1. Cabinet has, after taking into consideration that the first two days of January 2005 will fall in the week-end, agreed that 3 January 2005 be exceptionally observed as a public holiday.
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2. Cabinet has taken note of the proposed visit of Mrs Sonia Gandhi, Leader of Indian National Congress Party, to Mauritius in November 2004, during which she will inaugurate the Rajiv Gandhi Science Centre at Bell Village. Cabinet has also taken note of the proposed visit of Dr Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India to Mauritius in December 2004. The programme of activities will include the inauguration of the Cybertower at Ebène and the inauguration of the Les Pailles Conference Centre.
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3. Cabinet has taken note of the visit of a six-member delegation led by HE Mr Azali Assoumani, President of the Union of Comoros to Mauritius from Saturday 23rd October to Monday 25 October 2004. During his visit the President will have a working session with the Prime Minister on Sunday 24 October.
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4. Cabinet has taken note of the progress report of the programme of activities of the National Divali Celebrations 2004. 138 entries have been received for the Ramayana Chanting Competition. Further, 40 artists including two top professionals from India are expected in Mauritius on 5 November 2004 to perform at the cultural shows.
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5. Cabinet has taken note of the positive outcome of the Prime Minister’s official visit to Kuwait and Pakistan from 9 to 14 October 2004. During the visit, detailed talks were held on a range of important bilateral, regional and international issues of interest. Opportunity was also taken to reaffirm commitment to strengthen bilateral and regional cooperation.
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6. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the ACP lobbying mission of the Minister of Agriculture, Food Technology and Natural Resources to UK, Poland, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium and Portugal from 11 to 15 October 2004. Cabinet has also taken note that the recommendations of the WTO Panel Report on the dispute of Australia, Thailand and Brazil on the EU sugar regime has been released. Mauritius will request Third Party Status. In this regard the legal and technical implications of the recommendations are being analysed by the Attorney-General’s Office and the Mauritius Sugar Authority in order to enable the presentation of our case in appeal. Further, Cabinet has taken note that the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Economic Development has chaired a meeting with the Private Sector and the Unions on the accelerated action plan on the reform of the sugar industry in Mauritius.
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7. Cabinet has reviewed the situation in the Textile Industry and has taken note that the extension of Third Country Fabric to Mauritius will provide an opportunity for almost doubling the level of current apparel exports to the US that will qualify for duty free agreement. The relevant legislative formalities will be completed when the US Congress reconvenes on 16 November 2004.
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8. Cabinet has reviewed the situation regarding water supply in the country and has taken note that, as is usually the case during dry season, the Central Water Authority (CWA) has started to effect water cuts. However, the CWA has made arrangements for the cuts to be done in such a way as to provide the public with an adequate water supply and ensure that no undue hardship is caused.
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9. Cabinet has reviewed the situation regarding the implementation of the Integrated Projects for Tourism and Leisure at St Félix and Bel Ombre and has taken note that works are progressing satisfactorily on the various projects under implementation.
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10. Cabinet has reviewed the situation with regard to the construction of Montagne Jacquot Sewerage Outfall and has taken note that –
(i) the Minister of Fisheries and the Wastewater Management Authority have had at least three meetings with fishers of Albion and Pointe aux Sables to brief them on the project, the first one dating as far back as November 2003. The issue was again raised at the First Meeting of the Artisanal Fisheries Consultative Committee chaired by the Minister of Fisheries on 11 October 2004 and the fishers concerned and at a special meeting at the Albion Fisheries Research Centre on 12 October 2004;
(ii) following the construction of a sea outfall at Baie du Tombeau, a marked improvement has been noted in the quality of the lagoon as well as an increase in the fish population there; and
(iii) the Prime Minister had chaired a meeting on 20 October 2004 to review problems faced by fishers in general.
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11. Cabinet has reviewed the situation with regard to the case of Mr Jacques Pereira, Officer in Charge of Père Laval College and has taken note that the Prime Minister and the Minister of Education and Scientific Research will look into the matter with all stakeholders concerned next week with a view to reaching an urgent solution to the satisfaction of all parties.
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12. Cabinet has taken note of arrangements made by the National Coast Guard to find the three fishers of Noor II who have disappeared at sea on Monday 18 October, and measures taken by the Ministry of Fisheries and the Fishermen Welfare Fund to assist their families.
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13. Cabinet has taken note that the Prime Minister has on 21 October 2004 chaired a meeting with all stakeholders regarding the wreck that could be of a slave ship “Le Coureur” sank in 1821 near Pointe-aux-Feuilles and which has recently been discovered by a diver of La Ferme Marine de Mahebourg. A preliminary report on the wreck has been submitted by two underwater archaeologists and is being studied by a Committee chaired by the Minister of Arts and Culture.
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14. Cabinet has agreed that the Representation of the People Act be amended to allow International Observers to have access to polling stations and counting centres during elections in line with the provisions of the SADC Principles and Guidelines governing democratic elections.
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15. Cabinet has agreed to the introduction into the National Assembly of –
(i) the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Bill to provide for the legal and administrative framework for the implementation, development and monitoring of Public-Private Partnership Projects under the Public-Private Partnership agreement between contracting authorities and private parties and also to establish a set of rules governing Public-Private Partnership procurement;
(ii) the Irrigation Authority (Amendment) Bill to enable the Irrigation Authority to borrow money and to sign loan agreements with Funding Agencies under a Government Guarantee; and
(iii) the Sports (Amendment) Bill to provide for a Regional General Assembly to be composed of a minimum of two clubs in any sports discipline and to enable the Minister to set up a caretaker committee in the event a Sports Federation no longer satisfies the requirements of the Sports Act.
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16. Cabinet has also taken note of the outcome of the mission of -
(i) the Minister of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment to Geneva from 13 to 15 October 2004 where he attended the ILO Tripartite Meeting on Youth Employment;
(ii) the Minister of Women’s Rights, Child Development and Family Welfare to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia form 12 to 14 October 2004 where she attended the 7th African Regional Conference on Women; and
(iii) the Minister of Information Technology and Telecommunications to UK and Bucharest, Romania from 27 September to 5 October 2004 where he attended an ICT promotion mission with the Business Parks of Mauritius and the 23rd Universal Postal Union Congress.
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17. Cabinet has taken note that a Technical Cooperation Agreement will be signed between the Ministry of Fisheries and the South African Bureau of Standards for the mutual exchange of technical and regulatory information in respect of fish and fishery products and the harmonisation of regulatory and inspection regimes including development of common standards.
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18. Cabinet has taken note of the stamp issue programme for year 2005 as recommended by the Stamp Advisory Committee. The approved themes for year 2005 are as follows-
(i) Round Island;
(ii) Postal Services;
(iii) Stone Building; and
(iv) Model Ships.
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19. Cabinet has taken note that the Infotech 2004 will be organised from 1 to 4 December 2004 by the National Computer Board at the International Exhibition Hall, Freeport Operations Ltd, Mer Rouge. Infotech 2004 will be opened to the public from 2 to 4 December from 1000 to 1800 hours.
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