1. Cabinet has reviewed the work progress as regards the organisation of the UN International Meeting for the Comprehensive Review of the Barbados Programme of Action for Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Meeting which will be held in Mauritius from 10 to 14 January 2005 and has agreed to the proposed organisational arrangements for the smooth running of the Meeting, including the need for 50 additional cars to be made available for the conveyance of Ministers.
Further, Cabinet has taken note that a Ministerial delegation will shortly proceed to Barbados for the flag handing over ceremony. The delegation will also take the opportunity to canvass support for the candidature of Hon J Cuttaree to the post Secretary-General of the World Trade Organisation.
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2. Cabinet has taken note that its two last meetings in the month of December 2004 will be held on Thursdays 23 and 30 December. Cabinet meetings will resume on 7 January 2005. Cabinet has further noted that the National Assembly will adjourn on 23 November 2004 and will reconvene on 8 February 2005.
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3. Cabinet has taken note with regret of the demise of Mr Yasser Arafat, former President of the Palestine Authority and that arrangements would be made for Mauritius to be represented at the funeral in Cairo, at the highest level.
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4. Cabinet has taken note with concern of a BBC programme in the series "World Uncovered" which was telecast on MBC TV on Wednesday 10 November 2004, featuring the life of Sai Baba in an unfavourable light. An enquiry will be made into the matter.
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5. Cabinet has taken note of a proposal by a private company to organise cruises around the islets near Mauritius including stop overs at Saint Brandon. Cabinet has agreed that in view of foreseeable negative environmental impact and ecological disturbances, permission would not be given for tourists to land at Saint Brandon.
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6. Cabinet has taken note with concern of a report on the use of forged documents by a local enterprise to fraudulently export frozen tuna loins to a country of the EU. Following an investigation carried out by the Division of the Veterinary Services of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Technology and Natural Resources, which has confirmed that the documents used by that Company did not emanate from its services, the case has been reported to the Police for enquiry.
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7. Cabinet has taken note of the serious allegations of corruption made by Hon J.B. David in the National Assembly on Tuesday 9 November 2004 against the Minister of Youth and Sports and the staff of his Ministry following the suspension of the Table Tennis Association by the African Table Tennis Federation and the Mauritius Badminton Association by the International Badminton Federation/African Badminton Federation and the appointment of caretaker committees. The Prime Minister will raise the question with the Leader of the Opposition before envisaging further action.
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8. Cabinet has reviewed the situation in Zimbabwe and Côte d'Ivoire and has taken note of measures being taken to provide full assistance to Mauritian nationals in case of need. The possibility of setting up a High Commission in Zimbabwe also has been evoked.
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9. Cabinet has agreed to Mauritius ratifying the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism. The Convention which was signed by Mauritius on 11 November 2001, focuses on efforts to identify, detect and freeze or seize any funds used or allocated for the purpose of committing a terrorist act and calls upon financial institutions to report to Government any suspicious transactions that may be connected to criminal activity.
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10. Cabinet has taken note of the report of the National Survey on Children with disabilities and agreed to the setting up of a Steering Committee of Officials of relevant Ministries and NGOs to examine the implementation of the recommendations made therein and has agreed to the report being made accessible to interested parties.
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11. Cabinet has reviewed the water situation in reservoirs and aquifers and in view of the difficult situation that hotels have to face in the dry season, serious consideration will be given to facilitate the installation of desalination plants in hotels.
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12. Cabinet has taken note that in the light of the site visit effected by the Prime Minister and Ministers on 6 November 2004 to Melville Pas Géométriques (PG), Morcellement Anna and Case Noyale, Grande Rivière Noire, draft development proposals at those sites will be reviewed and will be circulated for the approval of Cabinet in due course.
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13. Cabinet has reviewed issues relating to pig rearing, NHDC Syndics and very low housing scheme, and has agreed that in view of delays in the implementation of these projects, urgent action will be taken as from January next year to activate matters.
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14. Cabinet has reviewed progress with regard to the Nelson Mandela African Cultural Centre and has taken note that the architectural drawings will be ready for launching of tenders for the renovation of the building on 19 November 2004. However, in the first instance, the design will be cleared by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Arts and Culture.
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15. Cabinet has reviewed the situation regarding the former employees of Texel Ltd and has taken note that the Development Bank of Mauritius having agreed to waive its claim, the Official Receiver will be in a position to pay the compensation due to the employees of the company.
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16. Cabinet has reconsidered its decision to re-appoint a Committee chaired by former Chief Justice Mr J Forget to review actions taken so far on the recommendations made in 2002 by the Committee chaired by him on pollution in the lagoon in the Port Louis region, in view of the negative attitude of the representatives of fishers of Port Louis.
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17. Cabinet has taken note that the fierce competition among "canvassers" employed by pleasure craft operators, particularly in the area of Belle Mare, could lead to a deterioration of the situation in that region. In that connection Cabinet has agreed that the Police, the Ministry of Tourism and Leisure and the Beach Authority would urgently look into the matter and make appropriate recommendations.
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18. Cabinet has agreed to the appointment of a Consultant to review the tender documents for the rehabilitation of the La Ferme Dam with a view to enhancing its structural stability and safety.
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19. Cabinet has taken note of the recommendations of the Consultant, Halcrow Group Ltd for a swimming area at Bel Ombre Public Beach and has agreed, in principle, to the creation of an inner sea water lagoon.
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20. Cabinet has agreed, in principle, to the setting up of the Dr Baba Saheb Ambedhar Foundation to give due recognition to the contribution made by Dr Amhedhar, the father of the Indian Constitution, in the education and improvement of the economic conditions to the depressed classes of India. The Foundation will inter alia give assistance for the educational advancement to the needy, and training and assistance to small entrepreneurs of vulnerable groups.
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21. Cabinet has agreed to the introduction into the National Assembly of the Financial Reporting Bill having as objective to regulate the reporting of financial matters in Mauritius in line with internationally accepted standards and to provide for the establishment of financial reporting structures with a view to establishing Mauritius as a leading regional centre.
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22. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the EU-SADC Double Troika Ministerial Meeting which was held in Hague, Netherlands on 19 and 20 October 2004. The Meeting was co-chaired by Hon Bernard Bot, President of the Council of Ministers of the European Union and Hon J. Cuttaree, chairperson of the SADC Council of Ministers.
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23. Cabinet has taken note that the "SME and Handicraft Week 2005" will be held from 30 March to 3 April 2005 at the International Exhibition and Conference Centre. The main objectives of the SME and Handicraft Week will be to sensitize people on the concept of entrepreneurship and facilitate the development of linkages between local and overseas enterprises.
Cabinet has also taken note of activities to mark -
(i) the celebration of Universal Children's Day on 20 November 2004 to promote togetherness and awareness among children all over the world; and
(ii) the International Civil Aviation Day on 7 December 2004 to reinforce worldwide awareness of the importance of international civil aviation in the social and economic development of Contracting States.
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24. Cabinet has taken note that the 2nd AU Ministerial Conference on Drug Control will be held from 14 to 17 December 2004 at Le Méridien Hotel, Pointe aux Piments.
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25. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the mission of:
(i) the Minister of Public Infrastructure and Land Transport to Brisbane, Australia from 24 to 28 October 2004, where he attended the 4th International Bus Conference;
(ii) the Minister of Health and Quality of Life to Rodrigues from 31 October to 4 November 2004 where he participated in the launching of the Rodrigues HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan 2004-2007;
(iii) the Minister of Education and Scientific Research to Paris on 25 October 2004, where he participated in the meeting of the sub-committee on Peer Review of the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) Steering Committee;
(iv) the Minister of Tourism and Leisure to Montreal, Canada from 28 September to 8 October 2004, where he attended the 35th Session of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Assembly Meeting; and
(v) the Minister of Information Technology and Telecommunications to Mysore, India on 26 October 2004, where he attended the convocation held by Infosys.
Cabinet also took note of the outcome of the 51st Ministerial Session of the "Conference des Ministres de l'Education des pays ayant le Français en Partage (CONFEMEN) held from 17 to 22 October 2004 at the International Conference Centre, Grand'Baie.
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26. Cabinet has taken note that the Minister of Information Technology and Telecommunications has received, in the context of the annual African ICT Achievers Awards Competition organised by Forge Ahead of South Africa and the Ministry of Communications of South Africa, the "Top Minister with an ICT Portfolio" Award offered by NEPAD and the "TOP ICT Individual" Award.
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