1. Cabinet has considered a draft Employment Bill which is intended to replace the existing Labour Act. The objects of the Bill are to revise, make and consolidate general provisions regarding employment, hours of work, payment of remuneration and other basic terms and conditions. The draft Bill has been prepared in the context of globalisation and with a view to enhance productivity and foster economic and social development. A Ministerial Committee has been set up to study the implications of the Bill. Consultations with social partners will be held at a later stage
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2. Cabinet has taken note of the progress achieved in the elimination of Sugar Estate Camps. The first part of the project which involved the elimination of 66 camps has been completed. The second phase of the project which involves the phasing out of 33 camps in the following sugar estates is in progress : Mon Loisir, Mon Desert Alma, Union, Fuel, Belle Vue, Constance, Mon Choisy Ltd., Britania, Riche-En-Eau, Mon Tresor Mon Desert and Beau Plan.
The Government has impressed upon these sugar estates as well as all the institutions concerned to speed up the elimination of the camps without delay so that the project could be completed by the year 2000.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food Technology and Natural Resources through the Mauritius Sugar Authority is closely monitoring the project which concern more than 500 families.
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3. Cabinet has agreed to the proposals relating to the establishment of a National Unity Award as announced in the 1999-2000 Budget Speech. The award will be in the form of a medal/shield, a document attestation and a cash prize. The focus will be on National Unity brought or highlighted through achievements in any field. Applications/nominations will be invited through the press. A panel of jury will be set up to consider the nominations and the Award/s will be announced in the month of December each year. The recipients may be individuals, a group, an association or any body public or private.
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4. Cabinet has agreed to the promulgation by the Minister of Health and Quality of Life of the Finance and Audit (Trust Fund for Overseas Treatment) Regulations 1999 and the Finance and Audit (Amendment of Schedule) Regulations 1999. These Regulations provide for the setting up of the Trust Fund for Overseas Treatment which will provide financial assistance up to the tune of Rs 200,000.- to patients requiring overseas treatment.
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5. The Ministry of Health and Quality of Life is in the process of replacing old beds in the hospitals by new ones. Cabinet has decided that some of the beds which are specially designed for bed ridden patients be donated to such needy patients in consultation with the Ministry of Social Security and National Solidarity. The remaining beds will be donated to charitable institutions or auctioned.
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6. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the bilateral air services talks between Mauritius and Pakistan held in Port Louis on 12 and 13 August, 1999. As a positive outcome of the talks, the designated airline of either party shall be entitled to operate each two flights per week instead of one flight as per the previous entitlement. A second round of talks is scheduled to be held in Karachi for further discussions so that agreement can be reached on a proper framework for operations.
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7. Cabinet has taken note of the reconstitution of the SMIDO Board under the chairmanship of Mr Michel Coquet, Managing Director, Imprimeries & Papeterie Commerciale Ltée.
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8. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the participation of the Mauritius delegation at the second "Commission de la Jeunesse et des Sports de l’Ocean Indien" (CJSOI) Games held in Seychelles from 11 to 16 August, 1999 wherein Mauritius won a total of 47 Medals including 12 gold medals.
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