1. Cabinet has agreed to the release of the White Paper on the Mauritius Turf Authority. The paper sets out in broad terms the role the Mauritius Turf Authority will be expected to play vis-à-vis the economic operators in the racing industry and other existing licensing bodies. The White Paper is accompanied by a Draft Bill which the Government proposes to introduce into the National Assembly. The views of the public will be taken into consideration before finalising the Bill.
2. Cabinet has agreed to extending 50% subsidy on fees payable by school-going Mauritian students for the School Certificate (SC), Higher School Certificate (HSC) and the General Certificate of Education (GCE) examinations run by Cambridge in November/December, as from 1999. This measure will apply only to school-going candidates taking examinations for the first time. The subsidy will be payable for up to eight subjects for School Certificate Examinations.
3. Cabinet has agreed to the implementation of a Passenger Cable Teleferic Project at Le Morne by Innovative Leisure Ltd. The Project will entail investment to the tune of Rs 60M.
4. Cabinet has agreed to the grant of a Development Certificate to La Plantation Ltd for the construction and operation of a luxury hotel ‘Beau Rivage’ of 180 rooms at Belle Mare. The project will necessitate investment of around Rs 450M and will provide full-time employment to some 375 people.
5. Cabinet has approved the grant of a Leisure Development Certificate to The Magic Entertainment Co. Ltd. The project consists in operating entertainment/amusement games in hotels and shopping centres in towns and villages.
6. Cabinet has agreed to consultancy services being sought from friendly countries for the setting up of a School of Performing Arts by the Ministry of Arts and Culture.
7. Cabinet has agreed to the Government of Mauritius contributing US $1000 to UNESCO in its International Campaign to safeguard the site of Tyre in Lebanon, which has been included in the World Heritage list. The site of Tyre is one of the most ancient cities of the world which has suffered from natural deterioration over the centuries, clandestine excavations, illicit traffic in art objects and haphazard urbanization.
8. Cabinet has agreed to the hosting of the 19th Southern African Telecommunications Administration (SATA) Conference and Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) Meeting by Mauritius Telecom at the Telecoms Tower, Port Louis from 19 to 23 April, 1999.
9. Cabinet was apprised of the holding of the Finance Mart ’99 in Mauritius in May next. The Mart is being organised by the India-based organisation, the Forum of Financial Initiatives (FFI) in collaboration with the MEDIA. The main objective of the Mart is to provide international lenders and borrowers, representatives of governments, financial institutions including banks, traditional financiers, stock exchanges etc. with a platform for interaction with a view to entering into financing deals thus bringing about greater flux of cross border investments and financial flows.
10. Cabinet has taken note that the National Computer Board will host the next SADC Y2K National Co-ordinator Meeting to be held on 29 and 30 March, 1999 in Mauritius.
11. Cabinet has taken note that following institutional and policy reforms undertaken at the Mauritius Meat Authority since April 1996, the financial situation of the organisation and the supply of fresh meat on the local market have improved.
12. Cabinet has taken note that the Loïs Lagesse Trust Fund Board is being reconstituted under the chairmanship of Mr Eddy Moutia.
13. Cabinet has been apprised of the preparations and training being provided to athletes in the context of the participation of Mauritius in the 7th Edition of the Games of the "Commission de La Jeunesse et des Sports de l’Ocean Indien" (CJSOI) to be held in Seychelles in August this year and the 7th Edition of the All Africa Games to be held in South Africa in September this year.
14. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the participation of the Minister of Local Government in a symposium organised by the Commonwealth Local Government Forum on "Local Government and Civil Society in Small States" in Malta from 16 to 19 March, 1999.
15. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the participation of the Minister of Social Security and National Solidarity on the East and Southern African Subregional Follow-up Conference to the World Summit for Social Development held in Nairobi, Kenya from 15 to 17 March 1999.