1. Cabinet has agreed to the Passport & Immigration Office granting a visa for three months on arrival to the nationals of South American countries, namely, Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Paraguay, subject to their satisfying the usual conditions.
Such a measure will help to do away with time consuming and cumbersome visa formalities for the nationals of these countries and at the same time boost up tourist arrivals.
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2. Cabinet has agreed to the introduction into the National Assembly of the Medical Council Bill, 1999 and the Dental Council Bill 1999.
The objects of the Bills are to make better provision with regard to the composition and functions of the Councils and discharge of those functions. Provision has also been made for the setting up of a Medical Disciplinary Tribunal.
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3. Cabinet has agreed to the setting up of a Trust Fund for overseas treatment to assist financially patients requiring overseas treatment. The Fund will be operated under the aegis of the Ministry of Health and Qualiity of Life.
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4. Cabinet has approved the grant of 4 Export Enterprise Certificates and 3 Pioneer Status Enterprise Certificates under the Industrial Expansion Act, 1993.
Investment will be made inter alia in the fields of manufacture of high quality decorative objects, antique furniture, fibre glass canopies for double cab vehicles, recycling of plastic waste, data processing and for software development.
The implementation of these projects would create some 670 job opportunities and would entail investment amounting to around Rs 85 Million.
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5. Cabinet has taken note of the water situation in the country and its impact on the economy and has approved the implementation of a series of measures to ensure as far as possible an adequate water supply to the population. These measures relate to reduction of water losses in the distribution network and prompt repairs of leaks; the continuation of the aggressive save water campaign at all level; enforcement of legislation to prevent the use of water for wasteful purposes and increasing the fleet of water tankers.
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6. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the visit to Mauritius from 31 May to 4 June 1999 of a five-member delegation from the European Commission in the context of the implementation of rules of origin under the Lome IV Convention.
The objectives of the mission were fully achieved and the delegation was highly appreciative of the mechanisms and procedures in place in Mauritius to ensure full compliance with the Lome rules of origin and to preclude any circumvention of trade.
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7. Cabinet has been apprised of the steps taken by the Ministry for Civil Service Affairs & Administrative Reform to the concept of Quality and Excellence in the public sector. In this respect a Public Sector Initiatives for Excellence project was launched in April 1999. An executive presentation of the project was held for Permanent Secretaries, Supervising Officers, Chief Executives and Heads of Public Sector Organisations. A series of workshops will be held for Middle Managers. A PSIE Office has been set up at that Ministry to monitor implementation.
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8. Cabinet has taken note of –
(i) the developments which have taken place with regard to the Report of the Standing Committee on Reforms in the Civil Service. A steering Committee for the implementation of the reform plans will be set up under the chairmanship of Mr Dan Bundhoo, Executive Director, Corporate Affairs at Rogers and Co. Ltd;
(ii) the setting up of a Public Enterprise Unit in the Ministry of Finance to formulate policies and guidelines pertaining to the management of public sector enterprises in preparation of strategic plans, performance improvement and evaluation, standardisation of the Accounting system and Human Resource Management.
(iii) the reconstitution of the Road Transport Advisory Board under the chairmanship of Mr W.J.A. Pydiah;
(iv) the composition of the Management Committee of the Trust Fund for the social Integration of Vulnerable groups under the chairmanship of the Acting Financial Secretary;
(v) the outcome of the participation of the Minister for Civil Service Affairs & Administrative Reform in the World Conference on Governance held in Philipines from 31 May to 4 June 1999.
(vi) the outcome of the participation of the Minister of Tourism and Leisure to the Annual Meeting of Ministers of Tourism of the SADC held in Windhoek, Namibia on 2 June 1999. The next meeting of Ministers will be held in Mozambique in the year 2000.
(vii) the reconstitution of the Nursing Council of Mauritius for the years 1999 – 2002.
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