1. Cabinet has decided that henceforth rental of agricultural leases for sugar, horticulture and vegetable crops and building site leases and rental for lessees who are owners of Ex-CHA houses and municipal houses will be brought down from a maximum of Rs 1,500 to Rs 100 per annum. This measure will also apply to religious and cultural organisations.
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2. Cabinet has decided that the SILWF would withdraw its claim against Longtill Ltd as all the houses have now been repaired to the satisfaction of all. As a result inhabitants of Longtill houses will soon be invited to submit the required documents to enable them to obtain their title deeds and accordingly become owners of their houses
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3. Cabinet has approved the terms to be specified for the concession agreement for the construction of 6000 housing units for low income households under the Concession Projects Act.
In addition to the 6,000 houses, there are currently 1,000 housing units under construction and 3,000 more for which Central Tender Board’s approval has been obtained and tenders are being launched. Furthermore, the NHDC will undertake the construction of 2,000 housing units per year.
Cabinet has also taken note that over the last two years some 5,000 families have benefited from grants for casting of slabs or purchase of building materials, resulting in the construction of an additional 5,000 houses.
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4. Cabinet has approved the grant of 1 Export Enterprise Certificate and 4 Pioneer Status Enterprise Certificates, under the Industrial Expansion Act, 1993.
The project to be implemented are, among others, the manufacture of jewellery, lubricants and maintenance chemicals for industrial use, processing of sound and images and provision of services to support the realisation of events using communication technology, dubbing and subtitling of films and powder coating of accordion-type metal security openings.
The implementation of the five (5) projects would create some 80 job opportunities and would entail investment amounting to around Rs 38 million.
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5. Cabinet has approved the grant of a development certificate for the setting up of a marine fish farm at Grand Port for the rearing of a new species of fish, the Red Drum for local consumption and for export. The project will involve investment of about Rs 80M and provide job opportunities for 177 persons.
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6. Cabinet has taken note that the Public Procurement Transparency and Equity Act 1999 has been proclaimed to come into operation on 1 September, 2000, and that the Public Procurement Commission has been constituted with Mr Navin Beekarry, Assistant Solicitor-General as Chairman. Furthermore, the Award Committee on goods and common-use items will have as Chairman Mr Madhukarlall Baguant, and the
Award Committee on works and Civil engineering will be chaired by
Mr Devarajoo Rajah Gopal.
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7. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the Special Meeting of SADC Ministers of Trade held in Windhoek, Namibia on 4 August 2000 to finalise the SADC Trade Protocol which would come into operation on 1 September 2000. The Mauritius delegation was led by the Minister of Economic Development, Productivity & Regional Development. Furthermore, Cabinet has agreed to Mauritius hosting the SADC Trade Ministers meetings on 1 September and meetings of SADC Senior Trade Officials/Trade Negotiating Forum, to coincide with the coming into operation of the SADC Trade Protocol.
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8. Cabinet has been apprised of the proposal of the Minister for Rodrigues to make regulations to amend the Schedule to the Rodrigues (Administrative and Judicial Provisions) Act to enable the Island Secretary to issue orders under the Child Protection Act for the protection and safe custody of children.
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9. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the official visit of the Minister for Rodrigues to the United Kingdom from 30 July to 5 August at the invitation of the British Authorities, to have an insight into the structure and functioning of a single-tier local government body in Britain, in view of the proposed establishment of a local government system in Rodrigues.
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10. Cabinet has been apprised of the proposal of the Minister of Industry, Commerce, Corporate Affairs & Financial Services to grant a Pioneer Financial Services Development Certificate to Unit Trust of India Investment Advisory Services (UTIIAS) (Mauritius) Ltd. a joint venture between UTIIAS (India) and De Chazal du Mée & Co., for the provision of advisory services in the field of investment and management to Mauritian entrepreneurs.
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11. Cabinet has taken note of the proposal of the Mauritius Accreditation Service (MAURITAS) to become a member of the International Accreditation Corporation (ILAC) and the International Accreditation Forum (IAF). Besides enabling the eventual recognition of MAURITAS accreditation internationally, the latter would benefit from expert knowledge and guidance to develop its infrastructures.
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12. Cabinet has agreed to Mauritius hosting the 10th Session of the SADC Committee of Ministers of Culture, Information and Sports on 29 May 2001.
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13. Cabinet has taken note of the reconstitution of the Advisory Council for Occupational Safety, Health and Welfare with Mr Seetuldeo Balgobin, Head, Factory Inspectorate, as Chairman.
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