1. Cabinet has agreed to the setting up of a Bus Industry Employees Welfare Fund to cater for the social and economic welfare of employees of the Bus Industry and their families.
2. Cabinet has taken note that a Committee under the chairmanship of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance has been set up to look into and make recommendations on encroachments on river reserves and canals.
3. Cabinet has agreed to the creation of an Islets National Park, and to the management of certain islets being entrusted to bona fide organisations as recommended by the Task Force set up to look into the environmental situation of offshore islets.
4. Cabinet has taken note that the Afro-Asian Rural Development Organisation will finance a micro-credit programme in Rodrigues under the “Programme lévé Déboute”.
5. Cabinet has agreed to Mauritius acceding to the following Conventions and Protocols of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) -
(a) International Convention relating to Intervention on the High Seas in Cases of Oil Pollution Casualties, 1969;
(b) International Convention on Salvage, 1989;
(c) Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims, 1976;
(d) Protocol relating to Intervention on the High Seas in Cases of Pollution by Substances other than Oil, 1973;
(e) Protocol of 1988 relating to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) 1974; and
(f) Protocol of 1988 relating to the International Convention on Load Lines (LL) 1966.
6. Cabinet has taken note that -
(i) the “Institut de l’Energie et de l’Environnement de la Francophonie” in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment will organise, Workshops in Mauritius, on –
(a) Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change from 29 April to 2 May 2002;
(b) Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Capacity Building in Indian Ocean Island States from 6 to 8 May 2002; and
(ii) the Bureau of the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports will hold its meeting in April 2002 to consider Africa’s contribution to the “World Anti-Doping Agency”.
7. Cabinet has agreed to the draft Sex Discrimination Bill being released to the public for views and comments.
8. Cabinet has agreed to the boxing tournament of the “Commission de la Jeunesse et des Sports de l’Ocean Indien” being organised in Mauritius from 6 to 12 May 2002.
9. Cabinet has taken note that the Moka-Flacq District Council in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports will organise the 6th Edition of the Moka-Flacq Sports Festival in April/May 2002.
10. Cabinet has agreed to Mauritius, as Member of the East Africa Sub-Region, standing as candidate for the election of Member States to UNESCO’s Executive Board to be held in 2003.
11. Cabinet has taken note of the reconstitution of Rajiv Gandhi Science Centre Trust Fund Board with Dr Ahmud Yousuf Maudarbocus as Chairperson.
12. Cabinet has taken note of the appointment of –
(i) Mr Serge Ng Tat Cheung as Chairperson of the “Commission Nationale de Soutien et de Suivi” of the “Fond d’Insertion Jeune”; and
(ii) Mr José Hitié as Chairperson of the National Youth Achievement Award Scheme.
13. Cabinet has taken note that a Hydrographic Unit has been set up at the Ministry of Housing and Lands to be responsible for the production of up-to-date hydrographic data and the dissemination of hydrographic and nautical information to the international maritime community for safe navigation.
14. Cabinet has taken note of the constitution of the National Accreditation and Equivalence Council with Mr Shaukatally Oozeer as Chairperson.
15. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the missions of -
(i) the Rt Hon Prime Minister to Australia from 2 to 5 March 2002 where he attended the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting;
(ii) the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Co-operation to Pakistan from 27 to 28 February where he had discussions on bilateral issues;
(iii) the Minister of Fisheries to Seychelles from 24 February to 3 March where he discussed further co-operation in the field of fisheries; and
(iv) the Minister of Youth and Sports to Ouagadougou from 1 to 2 March 2002 where he attended the 5th Meeting of the Bureau of the “Conference des Ministres de la Jeunesse et des Sports des Pays ayant le Français en partage” (CONFEJES).