Chief Judge Ximenes says more resources needed for Audit and Fiscal Court to help combat corruption in Timor-Leste

More human resources needed to establish Audit Court: Claudio Ximenes Diario Nacional, March 2, 2010     language source: Tetun -  The president of the Court of Appeal, Claudio Ximenes, said Monday (1/3) that in the near future Timor-Leste will have its own fiscal and audit court to deal with the use of the state’s budget however he noted that more human resources are needed in order to have an effective audit court.

“The work of an audit court is to control the use of the state budget and it is an important means of controlling corruption,” he said.

Mr. Ximenes added that the process of establishing an audit and fiscal court is ongoing as human and other related resources are being prepared.

He said that many things have to be done since there is huge gap of human resources in the area of justice in the country.

The President of the Republic Jose Ramos Horta called a meeting with Mr. Ximenes and the Prosecutor General to assess the possibility of establishing the court.

Recently parliamentarians called for an establishment of an audit and fiscal court as an effective means of dealing with corruption, along with other state institutions like anti-corruption commission, the office of ombudsman, and general inspectorate.

Also: Appellate Court President met President Horta about problems they faceSuara Timor Lorosa’e, March 2, 2010   language source: Tetun - The Timorese Appellate Court President, Claudio Ximenes, Has met with the President Jose Ramos Horta to inform him about the problem faced by the Court and the Prosecutors.

“I am here to inform President Horta about the problem faced by the court and prosecutors as we are lack of human resource and the other problem that hamper prosecutor to conduct their work in the field,” Mr. Ximenes said.

Mr. Ximenes added that the process in the court is going on well at this time, but it is important to the Government to improve human resource in the court for a better future.

Mr. Ximenes also said that it is important to the Government to set up an administrative and audit court in the country in order to control the budget execution by the Government.