1.Cabinet has reviewed the situation in the Prisons Department and has decided that new arrangements be made for HIV positive detainees.
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2.Cabinet has taken note that further to the reported case of food poisoning at Marcel Cabon Primary School on 2 October 2003, and in order to ensure the safety of school children, the Ministry of Education and Scientific Research has decided to stop the distribution of "pains fourrés" and yogurts in ZEP Schools until further notice.
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3. Cabinet has taken note that the Air Mauritius plane which was transporting a Malagasy deportee has landed at Antananarivo Airport this morning but has not been allowed to disembark the Malagasy deportee.
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4. Cabinet has reviewed the activities of the Textile Emergency Support Team which, with the assistance of a high level expert, proposes to mount a support programme to address problems relating to product processes, planning and management as well as banking, financial costs and financial management. The possibility of full refund by IVTB to enterprises participating in the programme is being studied. TEST will hold a meeting with the Mauritius Industrial Development Authority to consider issues relating to International Marketing.
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5. Cabinet has reviewed progress on the Integrated Leisure and Tourism development projects at Bel Ombre, St Felix, Les Salines and Le Morne.
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6. Cabinet has agreed to the setting up of an Inter-Ministerial Committee under the chairmanship of the Minister of Tourism and Leisure and comprising the Minister of Housing and Lands, the Minister of Environment and the Minister of Public Infrastructure, Land Transport and Shipping to review the issue of taxi stands at hotels, for the whole island.
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7. Cabinet has taken note that the Ministry of Finance has decided to move the upper limit of the third excise duty band on motors attracting duty at the rate of 135% from 2000 c.c. to 2250 c.c.
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8. Cabinet has taken note of the status of the Victoria Square Project and has agreed to the setting up of an Inter-Ministerial Committee under the chairmanship of the Minister of Local Government and Rodrigues and comprising the Minister of Environment, the Minister of Public Infrastructure, Land Transport and Shipping, and representatives of the Police and of the Municipal Council of Port Louis to consider the temporary relocation of hawkers currently operating there pending the construction of the Hawkers Palace.
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9.Cabinet has taken note that fresh tenders will be launched in early 2004 for the importation of cement.
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10. Cabinet has reviewed the reform exercise being undertaken at the Customs Department and has taken note that the Comptroller of Customs proposes to initiate disciplinary action against one Senior Customs and Excise Officer, who was also an official of the Union of Customs and Excise Officers, for having disclosed confidential information pertaining to the operation of the Customs and Excise Department, in a press interview.
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11.Cabinet has reviewed the Power Plant Project by Compagnie Thermique du Sud and the re-engine of the St Louis Power Station and has taken note of arrangements being made for the setting up of a third bagasse/coal power plant.
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12. Cabinet has reviewed the political situation in Comoros, Zimbabwe and Swaziland.
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13. Cabinet has taken note that a medical team led by Dr Kalangos and also comprising the Mauritian team led by Dr Guness visited Mozambique from 30 August to 5 September where they successfully operated on 10 cases. In order to build up the expertise of the Mozambican medical team and in a spirit of regional cooperation, the Cardiac Centre, in collaboration with the "Association Humanitaire pour Tous", proposes to provide a short term training to one Cardiac Surgeon, one Perfusionist and five Nursing Officers from Mozambique.
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14. Cabinet has agreed to the publication of the "Report on Corporate Governance for Mauritius" and to the setting up of a Ministerial Committee, under the chairmanship of the Minister of Civil Service Affairs and Administrative Reforms to oversee the implementation of the Code of Corporate Governance in State-owned Enterprises. The Report on Corporate Governance for Mauritius will be launched on Monday 6 October 2003 by the Minister of Economic Development, Financial Services and Corporate Affairs.
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15.Cabinet has agreed that -
(i) as from 31 December 2003 the production of non-degradable plastic bags should be banned; and
(ii) only degradable plastic bags of a minimum wall thickness of 20 microns as the ones which are currently distributed at the supermarkets would be produced as from 1 January 2004.
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16.Cabinet has taken note of the activities which the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life proposes to organise in the context of the World Mental Health Day 2003.
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17.Cabinet has taken note that Mr Ross Shotton of the Marine Resources Service of the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) will carry out a stock assessment study at the St Brandon Fishery with a view to evaluating the fisheries potential and developing a management plan for a sustainable exploitation of the resources there.
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18.Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the missions of the Minister of Economic Development, Financial Services and Corporate Affairs to Brunei, Dar-es-Salam and Dubai where he attended the Commonwealth Finance Ministers' Meeting and the IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings held in September 2003.
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