1. Cabinet has agreed to make public the Report of the Commission on Constitutional and Electoral Reform. The Report is available on the website http:\\www.gov.mu.
A Special Cabinet Meeting will be held to discuss the recommendations contained in the Report.
2. Cabinet has taken note of the programme of activities organised to mark the 34th Anniversary of the Independence and the 10th Anniversary of the Republic of Mauritius, under the theme -
“Nu Later, Nu Lamer, Nu Ler, Sa Mem Nu Lavi”
The President of Senegal will be the Guest of Honour on that occasion.
3. Cabinet has agreed to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance representing Mauritius at the high level ceremony and celebrations marking the establishment of an Independent East Timorese State on 19 and 20 May 2002 in East Timor.
4. Cabinet has taken note of the agreement reached between Air Mauritius and Air Madagascar on the cargo freighter service which will be operated on a joint venture basis on Mauritius/Antananarivo/Mauritius route in addition to the four weekly services operated by Air Mauritius to carry passengers.
5. With a view to implementing the recommendations contained in the Report on the Review of the Permanent Resident Scheme and Other Related Schemes, Cabinet has agreed to –
(i) the Non-Citizens (Property Restriction) Act being amended to enhance business and investment environment and reduce administrative hassles;
(ii) the implementation of an Integrated Resorts Scheme to attract high net-worth foreigners, including retired persons looking for another place of residence; and
(iii) the setting up of a scheme to attract professionals for emerging sectors to cater for our immediate needs in the ICT Sector and Financial Services.
6. Cabinet has agreed to the First OAU Ministerial Conference on Drug Control and Crime Prevention being held in Mauritius in May 2002. The objective of the Conference is to map out strategies to address drug control in Africa and to review and up-date the OAU Plan of Action adopted in 1996.
7. Cabinet has agreed, in principle, to amend the Road Act to provide for the Local Authorities to adopt and tar private roads irrespective of their length.
8. Cabinet has agreed to the setting up of a National Inspectorate for the Secondary Education Sector within the Ministry of Education and Scientific Research with a view to establishing uniform quality assurance and performance appraisal strategies, assessing the educational outcome against set standards and organising training.
9. Cabinet has agreed to the ratification of the Protocol on the establishment of an African Court on Human and People’s Rights initiated by the OAU.
10. Cabinet has agreed to grant an additional amount of Rs 1 million to the Mauritius Secondary Schools Sports Association to enable it to complete its sports calendar for the current year at national level as most of the sponsors of the Association have withdrawn their support.
11. Cabinet has agreed to the construction of a basketball cum handball gymnasium with a seating capacity of 2000 spectators and ancillary facilities, at Phoenix, next to the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre, in the context of the Indian Ocean Islands Games 2003.
12. With a view to providing incentives in the field of sports and to motivating high level athletes, Cabinet has agreed to the grant of financial assistance to weightlifters to enable them to prepare for the Indian Ocean Islands Games (IOIG) 2003.
13. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of missions of -
(i) the Prime Minister to Paris last week, where he attended a meeting of Heads of State and Government, convened by Mr Jacques Chirac, President of the Republic of France, on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) which is a programme initiated by African leaders to eradicate poverty in Africa and put their countries on the path of sustainable growth and development both individually and collectively;
(ii) the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance to Rodrigues from 1 to 3 February 2002, where he reviewed the situation in various sectors and visited the construction site at Plaine Corail Airport and other sites where development works would be carried out soon; and
(iii) the Minister of Training, Skills Development and Productivity to Dubai from 29 January to 6 February 2002.
14. Cabinet has taken note that following investigations carried out on the incident which occurred on Flight MK140 on 18 September 2001 at Plaine Corail Airport, Rodrigues, Air Mauritius has taken disciplinary action against the officers concerned.
15. Cabinet has taken note of –
(i) the reconstitution of the Company Law Advisory Committee under the chairmanship of Mr Jean Paul de Chazal, F.C.A.; and
(ii) the nomination of Mr T. Packiry Poulle as member of the Committee which administers and manages the Special Fund for the Welfare of the Elderly.
16. Cabinet has taken note that the Ministry of Local Government and Rodrigues and the Ministry of Environment, in collaboration with the University of Mauritius, will organise a workshop at La Pirogue Hotel from 26 February to 1 March 2002 to facilitate the implementation of the Hazardous Health Regulations.