تيمور - ليشتي

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF TIMOR-LESTE

NATIONAL PARLIAMENT

Law No. 2/2003 Of 10 March

AMENDING UNTAET REGULATION NO. 6/2002, ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PUBLIC BROADCASTING SERVICE OF EAST TIMOR

UNTAET Regulation on the Establishment of the Public Broadcasting Service of East Timor vests the Transitional Administrator with the power to unilaterally appoint the members of the Board of Directors of the Public Broadcasting Service, through lists of previously nominated candidates;

The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste is now a sovereign and independent State, its organs of sovereignty have been legitimately and democratically established, and the Constitution states, in its section 165, that laws and regulations in force in East Timor shall continue to be applicable to all matters except to the extent that they are inconsistent with the Constitution or the principles contained therein, as long as such laws and regulations are not altered or repealed.

Under the terms of section 92 of the Constitution, the National Parliament enacts the following that shall have the force of law:

Single Section

Section 7 of UNTAET Regulation No. 6/2002 of 9 May, on the Establishment of the Public Broadcasting Service of East Timor, shall now read as follows:

Section 7 (Board of Directors)

1. The Public Broadcasting Service shall have a Board of Directors that shall have overall responsibility for determining the policies and for ensuring the accountability of the Public Broadcasting Service.

2. The Board of Directors shall seek to ensure that the Public Broadcasting Service responds to the needs and interests of the people of Timor-Leste.

3. The Board of Directors shall not interfere with the day-to-day management of the Public Broadcasting Service or with the editorial independence of the Managing Director and his or her staff.

4. The Board of Directors shall consist of nationals who shall possess qualifications, expertise or experience in broadcasting, economics, education, law, business, finance or public administration.

5. Qualified women candidates should be given special attention.

6. The Board of Directors shall consist of five (5) members as follows:

(a) one appointed by the President of the Republic; (b) one elected by the National Parliament; (c) one appointed by the Government; (d) one elected by journalists from the public television broadcasting service; (e) one elected by journalists from the public radio broadcasting service.

7. The Chairperson of the Board of Directors shall be appointed by the Government from among the members of the Board of Directors.

8. Decisions of the Board of Directors shall be taken by simple majority of the members present and voting, after establishing the necessary quorum of three (3) members.

Approved on 19 December 2002

The Speaker of the National Parliament, Francisco Guterres ‘Lu-Olo’

Promulgated on 24 December 2002 To be published.

The President of the Republic, José Alexandre Gusmão, ‘Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão’