Decentralization Policy in Timor-Leste´s Status

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By looking at Timor-Leste’s status quo of social, political, and economic conditions since the independence, it has been true to the fact that unemployment is rampant, social service is ineffective, societal basic need is insufficient, and poverty is increasing. The government has attempted to implement decentralization, hoping to escape from these issues. The decentralization policy that was presented by the Ministry of State Administration is considered a remedy. At the outset of decentralization draft in 2006, Timor-Leste’s national leaders, local leaders, such as sub-district and district administrators, and government agencies have been working together to implement decentralization. This essay focuses on brief details of the decentralization policy in Timor-Leste, the importance of the policy, and issues regarding the policy. The implementation of the decentralization policy might positively impact political authority, social well-being, and economic status of Timor-Leste, along with possible challenges that might be faced at the initial implementation.
The decentralization policy was formulated by the Minister of State Administration with the help of other government agencies. A year after independence in 2002, the government planned to implement decentralization in order to establish a strong, democratic, and efficient local-based government. The policy states that “[t]he law proposal shall include provision and criteria for the establishment of new municipalities in the future” (2) . These multiple jurisdictions are characterized with numerous objectives. According to the policy orientation guidelines presented by the Ministry of State Administration, the policy “[p]romotes the institutions of a strong, legitimate, and ...

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...h municipalities. A simultaneous establishment of municipalities across the country requires more and more tangible materials to build them. This means that national budget that needs to be allocated for resources and materials in building constructions and setting up administration will be a vast amount.

The decentralization policy that was proposed by Timor-Leste’s Ministry of State Administration transforms political structure from centralized to decentralized authority, it impacts social life through equal distribution of public goods and service across the nations. To some extent, it deals with the economic issues though local government subsidies to fund sustainable agriculture. However, despite the benefits of implementation of the decentralization policy, there are challenges that yet to be faced when it comes to the initial implementation.

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