1. Cabinet has agreed to the introduction into the National Assembly of the following Bills:-
(a) the State Land (Alienation) (Amendment) Bill which amends the State land (Alienation) Act to provide for the transfer of proprietary rights and interests in respect of a portion of State land situated at Roche Bois to the Mauritius Ports Authority;
(b) the Waste Water Management Authority (Amendment) Bill which makes provision for such other person as may be appointed by the Board of the Waste Water Management Authority to sign cheques on behalf of the Authority together with the Chairman of the Board or the General Manager of the Authority; and
(c) the National Heritage Fund Bill which repeals the National Heritage Trust Fund Act and the National Monuments Act and provides for the establishment and management of a National Heritage Fund which will deal with matters relating inter alia to the safeguard, management and promotion of the national heritage of Mauritius.
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2. Cabinet has taken note of the visit of Dr Ravi Aron, Associate Professor of Operations and Information Management of the Wharton School of the University of Pennysylvania to Mauritius from 18 to 20 August 2003 when he will make an extended presentation on the opportunities of IT enabled services and Business Process Outsourcing to the ICT High Powered Committee chaired by the Prime Minister and to a public private sector panel.
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3. Cabinet has taken note of arrangements made for the opening and the closing ceremonies for the forthcoming Indian Ocean Islands Games 2003.
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4. Cabinet has taken note of the judgement of the Supreme Court delivered on 4 August on the application of the Mauritius Sugar Producers’ Association for a judicial review of the awards and part awards of the Permanent Arbitration Tribunal relating to salary increases and other conditions of employment and the introduction of the 40-hour week during crop season in the Sugar Industry.
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5. Cabinet has taken note of the award made by the Permanent Arbitration Tribunal in respect the employees of the Mauritius Cooperative Union Ltd.
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6. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the mission of the Minister of Industry and International Trade to Brussels where he attended the Special ACP Trade Ministers’ Meeting on the EPA Negotiations and preparation for the 5th WTO Ministerial Conference to be held in Cancun in September 2003.
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7. Cabinet has taken note of the performance of Micro-Credit Schemes and has agreed to a study being carried out for the setting up of a dedicated institution to implement those Schemes.
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8. Cabinet has taken note that the Minister of Social Security, National Solidarity & Senior Citizen Welfare and Reforms Institutions will make regulations under the National Pensions Act to incorporate increases in rates of benefits payable under the Act as announced in the Budget Speech 2003-2004.
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9. Cabinet has taken note of measures taken by the Ministry of Local Government and Rodrigues to implement the Local Government Act 2003.
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10. Cabinet has taken note of the constitution of –
(a) the Civil Service Industrial Relations Commission under the chairmanship of Mr Pramahunse Bissessur ; and
(b) the Traditional Medicine Board with the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life as Chairperson.
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11. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the first meeting of the National Commission for UNESCO (NATCOM) Board chaired by the Minister of Education and Scientific Research.
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