1. Following substantial damage suffered by vegetable growers following the recent heavy rainfall, Cabinet has agreed to provide a relief assistance of Rs 2,000 to vegetable planters owning less than one arpent of land and Rs 3,000 to those having more than one arpent to help them get back into fresh plantation. Vegetable seeds will also be distributed to them.
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2. Taking into consideration the need to control Government budget deficit, to preserve competitivess and to protect/create employment in the private sector, Cabinet has agreed to the payment of compensation with effect from 1 July 2003 as follows –
Monthly Wage or Salary Rs per month
In respect of employees whose 5.1% rounded up to
basic wage or salary is Rs 3,700 to the next rupee or Rs 120
per month or less whichever is the higher
Above Rs 3,700 up to Rs 4,000 200
Above Rs 4,000 up to Rs 5,000 210
Above Rs 5,000 up to Rs 6,000 220
Above Rs 6,000 up to Rs 7,000 230
Above Rs 7,000 up to Rs 8,000 240
Above Rs 8,000 250
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3. Cabinet has agreed to the introduction into the National Assembly of:-
(a) the Ports (Amendment) Bill which aims at enhancing security in the port area and updating the provisions pertaining to the disposal of goods in the port premises;
(b) the Constitution (Amendment) Bill which aims at giving powers to the Ombudsman to enquire into cases of maladministration by Local Authorities;
(c) the Local Government Bill which aims at consolidating, modernizing the law relating to Local Government;
(d) the Local Government (Amendment) Bill which provides for the extension of the mandate of the existing Village and District Councils following the enactment of the new Local Government Bill; and
(e) the Criminal Code (Amendment) Bill which aims at introducing into our criminal law the offence of torture as defined in Article 1 of the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
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4. Cabinet has taken note that –
(a) regulations will be made under the Civil Status (Amendment) Act 1981 to provide for the prescription of fees for civil marriages celebrated by Civil Status Officers outside the precints of Civil Status Offices. A fee of Rs 1,000 will be claimed for each marriage celebrated on private premises and Rs 2,500 in hotels and commercial premises. The fee should be paid in advance at a District Cash Office; and
(b) the Minister of Commerce and Cooperatives will make regulations to amend the Importation and Sale of Second-hand Motor Vehicles Regulations 2003 and the Control of Imports (Amendment No. 3) Regulations 2003 with a view to better controlling the importation and sale of cars;
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5. Cabinet has agreed to the setting up of a second Recreation Centre for the Elderly.
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6. Cabinet has agreed to the setting up of a full-fledged Revenue Authority which will bring under one roof all revenue departments, viz. the Customs and Excise Department, the Income Tax Department, the Value Added Tax Division, the Large Taxpayer Division and the Registrar-General Office, and have direct responsibility for the collection and administration of all duties and taxes.
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7. Cabinet has agreed to the development of a Mauritian Sign Language for the benefit of the deaf and hearing impaired people of Mauritius with a view to providing access to spoken information to persons with auditory impairments or comprehension difficulties.
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8. Cabinet has agreed to the recommendations contained in the Report of the Committee on Taxis and “Taxis Marrons”, and to the Report being made public.
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9. Cabinet has agreed to support the Charter of Fundamental Social Rights in the SADC which aims at harmonizing the national legislation and practices by providing basic standards in the areas of freedom of association and collective bargaining, freedom of movement, international labour standards, equality, social protection occupational safety and health and workers’ participation.
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10. Cabinet has agreed to make public the National Children’s Policy Paper which is a holistic guideline for ensuring the survival, development education, and protection of Mauritian children and includes measures designed to fulfill and guarantee the rights of the child. A National Plan of Action, based on the policies and strategic action areas set out in the Policy Paper, will be prepared.
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11. Cabinet has agreed to the upward revision of the loan, i.e. from Rs 45,000 to Rs 75,000, granted by the Students’ Relief Fund, established under the Students Relief Fund Act, to students of the Tertiary Education Sector who have completed the first half of their course of study.
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12. In line with the International Convention for the Protection of Pollution from Ships, Cabinet has agreed to allow the State Trading Corporation to accept, as from August 2003, the importation of heavy fuel oil by double hull tankers only. However, in view of heavy financial implications, transportation to Agalega and Rodrigues of heavy oil in single hull vessels will not be banned in the immediate future.
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13. Cabinet has taken note that the Office of the Prime Minister, his Private Office and the Cabinet Office will, as from June, be located at the new Prime Minister’s Office (formerly Treasury Building).
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14. Cabinet has taken note that the BOI has, during the period 18 March to 19 May 2003, approved 13 new projects in the Industrial Sector, the Information, Communication and Technology Sector, and the Hotel and Leisure Sector. These projects will involve investments to the tune of Rs 1,422.2 million and the creation of 959 new jobs.
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15. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the mission of the Minister of Industry and International Trade and the Minister of Agriculture, Food Technology & Natural Resources to Brussels where they participated in:-
(i) the 77th Sessions of ACP Council of Ministers from 13 to 15 May; and
(ii) the 28th Session of ACP-EC Council of Ministers on 16 May.
The Minister of Industry and International Trade also participated in a symposium on “The Future of Textile and Clothing After 2005”, organized by the European Commission, from 5 to 6 May 2003.
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16. Cabinet has taken note of activities that will be organized by the Ministry of Environment to mark the World Environment Day (WED) 2003. The theme for WED 2003, as selected by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), is “Water – Two Billion People are Dying for It!”.
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17. Cabinet has taken note of the status of the South Eastern Highway project.
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18. Cabinet has taken note of activities that will be organized to mark the “World No Tobacco Day” on 31 May 2003. The Theme for this year is “Tobacco Free Film – Tobacco Free Fashion – Action!”.
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