1. Cabinet has taken note of a proposal of the Sugar Industry Labour Welfare Fund to extend its scholarship scheme for children of sugar and ex-dock workers to cover also studies at Post-Graduate level at the University of Mauritius.
Under this scheme, up to 5 scholarships at Post Graduate level will be awarded annually. Each scholar will be entitled to the refund of library and registration fees and an allowance of Rs 60,000 for the course.
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2. Cabinet has considered the Report of the Committee on Reforms in the Civil Service and taken note of the recommendations made therein. The Report will be studied further and the different implications of the recommendations analysed.
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3. Cabinet has agreed to the introduction into the National Assembly of the National Archives Bill which will modernise the law relating to the management, conservation, acquisition and disposal of archives.
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4. Cabinet has agreed to the introduction into the National Assembly of the Ilois Welfare Fund Bill to provide for the social and economic welfare of members of the Ilois Community. The Bill also provides for the Ilois Trust Fund to be dissolved and for its assets and liabilities to be transferred to the Welfare Fund.
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5. Cabinet has given its agreement to a proposal of the World Meteorological Organisation to host the 14th Session of the World Meteorological Organisation Regional Association for Africa Tropical Cyclone Committee and a Public Weather Service Workshop in Mauritius in September this year.
The Committee which groups member countries of the South-West Indian Ocean Region, namely, Mauritius, Botswana, Comoros, France(Reunion), Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Seychelles, Swaziland, Tanzania and Zimbabwe, ensures , amongst other, an efficient and effective Tropical Cyclone Training System in each individual country and in the region.
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6. Government has taken note of the grant of Certificates of Registration to five new small and medium enterprises as recommended by the Small and Medium Industries Development Committee.
It is expected that these projects will give rise to investment in production equipment of approximately Rs 814,000 and create around 24 new jobs.
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7. Cabinet has agreed to a proposal of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Technology and Natural Resources to redefine the Boundaries of the Northern Plaines Irrigation Project Stage II. The exercise will allow release of land which can be put to alternative uses. In the first instance it is proposed to release part of land found on the left hand side of the Northern Motorway outside Port Louis.
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8. Cabinet has agreed to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Technology and Natural Resources signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on co-operation in the field of agriculture and allied sectors with the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
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9. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the second round of bilateral air services talks held with the Austrian Authorities and has given its agreement on a draft text of a Bilateral Air Services Agreement to be entered with the Authorities. Pending the conclusion of the Agreement, Air Mauritius had been authorised to operate a weekly flight on the Mauritius-Vienna Route, on a temporary basis, in joint venture with Austrian Airlines.
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10. Cabinet has been apprised of the recommendations made by two experts from the International Animal Rescue based in the UK and also the measures that are being taken in the light of these recommendations to combat the problem of stray dogs.
Government, however, relies on the collaboration of the NGOs and the public for the successful implementation of these measures.
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11. Cabinet has taken note of a proposal to appoint Mr, Gopal Bhujan on the Advisory Council for Occupational Safety, Health and Welfare which is under the aegis of the Ministry of Labour & Industrial Relations.
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12. Cabinet has taken note of the reconstitution of the Board of the MSIRI for the year 1999.
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13. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the recent mission of the Attorney-General, Minister of Justice, Human Rights & Corporate Affairs to Trinidad and Tobago to attend the 1999 Commonwealth Law Ministers Meeting from 5 to 7 May, 1999.