1. Following representations made by expatriates workers in the Textile Sector, Cabinet has decided to set up a Ministerial Committee chaired by the Minister of Industry and International Trade and comprising the Minister of Labour & Industrial Relations, the Minister of Health and Quality of Life and the Minister of Training, Skills Development and Productivity to look into all aspects of the contracts of employment of foreign workers in the EPZ Sector and make recommendations as appropriate.
2. Cabinet has taken note of the updated Port Master Plan prepared by the Mauritius Ports Authority, which formulate the major policies for Port development and land use for the next 25 years.
3. Cabinet has taken note that the Private Secondary Schools Regulations 1977 will be amended to enable students of Private Secondary Schools to repeat Form V class irrespective of their results at their first attempt.
4. Cabinet has agreed to the setting up of a high level Committee under the Chairmanship of the Secretary to the Cabinet and Head of the Civil Service to examine the draft Local Government Bill which will replace the Local Government Act 1989 and which aims at providing for greater decentralisation and adequate administrative and financial autonomy to local authorities.
5. Cabinet has agreed to the introduction of the following Bills into the National Assembly at its next session -
(a) the Beach Authority Bill which will create a Beach Authority to better manage public beaches; and
(b) the Professional Architects Council (Amendment) Bill which makes provision for exempting a foreign Architect from the obligations to enter into a joint venture with an architect registered with the Council where he proposes to engage in the practice of architecture in respect of the construction of a building for any prescribed statutory body or a Government Company.
6. Cabinet has also taken note that -
(a) the National Solidarity Fund Act 1991 will be amended to enable the National Solidarity Fund to provide financial assistance to patients who may require surgical operations which may only be performed in medical institutions in Mauritius as approved by the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life; and
(b) a new Land Surveyors Bill will be prepared to provide inter alia for the establishment of a Land Surveyor Board and for facilitating the implementation of the National Land Information System Project.
7. Cabinet has agreed, in principle, to the setting up a Private Dental College in Mauritius.
8. Cabinet has taken note of the programme of activities to mark the World Water Day on 22 March 2002. The theme for this year is Water and Development.
9. Following a marked decrease in the number of in-patients at the Mahebourg District Hospital during the past few years, Cabinet has agreed to convert the Hospital into an Area Health Centre. A round-the-clock ambulance service would be provided at that Centre. The catchment areas of Flacq Hospital and Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital will thereafter be reviewed.
10. Cabinet has agreed to the introduction of a new policy for Outline Schemes to process applications for large integrated development projects.
11. Cabinet has agreed to the following meetings being held in Mauritius -
(a) the SADC Legal Sector Meeting of Legal Experts and Attorney-General and Ministers of Justice from 2 to 9 April, 2002 to consider various SADC protocols and Memoranda of Understanding; and
(b) the Third FAO Technical Meeting of Co-ordinated Research Project from 6 to 10 May 2002 to discuss on how to improve health and management of family poultry production in Africa.
12. Cabinet has taken note of -
(i) the reconstitution of the Lois Lagesse Trust Fund Board for the year 2002; and
(ii) the constitution of the Mauritius Qualifications Authority Board with Dr K.M.S. Soyjaudah as Chairperson.
13. Cabinet has taken note of the new policy regarding admission of children of expatriates in Secondary Schools.
14. Cabinet has taken note of the progress made in the implementation of the Victoria Small Scale Irrigation Project.
15. Cabinet also took note of the outcome of the 18th Meeting of IOC Council of Ministers held in Mauritius from 22 to 23 February 2002.
16. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of missions of -
(a) the Minister of Industry and International Trade to South Africa on 16 February where he attended the Meeting of SADC Trade Ministers with the U.S. Trade Representative;
(b) the Minister of Local Government and Rodrigues to the United Arab Emirates from 27 February to 5 March where he had had discussions with the United Arab Emirates Authorities on projects related to desalination, urban development and solid waste collection and disposal.
(c) the Minister of Labour & Industrial Relations to Saudi Arabia from 13 to 26 February;
(d) the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Co-operation to Zambia on 18 February where he attended the First Ministerial Meeting on Economic Partnership Agreements organised by COMESA;
(e) the Minister of Education and Scientific Research to Rodrigues from 6 to 7 March to review the situation in the Education Sector there; and
(f) the Minister of Arts and Culture to Switzerland from 25 February to 1 March where he attended a Conference organised by the World Intellectual Property Organisation.
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