National Development Party leader demands investigation of Minister of Finance

TRANSLATION FROM TETUM

CJITL Flash (28 June 2010) - The president of the National Development Party, Fernando Gusmao has said that the Minister of Finance be investigated in relation to the Referendum Package money, in the amount of $3 million that is suspected of having been lost in that Ministry.

 “There has to be an investigation of Finance to know what is the truth,” the former Social Democratic Party MP stated recently at the National Parliament.

 “Those of us on the outside do not know whether in reality this money was lost, and for this reason we have to demand an investigation in order to know who lost it and how.”

Fernando also appealed changes in the financial management  in that ministry, because this ministry is like the main door for the nation’s budget and for the people of this country.

The former head of the PSD parliamentary group criticized the deputy Prime Minister for Administration and State Management, Mario Viegas Carrascalao, saying that he should not just talk, but should act in some way in relation to the information regarding the money that was lost in Emilia Pires’ office.

 “If Mr. Carrascalao said that the money has been lost, it is because he has this information, but it has to be investigated whether he knew more,” affirmed the leader of this new party.

FRETILIN MP Inacio Moreira, who has previously spoken out a great deal on the three million lost in the Ministry of Finance, exhorted the competent authorities to undertake an independent investigation. 

“Previously, we in the opposition have already spoken out about this, but there was no one willing listen to us and demand an immediate investigation by the Anti Corruption Commission, or to demand Xanana order an investigation.”

Responding to these concerns, the Minister for Finance, Emilia Pires, rejected that an amount of $3 million had been lost in her office on 23 June 2010 in the Council of Ministers meeting room.

“This information is not correct,” Emilia Pires said.

She also rejected that $3 million were taken away from Timor by a Macau citizen, that was designated towards the Referendum Package Program. (Thomas/CJITL)