system to ensure all community can access to clean water,’’ He said
Vice Minister for Institutional Strengthening, José Dos Reis Magno, said Timor-Leste has 418 health facilities, including six hospitals, health centers 62, and health posts 340 centers, but some health facilities still lack clean water.
“There are 46 health posts across territories of Timor-Leste that still do not have access to clean water. Ministry of Health always advocates to people that health is our responsibility but is several health centers still running out of clean water,”
In the same place, Deputy Minister of State of Administration, Jacinto Rigoberto, said water is essential to support people’s daily lives.
“Clean water is very important for everyone and to respond to people’s needs the government established a special task force to manage clean water for all people across Timor-Leste,’’ he concluded
The task force is composed of the Minister of Public Work (MoPW), the Minister of State of Administration (MoSA), the Minister of Agriculture (MoA), the Minister of Health (MoH), the Minister of Education (MoE), the Secretary of State for Forest (SoSF) together with BTL and PNTL established a task force for the water management system.
National Rural Development Program (PNDS) has so far implemented a clean water supply from 2013 to 2023 and has installed clean water for 970 villages across TL. In 2021 there are 127 clean water projects and in 2022, 183 projects.
Meanwhile, the task force team will be introduced to the council minister to be approved for a clean water management system.
Journalist: José Belarmino De Sá
Editor: Rafael Belo
