1. Cabinet has, following the oral judgement delivered by the Judges of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in the matter of the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Port Louis against Mr I.S. Tengur and Ors, noted with satisfaction the responsible tone adopted by both parties and the decision of the Diocese to take into account the judgement for the 2004 admission in Form I in its colleges. Government shall be awaiting the written judgement which will be delivered at the beginning of February 2004. The Prime Minister will meet Mgr M. Piat and his collaborators in the course of next week in the presence of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Education and Scientific Research.
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2. Cabinet has reviewed the situation in Comoros and has taken note that the Prime Minister will participate in a meeting with the President of the Comoros and the three Presidents of the autonomous islands on 20 December. That meeting will be chaired by President Mbeki, on behalf of the African Union, and will also be attended by the Prime Minister of Madagascar, the French Minister of Cooperation and former President of Senegal Mr Abdou Diouf, currently Secretary-General of “l’Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie”. The purpose of this meeting is to finalize an agreement for a solution to the political crisis in Comoros. The Prime Minister will leave tonight at 2200 hours and will be back on Sunday 21 December at 500 hours.
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3. Cabinet has taken note that the Deputy Prime Minister will attend the Second Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (Indian Diaspora Conference) in New Delhi from 11 to 14 January 2004. The Minister of Tourism and Leisure, the Minister of Economic Development, Financial Services and Corporate Affairs and the Director of the Mahatma Gandhi Institute will form part of the delegation. A two-day official visit for the Deputy Prime Minister and his spouse will follow the Conference.
Further, the 9th Indo-Mauritian Joint Commission will be held in New Delhi on 7 and 8 January 2004. The Mauritian Delegation will be led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Cooperation. After the Meeting, talks will be held with the Indian side on the modus operandi and time frame of the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement between the two countries.
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4. Cabinet has taken note that the Prime Minister will chair a meeting with Ministers concerned and the National Housing Development Corporation (NHDC) Syndics on 23 December 2003 to review progress in addressing problems faced by occupants of NHDC blocks.
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5. Cabinet has taken note that with a view to meeting power demand for January 2006, the CEB will today launch a Request for Proposal for the purchase of power from bagasse/complementary fuel in the capacity of 60 MW to 70 MW, of which 30 MW to 35 MW will be required by January 2006 and the remainder in January 2008.
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6. Cabinet has taken note of the Reform Programme currently underway at the Customs to transform the Department into a “World Class Customs Service”. In this connection, the legislative framework is being modernized to bring it in line with internationally accepted Customs best practices. Further, a contract has been awarded to PriceWaterHouseCoopers for the implementation of the Mauritius Revenue Authority. The Consultants are expected to start work in early January 2004.
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7. Cabinet has agreed to the issue of a Letter of Intent to Ireland Blyth Ltd in respect of the lease of 112 Arpents of State Land for the development of the Agalega Island Resort Project. Further, the Prime Minister will lead a Ministerial delegation to Agalega in January 2004.
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8. Cabinet has taken note that the Mega Blood Collection organised by the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life in collaboration with the Mauritius Blood Donors Association has been very successful. 1,141 pints of blood have been collected thus far exceeding the target of 1,000 pints.
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9. Cabinet has taken note that 35 projects have been approved by the Board of Investment during the period 16 August to 15 December 2003. 13 are in the Industrial Sector, 12 in the Information and Communications Sector and 10 in the Hotel and Leisure Sector. These projects would necessitate a total investment of around Rs 5,835 million, with Foreign Director Investment of Rs 2,074 million and would create some 2,300 new jobs.
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10. Cabinet has agreed to Regulations being made under the Occupational Safety Health and Welfare Act 1988 to prohibit the use of asbestos of the amphibole group and raw asbestos at the workplace.
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11. Cabinet has agreed to Mauritius ratifying the SADC Protocol on Extradition. The objective of the Protocol is to facilitate the extradition of a person who is wanted for prosecution or for the enforcement of a sentence under the laws of the Member State requesting the extradition.
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12. Cabinet has taken note that a Donors’ Technical Meeting for the wastewater Sector was held on 10 December 2003 and has agreed that the Sector Policy Letter on Wastewater would be reviewed and a Donors’ Meeting be held in September 2004.
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13. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the mission of the Minister of Industry and International Trade to Washington from 8 to 10 December 2003 where he attended the Third US – Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum (AGOA Forum).
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14. Cabinet has taken note of the important measures taken in favour of the disabled and the elderly and achievements realised on issues relating to women, children and the family during the last three years.
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15. Cabinet has taken note that the National Transport Authority will review the criteria for determining the number of taxi licences to be granted to operate from a particular locality or region. The number of licences granted in a locality is currently solely based on its population.
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16. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the mission of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Cooperation to Kenya on 17 November 2003 where he attended the Sixth Meeting of COMESA Ministers of Finance and the Third Ministerial Meeting of the Regional Integration Facilitation Forum (RIFF).
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