1. After taking cognizance of the Report on the Prisons Service of the Special Enquiry Team led by Mr T. B. Joganah, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Cabinet has agreed to remedial measures being taken with a view to helping the Prisons Service attain a high level of efficiency and professionalism, and to implementing an Action Plan to restore normalcy in the Service.
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2. Cabinet has agreed to the introduction into the National Assembly of the following Bills –
(a) the Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Bill which aims at amending the Dangerous Drugs Act to make better provision for combatting dealings in drugs;
(b) the Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism Bill which gives force of law to the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism and to provide for matters ancillary thereto;
(c) the Anti-Money Laundering (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill which aims at amending the Banking Act, the Financial Intelligence and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2002 and the Financial Services Development Act 2001 to provide for inter alia –
(i) the setting up of a National Committee for Anti-Money Laundering and Combatting the Financing of Terrorism;
(ii) the Bank of Mauritius and the Financial Services Commission to issue codes and guidelines on anti-money laundering and the combatting of the financing of terrorism and to enforce compliance with those codes and guidelines;
(iii) a derogation from the duty of confidentiality of banks to allow them to report suspicious transactions and supply information relating to a reported suspicious transaction to the FIU;
(d) the Mutual Assistance in Criminal and Related Matters Bill which aims at enabling the widest possible measure of international cooperation being given and received by the Republic of Mauritius promptly and to the fullest extent possible, in investigations, prosecutions or proceedings concerning serious offences and related civil matters; and
(e) the Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill which aims at amending the Road Traffic Act in order to accelerate the process in cases of road accidents between two motor vehicles, other than state-owned ones, resulting only in damage to either one or both vehicles.
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3. Cabinet has taken note of the approval of 25 applications for registration of Small and Medium Enterprises. The new enterprises will be involved in the manufacture inter alia of pastries, textile-embroidered products, aluminium openings, PVC extended products, assembly and repair of computers, assembly of artificial flowers, electronic and electrical products and of the production of films. The projects are expected to give rise to investment in production equipment to the tune of Rs 6m, create 58 new employment and sustain 84 existing jobs.
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4. Cabinet has taken note that the CEB has decided to carry out a full feasibility study to assess the proposal to install new engines to complement power supply to meet future demands. This proposal, if implemented, will not halt the process already undertaken by the CEB to purchase power from private operators.
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5. Cabinet has agreed to the ratification of ILO Convention 156 on Workers with Family Responsibilities which intends to promote equality of opportunity and treatment in employment for men and women workers with family responsibilities.
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6. Cabinet has taken note of the constitution of the Board of the Mauritius Institute of Health with the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life as Chairperson.
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7. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the missions of –
(a) the Minister of Agriculture, Food Technology & Natural Resources to Fiji where he attended the 8th Special Ministerial Conference on Sugar held from 21 to 24 July;
(b) the Minister of Economic Development, Financial Services and Corporate Affairs to Botswana where he participated in the Meeting of the Integrated Committee of Ministers of SADC held on 26 and 27 July; and
(c) the Minister of Commerce and Cooperatives to Madagascar on 26 and 27 July, where he established linkages with Malagasy State institutions and other Handicraft Promotion Agencies with a view to developing multilateral exchange programmes in the handicraft sector.
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