Dili, 18 August 2025 – The Deputy Ombudsman for Good Governance, R igoberto Monteiro, opened a quadrilateral training program on “Preventing and Combating Corruption to Promote Good Governance and Protect Human Rights in Public Administration.” The three-day training, held at the Infordepe Hall in Balide, Dili, brings together 30 directors and heads of departments from the Ministry of Education.
In his remarks, Deputy Ombudsman Monteiro stressed the importance of this training in shaping the character, mindset, and professionalism of public officials. “It is crucial to continuously reflect on our responsibilities as public servants, to strengthen our character and mentality, and to serve our nation with competence, integrity, and commitment,” he said.
Monteiro noted that although Timor-Leste has been independent for 25 years, significant challenges remain. “We still face gaps in education, basic school infrastructure, health services, and public facilities. Malnutrition rates are high, social protection for our elderly is still insufficient, and access to dignified public services remains limited. These are issues we all witness in our communities,” he explained.
He underlined the role of public officials as key agents of transformation, implementation, and accountability in delivering the State’s core functions. “The Constitution assigns three essential duties to the State: to protect its people, to fulfil fundamental rights, and to respect citizens’ freedoms. In this context, public officials, whether ministers, members of parliament, or civil servants, must embody these principles in their daily work,” Monteiro said.
The Deputy Ombudsman also warned against abuses of power and maladministration in public service delivery. “Sometimes, when we hold leadership positions, we ignore laws or misuse our authority. This leads to poor service delivery, such as delays in issuing citizenship cards, long hospital queues, or lack of medicines in health posts, not because medicines don’t exist, but because of distribution failures. Political favouritism and group-based appointments in public administration also remain concerns that must be addressed,” he stated.
According to Monteiro, PDHJ monitoring and studies consistently reveal these shortcomings. “Public service assessments show systemic weaknesses. For example, when PDHJ collected data on health centres nationwide, medicines were available in Dili, but often absent in remote posts, a clear sign of poor administration rather than lack of resources,” he explained.
The training, jointly facilitated by PDHJ, the Anti-Corruption Commission (CAC), the Civil Service Commission (KFP), and the Inspector General of State (IGE), aims to strengthen institutional cooperation and build the capacity of ministry officials to prevent and combat corruption, promote good governance, and protect human rights in public administration.
Representing the Ministry of Education, Director General for Administration and Finance, Cecilia M. Belo de Asis, thanked the four institutions for their collaboration. She expressed confidence that the training would enhance officials’ knowledge and equip them to carry out their duties with greater integrity and professionalism.
This post is also available in: Tetun