· 1.Cabinet has decided to institute a Technical Committee to look into the recommendations contained in the Sugar Sector Strategic Plan 2001-2005.
_______________________________
2.Cabinet has agreed to the constitution of a Ministerial Committee under the Chairmanship of the Minister of Social Security, National Solidarity & Senior Citizen Welfare and Reform Institutions to review the approach to education and rehabilitation of young offenders for their reinsertion in the mainstream of society.
_______________________________
3.Cabinet has agreed to the Ministry of Social Security, National Solidarity & Senior Citizen Welfare and Reform Institutions constituting a team of trained Street Workers to assist and guide school leavers and unemployed youths.
_______________________________
4.Cabinet has agreed to the upgrading of the Plaine Corail Airport in Rodrigues to enable aircrafts of higher seating capacities to land there by the end of 2001.
_______________________________
5.Cabinet has agreed to Mauritius submitting its candidature for the hosting of a seat of the proposed "Association des Institutions d'Enseignement Superieur et/ou de la Recherche des Etats Membres de la COI".
_______________________________
6.Cabinet has agreed, in principle, to the introduction of the Integrated Farming System in Mauritius. The System combines different farming activities in a synergistic relationship so that the waste or residues of one process become the inputs of other ensuing processes, thus leaving no material to pollute the environment. It can bring profitable and significant development of low lying and marshy lands.
The first Integrated Farming System was built at Union Ducray Sugar Estate in 1995 and has been operating satisfactorily.
_______________________________
7.Cabinet has agreed to the Policy Framework for Internet Service Providers with a view to -
(i) making internet accessible to all at reasonable cost and for the socio-economic development of the country;
(ii) promoting collaboration with the telecommunication and ISP community for the benefit of internet users and for optimal use of resources;
(iii) providing a level playing field for all to allow fair competition; and
(iv) creating an environment for the promotion of investment.
_______________________________
8.Cabinet has taken note of the nomination of Mr A. Gungah, Director of Civil Aviation, to serve as the Permanent Representative of SADC on the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Council in Montreal for the period 2001-2004.
_______________________________
9.Cabinet has taken note of the status of the implementation of the Trade Agenda of the African Economic Community and its implications for Mauritius.
_______________________________
10.Cabinet has noted that 25 applications for registration as Small and Medium Enterprises have been approved under the Industrial Expansion Act 1993. The enterprises will be engaged, inter alia, in the manufacture of mattresses, footwear, textile products, decorative items for babies, wooden furniture, metal products, pickles, perfumes and cosmetics. Investment is expected to be to the tune of Rs7.5 M and 45 new employment opportunities will be created.
_______________________________
11.Cabinet has taken note of the reconstitution of -
· (i) the Loïs Lagesse Trust Fund Board with Mrs J. Forget as Chairperson;
(ii) the Board of the Mauritius Institute of Health with the acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life as Chairperson; and
(iii) the Training and Employment of Disabled Persons Board with Mrs S. Ragobur as Chairperson.
_______________________________
12.Cabinet has taken note of the proposal of the Minister of Environment to make the Environment Protection (PET Bottle Permit) Regulation under the Environment Protection Act for the proper disposal of the Polyethlene Terephthalate (PET) bottles.
_______________________________
13.Cabinet has taken note of the alarming environmental situation on the offshore islets of Mauritius and of the institution of a Task Force under the Chairmanship of the Director of Environment to assess the causes and extent of degradation and to propose remedial measures. In the meantime, a cleaning campaign is being launched.
_______________________________
14.Cabinet has noted that in 2002 the United Nations will undertake, a
10-year review of the progress achieved in the implementation of Agenda 21, and other outcomes of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). Agenda 21 addresses major environmental issues and guides the global community to prepare for the challenges of the new century. A National Preparatory Committee under the Chairmanship of the Minister of Environment has been set up to prepare the review report for Mauritus.
_______________________________
15.Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Co-operation to India and Sri Lanka from 5 to 12 January, 2001.
_______________________________
16.Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the Africa-France Summit held on 18 and 19 January in Yaoundé, Cameroun, which was attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Co-operation. On 25 January, the Minister also had a meeting with Mr. Robin Cook, British Foreign Secretary, with whom he discussed, inter alia, the sovereignty of Mauritius over the Chagos Archpelago;
_______________________________
17.Cabinet has taken note of the visit of the Minister of Economic Development, Financial Services and Corporate Affairs to the National Economic Development and Labour Council of South Africa from 23 to 26 January, 2001.
_______________________________
18.Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the official visit of the Minister of Environment to Rodrigues from 22 to 24 January, and of the measures to be taken to address the environmental problems there.
_______________________________
19.Cabinet has noted that the meeting of the Bureau of the Science and Technology Centre of the Non-Aligned Movement would be held in Mauritius in August/September this year.
_______________________________
20.Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the visit to Mauritius of the Cuban delegation led by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Investment and Economic Co-operation, HE Mrs Noemi Benitez de Mendoza, from 21 to 23 January. Co-operation in a number of fields, including investment, fisheries, agriculture and tourism were discussed.
21.Cabinet has been apprised of a request by the Swiss Authorities for judicial co-operation for the setting up of a Commission Rogatoire in relation to the criminal offence proceedings instituted in Switzerland against Mr Xavier Luc Duval, Dr. Navin Ramgoolam and the MBC.
22.Cabinet has taken note of the review of the Levy/Grant Scheme of the IVTB with a view to making training more effective, more relevant and more strategic in the transformation of the Mauritian economy.
______________________________