The Ministry of Justice (MJ) has begun to submit proposals to its NGO development partners, requesting funds to establish judicial clinics in 13 districts.
Minister of Justice Dionisio Soares Babo said recently during a discussion of the 2014 general state budget, the ministry had made a proposal to the National Parliament in order to get funds but that proposal had failed.
“Therefore now the National Directorate of Human Rights has already made a proposal to submit to the development partners,” Ministry Babo said in Colmera, Dili.
He explained the judicial clinics were places which would provide support and aid to community members who wants to know about Timor-Leste’s laws.
When the government received money from donors and the program had started to work, he said the Ministry will ask again for state money in order to continue the program into the future.
President of Commission A (constitutions, justice, public administration, local authority and anti-corruption issues) MP Carmelita Moniz put her support behind the program which she said was a good initiative.
She recognized that there was no money in the 2014 general budget for the program, but urged the ministry to find an alternative way to implement the program.
“If it works properly and shows significant process, then we will see to allocate the budget to this program,” the President of Commission A said.
