1. Cabinet has taken note of the terms of the Agreements for a Strategic Alliance between on one hand the Airport of Mauritius Ltd and Mauritius Shopping Paradise and, on the other hand, the British Airport Authority, (BAA).
The objectives of the Strategic Alliance are as follows:
(i)developing the SSR Airport into a world class international airport, providing first-class infrastructure and services to customers as well as ensuring compliance with international safety and environmental norms;
(ii) optimizing the revenue-earning capacity of SSR Airport operations particularly from non-aeronautical sources, in order to support the significant investments required for modernisation of our airport over the future years; and
(iii) improving professionalism amongst the local management and technical staff of the airport, through training programmes, transfer of skills and technology.
Under the Alliance the BAA will share with Mauritius its global experience in operating airports across the world. BAA is the world’s leading private operator of airports, operating seven airports in U.K. including the Heathrow and Gatwick airports; the BAA also operates several other international airports, for example Pittsburg airport in U.S.A and Naples airport in Europe. In 1997, BAA handled over 140 million passengers, nearly 1 million air traffic movements and approximately 1.5 million tons of cargo.
The BAA will provide the services of Mr G. Conabeer as Chief Executive for a period of 3 years. The local management team, staff and employees will maintain their employment at terms no less favourable than at present.
Mauritius expects the alliance with BAA to position the SSR International Airport in becoming a regional air traffic hub in the South West Indian Ocean, and at the same time providing a world-class strategic gateway for our tourism, freeport and business sectors.
2. Cabinet has taken note that the Plaine Magnien-Plaisance by-pass road has become operational as from to-day. This work was necessary as a result of the North-West extension of the airport. Works have been completed ahead of schedule.
3. Cabinet has agreed to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce implementing a package of incentives to promote the production of pharmaceutical products in Mauritius. In this context a pharmaceutical village will be set up at Belle Rive where a plot of land of an extent of 12 acres has been earmarked. MEDIA will be the executing agency and the project will provide serviced plots with all amenities and facilities which will be leased to industrialists in the pharmaceutical field, so as to enable them to put up their own buildings according to international norms and specifications.
4. Cabinet has agreed to the Minister of Youth and Sports signing a Protocol on Sports Co-operation with the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports, Ministry of Human Resource Development of the Government of the Republic of India.
Co-operation will be promoted in the main sports disciplines practised in Mauritius.
5. Cabinet has agreed to the grant of 2 Export Enterprise Certificates and one Pioneer Status Enterprise Certificate under the Industrial Expansion Act, 1993.
The two EPZ projects relate to the manufacture of garments and the development of multimedia products.
The project under the Pioneer Status Enterprise Scheme relates to the assembly of computers.
The implementation of the 3 projects will create some 95 job opportunities and will entail investment amounting to around Rs 5.32 Million.
6. Cabinet has approved 6 applications for registration as Small and Medium Enterprises as recommended by the Small and Medium Industries Development Committee. These enterprises will be engaged in metal works, the manufacture of garments, leather shoes, jewellery and the assembly of scooters and motorcycles.
Investment in production equipment will amount to Rs 421,000 and will create around 34 new jobs.
7. Cabinet was apprised of the contents of an ‘Atlas of Mauritius’ produced by the ‘Université de Bordeaux’ under a ‘Convention de Financement’ signed in 1988 by the previous Government. Cabinet has noted that the contents of the Atlas which has been prepared without prior consultation with the Government of Mauritius, does not reflect the real situation as regards the islands over which Mauritius has sovereignty. In the circumstances Cabinet has decided to ban the sale of the Atlas and its distribution in Mauritius.
8. Cabinet has taken note of the reconstitution of the National Children’s Council for the year 1999 under the Chairmanship of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women, Family Welfare & Child Development.
9. Cabinet has agreed to the renaming of –
(i) Camp de Masque Pavé Government School as Mutteeputh Fowdur Government School; and
(ii)Droopnath Ramphul Polytechnic as Maharishi Dayanand Polytechnic.
10. Cabinet has decided that the Cargo/Passenger vessel being constructed in China for the Mauritius Shipping Corporation be named ‘Le Trochetia’.