1. Cabinet has agreed to the introduction into the National Assembly of -
(i) the Police (Amendment) Bill. The main objects of the Bill are to amend
the Police Act to provide for -
(a) the setting up of a National Security Service to replace the National
Intelligence Unit as an agency empowered to gather and process intelligence
relevant to national security; and
(b) prohibiting officers of that Service in engaging in activities of a
political nature.
(ii) the Transfer of Prisoners Bill which provides for -
(a) foreign prisoners serving a term of imprisonment in Mauritius and
Mauritian prisoners serving a sentence in a foreign country to be
transferred to their respective countries; and
(b) the signing of agreements with other countries, the accession to
multilateral conventions dealing with transfer of prisoners and also the
participation by Mauritius in the Scheme for the Transfer of Convicted
Offenders within the Commonwealth.
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2. Cabinet has agreed to the Management Audit Bureau carrying out a review
of the financial management system in Local Authorities starting with the
Municipality of Quatre Bornes and the Pamplemousses/Riviere du Rempart
District Council, and to making recommendations for improvements.
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3. Cabinet has agreed to the setting up of a Ministerial Committee under
the chairmanship of the Minister of Public Utilities to study proposals
made by a Consultant on Power Sector Reform, including the setting up of a
Regulatory body and to make recommendations.
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4. Cabinet has agreed to the Minister of Public Utilities making The Waste
Water Authority (Licensing of Effluent Carriers and Disposal of Effluents)
Regulations 2001 under the Waste Water Authority Act, for the licencing of
effluent carriers and disposal of effluents.
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5. Cabinet has agreed to the appointment of a Consultant to review the pay
determination system in Mauritius and make recommendations for appropriate
reforms in consultation with the stakeholders.
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6. Cabinet has agreed to Mauritius signing the Optional Protocol to
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
(CEDAW). By signing this Protocol, Mauritius will reaffirm its commitment
to ensure equality and respect of human rights.
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7. Cabinet has agreed to the merger of the three Pension Funds for the
staff of Private Secondary Schools managed by SICOM to enable pensioners of
private secondary schools to benefit from the annual compensation due to
the increase in the cost of living.
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8. Cabinet has agreed to the International Centre for the Study of Murugan
organising the Second International Conference on Murugan Study and Worship
in Mauritius from 24 to 28 April 2001. The theme of the Conference will be
"Murugan Devotion among the Island Nations". It is expected that about 100
foreign participants from Sri Lanka, Reunion Island, Malaysia, Singapore,
Fiji, Seychelles and South Africa will participate in the Conference.
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9. Cabinet has taken note of the status of applications received for land
conversion under the 800 Arpents Scheme for housing, industrial and
educational projects.
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10. Cabinet has been apprised of developments in hotel and tourism-related
projects in Rodrigues. The Ministry of Tourism will work in close
collaboration with other Ministries/Departments so that future tourism
development in Rodrigues is planned in line with the local specificities
and imperatives.
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11. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of:-
(a) the participation of the Minister of Environment at the High Level
Meeting on Environment, Sustainable Development and Trade held in Berlin,
Germany from 20 to 22 March;
(b) the participation of the Minister of Economic Development, Financial
Services and Corporate Affairs in the International Conference on
"Financial Globalisation: Issues and Challenges for Small States" organised
by the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank in collaboration with the World Bank
and the Islands and Small States Institute of Malta held in St. Kitts and
Nevis from 27 to 28 March 2001; and
(c) the mission of the Minister of Labour and Industrial Relations to
Rodrigues from 30 March to 2 April.
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12. Cabinet has taken cognizance of a Report on the Conservation and
Management of the Caves of Mauritius and Rodrigues prepared by Mr Gregory
Middleton, Australian Expert in Speleology. It is proposed to rehabilitate
the major caves both in Mauritius and Rodrigues for tourist attraction.
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13. Cabinet has taken note of the constitution of -
(a) the National Art Gallery Board under the chairmanship of
Mr Sheshcoomar Seetohul;
(b) the Mauritius Fishermen Co-operative Federation Limited with
Mr Louis Amyot Jocelyn Perrine as Chairman; and
(c) the National Library Board under the chairmanship of
Dr Raj S. Lutchmeah.
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14. Cabinet has been apprised of the setting up of four Task Forces to look
into specific issues relating to the Information Technology and Telecomm
unications (ICT) Sector, like Domain Name Management, access to the
international gateway, setting up Intelligent Homes and Policy relating to
Call Centre Facilities.
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15. Cabinet has been apprised of the outcome of the Meeting of the "Conseil
International des Jeux des Iles de l'Ocean Indien" (CIJ) held in Mauritius
on 28 and 29 March 2001.
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16. Cabinet has agreed to the setting up of a marine fish farm at Grand
Port for the production of juvenile fish through a bio-technology process,
rearing of fish in offshore floating cages and processing and conditioning
of fish. The project will necessitate investment of Rs 25m and create
employment opportunities for 30 persons initially.