1.Cabinet has agreed that the Civil Aviation Act 1974 and the Civil Aviation Regulations 1986 be reviewed in the wake of a Safety Oversight Audit carried out by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in 1996. The Safety Oversight Audit had, among other things, recommended a review of the existing civil aviation legislation to strengthen the regulatory functions of the Civil Aviation Department taking into consideration the extensive development in civil aviation. The revised legislation will -
(i)enable the Civil Aviation Department to discharge its regulatory functions more effectively in the new civil aviation environment; and
(ii)take care of the development and changes in the fields of civil aviation and international air transport by incorporating ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPS) emanating therefrom.
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2.Cabinet has approved in principle a project for the installation of a coastal surveillance system for Mauritius, Rodrigues, Agalega and St Brandon. Under the project, a network of coordinated surveillance through radar and satellite technology, will enable control over our coastal and part of our Exclusive Economic Zone.This radar surveillance project was one of the areas of technical cooperation discussed during the Prime Minister's visit to India in July 1998. Cabinet has agreed that discussion be opened up with Indian Authorities to follow up the project.
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3. Cabinet has approved the introduction into the National Assembly of the Code Napoleon (Amendment) Bill. The object of the Bill is to:
(i) ensure strict equality between husband and wife in respect of the legal administration of the property of their minor children and in the administration of the property belonging to the legal community of goods existing between them;
(ii) the administration of a married woman's personal property and the right to alienate same shall be exercised by the married woman herself; and
(iii) a "cautionnement" subscribed by a husband shall not affect the property belonging to the community of goods which may exist between himself and his wife.
The proposed amendments will thus, remove discrimination that still subsist in the Code Napoleon and will protect the rights of the family, particularly of children. They are in line with the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women to which Mauritius is a party since 1985, the Declaration on Human Rights and the Convention of the Rights of the Child.
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4.Cabinet has agreed to the lease of 68A00 of State land to the Sugar Investment Trust(SIT) for the setting up of a Water Park and Leisure Resort Development Project at Belle Mare. The project will provide quality leisure-time to Mauritian families thus improving the lifestyle. Among other attractions, the project will include a wreckship, waterfalls, rivers, lakes, children and adult activity pools as well as all support facilities such as food courts and snack bars. The first stage of the project is estimated at Rs 125M and some 75 jobs will be created.
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5.Cabinet has agreed to the grant of two Export Enterprise Certificates and two Pioneer Status Enterprise Certificates under the Industrial Expansion Act 1993. The two projects under the Export Enterprise Scheme relate to the manufacture of garments and jewellery whereas the two projects under the Pioneer Status Scheme concern software development in relation to the use of smart card and the provision of electroplating services. These projects involve a total investment of Rs 10M and the creation of employment opportunities for some 45 persons.
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6.Cabinet has taken note that the Ministry for Rodrigues will organise a "Festival Kreol" in Rodrigues from 23 October to 1 November 1999 in the context of the "Journee Internationale Creole" which is celebrated every year on 28 October.
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7.Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the participation of the Minister of Local Government in a regional seminar on local government and information sharing among SADC countries from 25 to 27 July 1999 in South Africa.
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8.Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the mission of the Minister of Agriculture, Food Technology and Natural Resources in Brussels and Rome. In Brussels he participated in the ACP Ministerial Consultations on Sugar whereas in Rome he signed a loan agreement with IFAD for an amount of US $11.17M for financing the Mauritius Rural Diversification Programme.
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9.Cabinet has taken note of the reconstitution of the Opticians Registration Board under the chairmanship of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life for a period of one year as from August 1999.
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10.Cabinet has taken note of the main findings and recommendations of a study conducted by the Commonwealth Secretariat on SMEs in Mauritius.
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11.Cabinet has taken note of the reconstitution of the Board of the National Transport Authority under the chairmanship of Mr. Hunchun Gunesh
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12.Cabinet has taken note of the constitution of the Non Governmental Organisation Trust Fund Committee under the Chairmanship of Mrs Lalita Suteeram.
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