1.Cabinet has taken note of the proposal of the Minister of Industry, Commerce, Corporate Affairs & Financial Services to make regulations under the Hire Purchase and Credit Sale Act to reduce the charges payable on hire purchase and credit sale transactions by reducing the Annual Percentage Rate (APR) by 1.5%, following reductions in the Lombard rate. Furthermore, the Hire Purchase and Credit Sale Act will be amended with a view to prevent abuse by certain traders.
_______________________________
2.Cabinet has decided that with a view to protect public beaches strict measures with severe penalties will be taken against drivers who run their vehicles on beaches. Furthermore, the parking of vehicles at beaches will also be controlled.
_______________________________
3.Cabinet has agreed to the introduction into the National Assembly of the National Identity Card (Amendment) Bill which provides for finger prints to be encoded into the National Identity Card.
_______________________________
4. To cope with the heavy bookings on the Rodrigues route, Cabinet has taken note that Air Mauritius will increase its seating capacity on that route. Thus Air Mauritius will provide additional flights during peaks. Furthermore, the company proposes to invest some Rs 2.5 M to upgrade equipment at Plaine Corail Airport.
_______________________________
5.With a view to uniformising the conditions of service of employees of Pre-Primary Schools attached to Government Primary Schools, Cabinet has agreed to the Pre-School Trust Fund (PSTF) employing the personnel of those institutions on a contract basis as from 1 July 2000. Thus the employees will be offered a two-year renewable contract.
_______________________________
6.Cabinet has been apprised of the measures being initiated for the monetisation of Agalega which will enable workers there to obtain their salaries in cash, in replacement of the present system of vouchers. This measure is proposed to stimulate the development of the island.
_______________________________
7.Cabinet has been apprised of the holding of a Seminar on Training to be organised by the Ministry of Labour & Industrial Relations, IVTB and MEPZA on 18 July at Réduit. The Seminar is being organised for the textile sector to present themselves to the young generation with a view to giving them an insight into the employment prospective in that sector.
Some 2000 workers aged between 15 to 20 years will be trained with possibility of employment in the textile sector.
_______________________________
8.Cabinet has been apprised that consultations will take place with the delegation of the European Commission with a view to formulating the Country Support Strategy under the new ACP-EU Partnership Agreement, for the IXth EDF and has agreed to the theme "Sustainable Development through Income Generating Activities", proposed by the Ministry of Economic Development, Productivity & Regional Development
_______________________________
9.Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the following meetings held in Cotonou, Benin:
(i) 71st Session of the ACP Council of Ministers, 20 and 21 June;
(ii) 25th Session of the ACP-EU Council of Ministers 22 June; and
(iii) the signature ceremony of the Cotonou Partnership Agreement on
23 June. This new Agreement replaces the Lome IV Convention.
The Mauritius delegation was led by the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs & International Trade.
_______________________________
10.Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the Ministerial Conference on the establishment of the African Union and the Pan-African Parliament held in Tripoli, Libya from 31 May to 2 June. The Mauritius delegation was led by Hon. S. Dayal, M.P.
_______________________________