1. Cabinet has taken note of a draft report written by a UN panel responsible for monitoring the enforcement of an arms, travel and financial embargo against Al Qaeda and its Associates and has noted with concern that mention is made that Al Qaeda holds investment in Mauritius, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines and Panama. Cabinet has therefore decided to ask our Mission in New York to contact the panel with a view to determining the source of their allegation. On the other hand, Cabinet has agreed that the Bank of Mauritius, the Financial Services Commission and the Financial Intelligence Unit should together carry out urgently a full enquiry into the allegation made to ascertain the veracity of the information.
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2. Cabinet has agreed to the recommendations made by Mr M. Mahalingum, Adviser in Public Service Reforms, which comprise inter alia the transfer of the responsibility of the Public Complaints Bureau (PCB) to the Prime Minster's Office, the setting up of a Standing Committee on Public Complaints to serve as the policy and implementation arm of the PCB and the establishment of a Complaints Desk in every Ministry.
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3. Cabinet has agreed to Mauritius hosting -
(i) a Regional Seminar of the United Nations Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee for SADC Member States in December 2002. The aim of the Committee is inter alia to promote cooperation and mutual assistance in the development of an integrated plan of action to fight against terrorism; and
(ii) the SADC Technical Committee on Higher Education & Training and Research & Development organised by the Ministry of Education and Scientific Research, in collaboration with the Tertiary Education Commission, in September 2002. The meeting aims at finalising the strategic plan and identifying top priorities for higher education, training, development and technology to be proposed in the new SADC structure.
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4. Cabinet has taken note of arrangements made in connection with the holding of 2nd World Chinese Conference in September 2002. The Conference, which will be attended by more than 300 foreign delegates, aims at promoting Chinese culture, heritage and language around the world and also at promoting Mauritius as a gateway for business with Africa.
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5. Cabinet has agreed that, in accordance with the provisions of the Industrial Relations Act, the industrial dispute reported to the Ministry of Civil Affairs and Administrative Reforms by four unions catering for different grades in the Government Primary Education Sector, should be referred to the Civil Service Industrial Relations Commission for conciliation. Cabinet has taken note that the Minister of Labour & Industrial Relations has rejected the industrial dispute reported by the Union of Primary School Teachers against Government as the latter is not the employer of the members of that Union and cannot therefore be joined in as a party to that dispute.
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6. Cabinet has taken note of the programme of activities to commemorate the Birth Centenary of Malcolm de Chazal on 12 September 2002 and has agreed to the setting up of a 'Malcolm de Chazal Trust Fund’ which aims inter alia at preserving the rich collection of the work of Malcolm de Chazal as part of the Mauritian cultural heritage and at promoting a greater understanding and dissemination of his works and ideas nationally and internationally.
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7. Cabinet has taken note that the Wastewater Management Authority will undertake, on a priority basis, the rehabilitation/construction of sewerage infrastructure networks on CHA and Low Cost Housing Estates.
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8. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the mission of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Co-operation to Mozambique from 22 to 23 August 2002, where he attended the SADC Ministerial Committee of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation
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9. Cabinet has agreed to the Ministry of Arts and Culture ratifying an agreement in the fields of education, science, arts and culture and youth and sports between the “Grand-Duché de Luxembourg” and the Republic of Mauritius.
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10. Cabinet has taken note that during a survey carried out by the Ministry of Training, Skills Development and Productivity, only 34 skilled labour in the Construction Industry had registered themselves. Cabinet has decided to set up a Committee chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance to examine how best to import foreign skilled labour in order to meet construction deadlines for all Government projects in the Education, Health and Sports Sectors including Rodrigues.
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11. Cabinet has taken note that Mrs Premila Patten, Bar at Law, has been elected member of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, established by the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.