Last week President Francisco Lu Olo Guterres led a three-day budgetary hearing cycle where he consulted with legal experts, political leaders, parliamentary benches, religious denominations, youth organisations and nongovernmental and academics organisations.

Guterres has said that he recognises the importance of the high-spend budget and that it presents difficult decisions. 

Since the budget was not promulgated by the start of 2019, the Government is regulating spending according to the duodecimal system, through which it can spend a twelfth of the amount appropriated for 2018 during each month of 2019.

On 9 January, the Council of Ministers approved duodecimal spending for January 2019.

The total enacted budget for 2019 includes: $ 214 million for salaries and benefits, $ 473m for goods and services, $1,013m for public transfers (including $650m for Greater Sunrise), $   29m for minor capital, $ 313m for development capital (without borrowing), and $ 87m in borrowed money for development capital.

The President’s state advisors include: Eduardo de Deus Barreto 'Dusae', José Cornélio Guterres no Arcangelo de Jesus Gouveia Leite, which was chosen by the National Parliament while the others were elected by the President themselves: Kay rala Xanana Gusmão, ex-Prezidente Repúblika José Ramos Horta, Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak, President Parliament National Arão Noé de Jesus, Eduardo de Deus Barreto 'Dusae', Aurora Ximenes, José Cornélio Guterres, Arcângelo de Jesus Gouveia Leite, José dos Santos 'Naimori' Bucar, Lima Lima, Faustino Godinho Gonçalves da Costa, Alcino de Araújo Barris, Maria Dadi Soares Magno and Laura Soares Abrantes.

The President has 30 days to veto or enact the proposed budget.