USAID Timor-Leste - Programs

Johanes Naro receives one-on-one mentoring from FMTS trainor.

Johanes Naro (sitting, right) receives one-on-one mentoring from FMTS trainor. Photo by MSD

Graduates of the USAID-funded specialized training for financial administrators of various justice institutions with guests of honor USAID Representative Mark A. White, Minister of Justice Lucia Lobato and U.S. Ambassador Hans G. Klemm.

Graduates of the USAID-funded specialized training for financial administrators of various justice institutions, with guests of honor USAID Representative Mark A. White, Minister of Justice Lucia Lobato and U.S. Ambassador Hans G. Klemm. Photo by MSD

USAID Financial Training Helps
Justice Institutions Spend Money Well (November 30, 2008)

Challenge

According to the Ministry of Finance Annual Budget Report for 2004-2005, the Ministry of Justice executed only 37 percent of its total budget allocation during the period. This was largely due to the administrators’ lack of skills to monitor their agencies’ budget utilization. Low budget performance by a Government office, especially one as crucial as the Justice Ministry, has serious consequences for the delivery of public services.

Initiative

In 2006, USAID developed the Financial Management Training and Support Program (FMTS), a specialized financial training course for justice institutions to develop and execute sound budget plans. It is an extensive, two-year course covering budget execution, financial reporting, operational planning and budget development, and asset management. Office equipment and supplies were also provided to ensure that the financial administrators have the proper tools to perform their work.

Result

Twenty-one finance and administrative staff of Timor-Leste’s justice institutions graduated from the FMTS course on October 10, 2008, in a ceremony attended by the Minister of Justice Lucia Lobato, U.S. Ambassador Hans G. Klemm, and USAID Representative Mark Anthony White. The graduates included Johanes Naro, financial administrator of the Court of Appeal. Naro had developed a monitoring tool that helps him get up-to-date and accurate information on the budget executed by the Court of Appeal and the District Courts. In September 2008, Naro, together with Judge Maria Natercia of the Dili District Court, presented to the National Parliament the Court of Appeal’s 2008 supplemental budget. “The Parliament approved our request. They were impressed that we had a thorough presentation, complete with graphic illustrations. I am deeply thankful to our FMTS trainers for this,” Naro said.

Ministry of Justice Director-General Crisogno da Costa Neto has this to say about the USAID initiative: "Following the training, the Ministry can now plan the budget better, execute the budget in accordance to proper procedures, and prepare budget reports."

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