1. Cabinet has taken note of the strong legal advice received to the effect that the excision of the Chagos Archipelago in 1965 by the UK was illegal and in violation of the UN Charter. Cabinet has examined the various options open to Mauritius and has taken certain strategic decisions. The Prime Minister will meet the British High Commissioner in Mauritius on Monday 22 March 2004 to discuss the issue.
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2. Cabinet has reviewed progress for the elaboration of a written form of the Creole language and has taken note with interest of a position paper by the "Plateforme pour la comptabilisation des langues orientales au CPE, sans injustice".
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3. Cabinet has reviewed the situation regarding the problem of pollution caused by Alcodis Ltd at Rose Belle and has taken note that the company has been running on diesel since 15 March 2004 and that no harmful emission or environmental nuisance has since been noted. The Ministry of Environment and the National Development Unit is continuously monitoring the ambient air quality, and the Ministry of health and Quality of Life has arranged for a medical check-up of pupils and staff of Rose Belle North Government School as from Monday 22 March 2004.
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4. Cabinet has reviewed the situation regarding the manufacturers and outlets owners of Polo-Ralph Lauren products and has taken note that the Ralph Lauren US has brought down their claim for damages from Rs 40M to Rs 20M. Cabinet has expressed the wish to see an agreement reached within hours.
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5. Cabinet has reviewed the situation regarding the shortage of billets and iron bars and has taken note that:
(i) Desbro International Ltd will not be in a position to supply finished iron bars from 22 to 28 March 2004 as a shipment of 2000 tons of billets which was scheduled for 12 March has been delayed and is now expected to arrive by 25 March 2004; and
(ii) measures have been taken to prevent a shortage of hoarding of iron bars.
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6. Cabinet has reviewed the situation regarding the challenge by Thailand, Australia and Brazil to the EU Sugar Regime and has taken note that the ACP Third Party Collective has deposited its written submission at the World Trade Organisation on 17 March 2004. The Deputy Prime Minister who is the ACP Ministerial spokesman will make a collective statement at the first meeting of the Panel on 1 April 2004 and the Minister of Agriculture, Food Technology and Natural Resources will make an oral statement on behalf of Mauritius.
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7. Cabinet has taken note that the visit of Mr. Supaichai Panitchpakdi, Director-General, of the World Trade Organisation and main guest to the National Day celebrations has been most successful.
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8. Cabinet has agreed that the legislative framework governing the Integrated Resort Scheme (IRS) relating to the resale of IRS property; renting of IRS villas and applicability of Land Conversion Tax to different components of an IRS project be amended with a view to capitalizing further on our natural assets for attracting to Mauritius high net-worth foreigners.
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9. Cabinet has taken note of the proposal by the National Equity Fund to set up a sub-fund for the purpose of assisting in the restructuring of potentially viable textile and apparel companies.
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10. Government has taken note of the main findings and recommendations of the Report submitted by Mr Lorne Dyke, CConsultant of the Commonwealth Secretariat for an integrated support framework for the industrial sector and has agreed to release the report and set up a Steering Committee. The terms of reference of the Committee will include an examination of whether SMIDO should also be integrated in the proposed National Industrial Development Organisation.
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11. Cabinet has agreed to the Commissioner for Health, Prisons and Reform Institutions, Fire Services and Cooperatives of Rodrigues serving as a member of the National Aids Committee.
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12. Cabinet has agreed to a feasibility study being conducted by the Mauritius Pig Marketing Cooperative Federation Ltd with the assistance of the Ministry of Commerce and Cooperatives for the setting-up of an 'Atelier-de-Decoupe' where slaughtered pigs will be cut into selected pieces for sale in supermarkets and hotels. The project aims at adding value to the meat produced by the local pig breeders.
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13. Cabinet has taken note of the issues raised during the opening plenary session of the Premier Conference and Expo of the Apparel and Textile Manufacturers and Exporters of Sub-Saharian Africa held on 10 March 2004 in Johannesburg, South Africa at which the Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Regional Cooperation delivered a key note address.
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14. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the visit of the Tanzanian delegation to Mauritius for bilateral trade talks on 5 and 6 March 2004.
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15. Cabinet has taken note of the Second African Union Ministerial Conference on Drug Control scheduled for the first week of May 2004, has been postponed to the last quarter of this year, that is between October and December 2004.
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16. Cabinet has taken note of progress achieved in the development of a Mauritian Sign Language with the assistance oof the "Institut National de Jeunes Sourds de Paris". A Steering Committee has been set up under the Chairmanship of Professor Hookoomsing, Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University of Mauritius to give this project an academic dimension devoid of any bias and prejudice.
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17.Cabinet has taken note that all para-statal Bodies, Statutory Boards, and Committees under respective Ministries and Companies in which Government is a shareholder will be invited to adopt a policy of recruitment which does not discriminate against disabled persons.
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18. Cabinet has taken note of the setting-up, on a pilot basis, of a Half-Way Home for Girls released from institutional Custody, to provide for an intermediate residential institution to temporarily house inmates of Probation Homes, the Rehabilitation Youth Centres and the Correctional Youth Centres, who are either left on their own or who cannot integrate their families after having served their terms of institutional custody.
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19. Cabinet has taken note of various measures being considered for alleviating the serious problem of traffic congestion at the entrance of Port Louis during the morning peak hours.
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20. Cabinet has taken note of the findings and recommendations of the two experts from Réunion Island regarding landslides that occurred at Vallée des Prêtres and Trou-aux-Cerfs last year. A Committee will be set up under the Chairmanship of the Ministry of Environment and National Development Unit to monitor the implementation of the recommendations.
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21. Cabinet has taken note of measures to redeploy the redundant workers of Ere Lingerie Ltée and Voltamex Ltd.
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22. Cabinet has taken note of measures being taken to improve the functioning of the SAMU (Service d'Aide Medicale d'Urgence) services.
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23. Cabinet has taken note of the renewal of the Fishing Agreement between Mauritius and the Federation of Japan Tuna Fisheries Cooperative Association (FJTFCA) for a further period of one year.
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24. Cabinet has taken note of progress in regard to the restoration of the Aapravasi Ghat Site.
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25. Cabinet has taken note of the reconstitution of the MAURITAS Advisory Council for a period of three years, under the Chairmanship of Prof S. D..D.V. Rughooputh.
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26. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of mission of:
(a) the Minister of Housing and Lands and Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises, Handicraft & the Informal Sector to India and Singapore from 29 February to 10 March 2004. The main purpose of the visit was to explore facilities and assistance for enhancing the competitiveness and economic growth of the small and medium enterprises and the handicraft sector;
(b) the Minister of Health and Quality of Life to Rodrigues from 29 February to 4 March 2004;
(c) the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice & Human Rights to :
(i) La Antigua, Republic of Guatemala, the Craddle of the Maya civilization, where he participated in the World Summit of Attorneys-General and Prosecutors General, Heads of Public Ministers and Ministers of Justice; and
(ii) to Marrakech, Morocco from 27 to 28 February 2004, where he participated in the "1ere Réunion des Comité de Suivi de la Conference des Structures Gouvernementale Chargées des Droits de l'Homme dans l'Espace Francophone".
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