1. Cabinet has agreed to an amendment being brought to the Employment (Non-Citizens) (Restriction) Exemptions Regulations 1970, with a view to granting exemption from the requirement of a work permit to male non-citizen spouses of female Mauritian citizens.
As at present only expatriate wives of Citizens of Mauritius are entitled to exemption from the requirement of a work permit. This situation is in conflict with Section 16 of the Constitution under which ‘discrimination’ includes ‘sex-discrimination’.
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2. Government agreed to the 12 additional laureates proclaimed under the ex-Australian Laureate Scheme in February this year, being financed to the tune of up to Rs 500,000 per year per student for undergraduate course of up to four years’ duration in any university abroad.
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3. Cabinet has taken note of the grant of Certificates of Registration to 9 new small and medium enterprises as recommended by the Small and Medium Industries Development Committee.
It is expected that these enterprises will give rise to investment in production equipment of approximately Rs 3.5 million and create around 71 new jobs.
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4. Cabinet has taken note of the fruitful discussions that were held here with a Fact-Finding Mission from Quebec. This Mission is a follow-up of earlier discussions between the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister of Quebec in Davos. A draft Framework Agreement on Cooperation between the Governments is now under consideration.
The following areas of possible cooperation have been identified Health, Education, Public Administration, Transport, Fisheries and Co-operatives.
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5. Cabinet has agreed to the introduction into the National Assembly of the Additional Remuneration Bill 1999 which makes provision for the payment of an additional remuneration to all employees of the private sector to compensate them for an increase in the cost of living.
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6. Cabinet has agreed to the introduction into the National Assembly of the End of Year Gratuity Bill 1999 to make provision for the payment of an end of the year gratuity in respect of the year 1999.
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7. Government has agreed to transmit to the WTO the proposals of Mauritius in the context of the forthcoming 3rd WTO Ministerial Conference to be held in Seattle, USA in November/December this year. These proposals which relate to most of the WTO Agreements, including Agriculture, Textiles and Clothing, Services, Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, Subsidies and Countervailing Measures and Rules relating to Regional Trading Arrangements focus on the need to extend special and more favourable treatment to small economies.
The submissions also highlight the need for the forthcoming Conference and subsequent Multilateral Trade Negotiations to emphasise the developmental aspects of International Trade Relations.
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8. Government has agreed to table a Paper at the WTO on Trade and Competition Policy in order to highlight the concerns of small economies should the WTO adopt an Agreement on Trade and Competition Policy.
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9. Cabinet has taken note that the Fourth Ministerial Meeting of the Cross Border Initiative (CBI) will be held in Mauritius on 18 and 19 October 1999.
The objects of the meeting are to facilitate investment and to strengthen regional cooperation and promote regional integration among CBI participating countries. The meeting will regroup representatives of about 14 participating countries of the CBI and the co-sponsors, namely, the EU, the World Bank, the IMF and the ADB.
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10. Government has agreed to a proposal from the International Labour Organisation to conduct a study and thereafter organise a National Workshop in Mauritius in the context of its "Action Programme on Social Dialogue on Training".
The Programme aims at inter alia enhancing the capacity of the social partners to participate in social dialogue in training.
Mauritius stands to gain from the results of the study and the workshop the moreso when we are redefining the role of the public and the private sector in Vocational Education and Training.
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11. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the 11th Meeting of the SADC Trade Negotiating Forum (TNF) held in Lusaka, Zambia from 7 to 11 June, 1999.
The meeting undertook a mid-term review of the previous rounds of tariff negotiations in the context of the SADC Trade Protocol. Several Member-States tabled their offers for better market access regarding sensitive products, in particular textiles, clothing, footwear, sugar and automobiles.
The outstanding issues pertaining to the negotiations will be pursued during the 12 TNF meeting in Botswana from 7 to 10 July, 1999.
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12. Cabinet has been apprised that the final of the "Festival de Courts Métrages" organised by the Mauritius Film Development Corporation with the support of the Ministry of Arts and Culture, will be held at the International Conference Centre at Grand Baie on Saturday 19 June at 2000 hours. The winner will be awarded a cash prize of Rs 100,000. Several other prizes will be awarded as well.
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13. Cabinet has taken note of the reconstitution of the Training and Employment of Disabled Persons Board with Mrs. Indranee Seebun as Chairperson.
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14. Cabinet has been apprised of a list of activities that will be organised in Mauritius and in Rodrigues to mark the International Music Day to be observed on 21 June.
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15. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the participation of the Minister of Education and Scientific Research in the 156th Session of the UNESCO Executive Board held in Paris from 25 May to 3 June 1999.
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