1. Cabinet has agreed to the introduction into the National Assembly of -
(a) the Finance Bill 2001 which makes provision for the implementation of measures announced in the Budget Speech and strengthening and streamlining certain provision of existing legislation relating mainly to fiscal measures;
(b) the Freeport Bill which makes provision for a new legal framework to regulate freeport activities and, in collaboration with the port and airport authorities, to promote the development of the freeport with a view to transforming it into a regional hub; and
(c) the Freeport (Transfer of Undertaking) Bill which aims at transferring assets, rights and liabilities of the Mauritius Freeport Authority to the Business Parks of Mauritius Ltd which would carry out, outside the Freeport zone, the operational activities now being undertaken by the Authority.
2. Cabinet has agreed to -
(a) a two-day seminar on “WTO Services Negotiations” being organised by the European Union in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and International Trade on 27 and 28 September 2001 as a prelude to the 4th WTO Ministerial Meeting to be held in Qatar in November 2001; and
(b) the Annual Conference of the International Vocational Education and Training Association scheduled in 2003 being organised by the IVTB and aiming at providing an opportunity to the local training institutions to interact and establish linkages with training institutions worldwide.
3. Cabinet has agreed to the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications launching internationally a Request for Information with a view to identifying potential parties for the implementation and sustenance of the School IT Project.
4. Cabinet has agreed to Mauritius ratifying the amendments to the INTELSAT Agreement which provides for the privatization of INTELSAT as from 18 July 2001, as decided by the INTELSAT Assembly of Parties in November 2000.
5. Cabinet has agreed to regulations being made under the Fisheries and Marine Resources Act to provide for the sustainable management of Marine Protected Areas and the control of all activities in such areas through a system of permit.
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6. Cabinet has agreed to the construction of a swimming pool at Mare d’Albert.
7. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the mission of:–
(i) the Minister of Environment to –
(a) Windhoek, Namibia, from 18 to 22 June 2001, where he attended the SADC Third Environment and Land Management Sector Ministers Meeting; and
(b) the Hague, from 25 to 28 June, where he participated in the Open-ended Informal High-level Consultations on the Resumed Sixth Conference of Parties (COP 6) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; and
(ii) the Minister of Health and Quality of Life to New York from 25 to 27 June 2001 where he participated in the 26th Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly on HIV/AIDS.
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