1.Cabinet has taken note of the successful mission of a team led by Mr S. Gokhool, Managing Director of State Investment Corporation, to Chennai in connection with the construction of a Conference Centre at Pailles. The team reviewed thoroughly the design of the Contractors, Larsen and Toubro. The Contractor's proposal on the basis of a design and build assignment at the cost of Rs 441.9m was found to be acceptable. SIC would finalise all contractual documents for signature with Larsen and Toubro. The contractual party on SIC's end would be a new company to be incorporated for the matter. The MoU between the Government of India and the Government of Mauritius for the financing of the project will be signed on 14 October, 2003 in New Delhi.
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2. Cabinet has taken note of the judgement delivered by the High Court in London against the claim of the Chagos community for the payment of compensation and the right to return to the Chagos archipelago, and has reiterated sympathy for the Chagos cause. It is recalled that Government had at all appropriate times reminded the International Community of its sovereignty of the Chagos, and that the former Prime Minister again raised the issue in his last statement to the UN.
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3. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the mission of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture, Food Technology and Natural Resources and of the Minister of Industry and International Trade on -
(i) the incidence of the reform policy options identified by the European Commission for the EU Sugar Regime;
(ii) the special sessions of the ACP Council of Ministers;
(iii) the ACP-EU Council of Ministers.
Cabinet has further reviewed the post-Cancun situation at the level of the World Trade Organisation and taken note of the attitude of the major partners, including the USA and the EU.
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4. Cabinet has reviewed the situation at the prisons, the CEB and the Customs Department and has taken note -
(a) of positive developments both at the prisons and the CEB, following meetings held under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister during the course of the week;
(b) that every effort was being made to ensure that the reform process and measures being taken to fight fraud and corruption at the Customs Department continue relentlessly.
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5. Government has taken note that the holding of the Government/Private Sector meeting has been postponed to Monday 27 October 2003, at 1500 hours at Domaine Les Pailles, in order to give time for better preparation.
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6. Cabinet has reviewed the situation regarding the reported food poisoning in ZEP schools, and has taken note that investigations were still being carried out by the Health Inspectorate, the bacteriological section of the Central Laboratory and the Government Analyst Division and that additional information would be submitted in due course. Alternative arrangements have been made for the temporary issue of a light meal to pupils attending the ZEP Schools.
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7. Cabinet has taken note that the report of the Textile Emergency Support Team (TEST) would be finalised by the end of next week. It would contain policy recommendations and an Action Plan. The report would eventually be submitted to the Policy Intervention Committee chaired by the Prime Minister.
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8. Cabinet has agreed to the setting up of an Inter-Ministerial Committee on Light Rail Transit under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister to take a holistic approach to the project.
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9. Cabinet has taken note that the draft Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) and the Government Guarantee Agreement (GGA) have been finalised. A special meeting of the CEB Board had been scheduled for this afternoon to approve the final PPA to be signed between CEB and CTDS thereafter, on the same day.
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10. Cabinet has reviewed projects at Le Morne and Balaclava and has agreed to -
(i) the setting up of an Inter-Ministerial Committee under the chairmanship of the Minister of Housing and Lands, to finalise issues at Le Morne; and
(ii) a site visit would be effected at Balaclava.
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11. Cabinet has taken note of an illegal structure put up by a hotel at Le Morne, which had not been constructed in accordance with approved plans. Appropriate legal actions were being initiated against the company.
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12. Cabinet has taken note of the recommendations made by an Inter-Ministerial team of engineers together with an independent Boiler Inspector and the factory consultants, who carried out an audit following the case of air pollution at Sinotex Ltd., Terre Rouge on 8 October 2003.
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13. Cabinet has taken note of the survey being carried out by the Ministry of Fisheries on amateur fishermen in Mauritius with a view to improving the management of fisheries in the lagoon and off lagoon areas.
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14. Government has reviewed the political situation in Comoros and Zimbabwe.
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15. Cabinet has agreed to the Municipal Council of Beau Bassin/Rose Hill raising a long-term loan of Rs 150 million to finance the renovation of the Plaza Theatre under Government guarantee.
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16. Cabinet has agreed to the recruitment by the Waste Water Management Authority of some 15 former employees of the Waste Water Authority, as Waste Water Pipe Cleaner, on a contract basis, provided they are found suitable following a selection exercise.
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17. Cabinet has agreed to:-
(i) the recommendations of the Committee set up under the chairmanship of the Ministry of Environment to study the root causes of Coastal Erosion in Mauritius; and
(ii) the setting up of a Technical Committee to implement the recommendations contained in the Report.
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18. Cabinet has agreed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Cooperation being designated as the overall focal point for all NEPAD matters and the National Economic and Social Council as the focal point for the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).
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19. Cabinet has agreed to the setting up of a National Organising Committee (NOC) to prepare for the 24th Summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to be held in Mauritius in August 2004.
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20. Cabinet has agreed to the arrangements being made jointly by the Ministry of Arts and Culture and the Aapravasi Ghat Trust Fund Board to commemorate the 169th Anniversary of the arrival of Indian Indentured Labourers in Mauritius, on 2 November 2003.
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21. Cabinet has taken note of the procedures for the Use of Chemicals at the Workplace which was adopted at the National Tripartite Conference on Chemical Safety at the Workplace. These procedures which have been agreed by the Mauritius Employers' Federation, the Federation of Trade Unions and other relevant Ministries will be widely disseminated among employers, trade unions and workers.
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22. Cabinet has taken note that a meeting by the African Foreign Regional Office of the World Health Organisation on Malaria Vector Control, will be held from 17 to 23 November 2003 in Mauritius.
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23. Cabinet has taken note that a national roundtable on Comprehensive Development Framework (CDF) Principles organised by the National Economic and Social Council in collaboration with the CDF Secretariat staff of the World Bank will be held on 6 December 2003 in Mauritius.
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24. Cabinet has taken note of the assessment made by a French Consultant on the quality of the types of flour imported by the State Trading Corporation (STC) and the measures proposed by the Consultant for implementation along with the amended specifications for the different types of flour.
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25. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the mission of the Minister of Training, Skills Development, Employment and Productivity to India from 17 to 24 September 2003.
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