Timor-Leste

Timor-Leste has a population of around 1.1 million which is growing at an estimated average rate of 2.4 per cent per year. Its GDP per capita is USD $3,100 (2011 est.).

The official languages of Timor-Leste are Tetum and Portuguese, while English and Indonesian are working languages.

Timor-Leste achieved formal independence on 20 May 2002. Timor-Leste’s independence resulted from the August 1999 UN-sponsored referendum.

The legal basis of the Timorese Civil Service are Law No 8 of 2004 (Civil Service Act, 16 June 2004) and – Law No 7 of 2009 (Civil Service Commission Act, 15 Jul 2009).

The President of Public Service Commission is Mr Liborio Pereira and its Chief Executive Officer/Secretary of Public Service Commission: is Ms Maria de Jesus Sarmento.  Total Public Sector Employment is 27,568 and the salaries and wages bill constitutes (8.9%) of total operating expenses of the state.

Areas of focus in strategic priorities for 2012 – 2015:

• Capacity Development of all civil servants and public service institutions
• Leadership Development in the Public Service
• Promotion of civil service values and driving cultural change
• Development of a Performance Management framework
• Development of national talents to replace reliance on international technical assistance
• Embedding Portuguese and Tetum as the official languages of the Timor Leste Public Service

The key activities to be implemented include:

• Portuguese and Tetum Literacy Development Program for public servants
• New headquarters for Public Service Commission
• Establishment and maintenance of a national civil service database
• Human resources development program
• Workforce planning to achieve a balance in the number of public servants, mix of competencies and gender
• Structural and functional reviews of the public service

The President of the Public Service Commission and his delegation have observer status at the Pacific Public Service Commissioners’ Conference.

Website of Timor Leste Public Service Commission: http://timor-leste.gov.tl