1.Cabinet has taken note with concern that the language used by members of the public intervening in live programmes broadcast by private radio channels was sometimes very rough and insulting with communal colouring and could pose a threat to public harmony, and has decided that the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister will in the presence of the Chairman of the Independent Broadcasting Authority meet the representatives of the three private radios to discuss the issue.
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2. Cabinet has taken note of the report of Sir Victor Glover on the Review of the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation Act 1982 and has agreed that the report be released and the views of the public be invited thereon. A new Act would be prepared subsequently.
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3. Cabinet has taken note of arrangements made for the official visit of Dr Supachai Panitchpakdi, Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, as Chief Guest of the Government for the National Day Celebrations from 11 March to 13 March 2004. He will also visit the Compagnie Thermique de Belle Vue and the Consolidated Fabrics Ltd. and will have an interactive session with students and officials on WTO issues.
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4. Cabinet has taken note of an incident at Rose Belle (North) Government School on 26 February 2004 whereby 12 pupils and 2 teachers felt sick as a result of an unusual irritant smell. Investigations are underway to determine the causal factor
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5. Cabinet has taken note of pollution in the lagoon in front of Hotel Hilton at Wolmar and measures being taken to remedy the situation. In this connection, a meeting under the chairmanship of the Director of Environment will be held on Monday 1 March 2004 with Ministries and Authorities concerned to take concerted actions to prevent recurrence of such incidents in the country.
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6. Cabinet has reviewed the situation regarding the hawkers at Rose Hill and has taken note that the Parliamentary Private Secretary for Constituency No. 19 and the Mayor of Beau Bassin/Rose Hill with the assistance of the Ministry of Environment and National Development Unit will arrange for the temporary relocation of the hawkers pending the completion of the building being constructed by the Municipal Council for their accommodation.
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7. Cabinet has agreed to introduce legislation with a view to prohibiting demonstrators from blocking the motorway and access to the port and to the airport..
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8. Cabinet has taken note that the official opening of the Port Louis market will take place on 11 March 2004 and that Section 45 of Sub-Part B of Part V of the Local Government Act 2003 relating to the occupation of stalls in markets will be proclaimed to come into effect on 1 March 2004.
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9. Cabinet has reviewed the situation regarding e-Education and e-Training strategy and has agreed to release a Progress Report of the Task Force on e-Education and e-Training. Cabinet has also taken note of the report of the Special Committee on Job-Related Training for ICT Sector and has agreed to the setting-up of a Ministerial Committee chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Economic Development to consider the issues at stake and an Implementation Steering Committee under the chairmanship of Mr A. H. Nakhuda, Adviser to the Prime Minister.
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10. Cabinet has agreed to the introduction into the National Assembly of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention Bill. Mauritius is a party to the Biological Weapons Convention since August 1972 and the Bill provides for the implementation of the obligations of Mauritius under the Biological Weapons Convention.
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11. Cabinet has agreed to the setting up of an Inter-Ministerial Committee under the chairmanship of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economic Development to ensure the timely implementation of wastewater projects in view of the fact that major funding agencies are actively involved in the waste water sector. Further, Cabinet has taken note that regulations will be made under the Wastewater Management Authority Act to allow for an effective control on the standards for discharge of industrial effluent into a waste water system.
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12. Cabinet has agreed to Mauritius adhering to the Protocol on Privileges and Immunities of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) which defines the standard privileges and immunities that the ISA, its representatives and officials will enjoy in the exercise of their functions.
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13. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the Extraordinary Session of the Inter State Defence and Security Committee of the SADC held in Pretoria, South Africa from 14 to 15 February 2004 and which was attended by the Secretary for Foreign Affairs.
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14. Cabinet has taken that Mauritius will host a regional seminar on "Renewable Energies for the Sustainable Development of French Speaking Indian Ocean Island States" from 1 to 4 March 2004 at the initiative of the "Institut de l`Energie et de l`Environnement de la Francophonie" as part of the preparation process of the Small Island Developing States International Meeting to be held in August 2004.
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15. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the mission of the Minister of Tourism and Leisure to Milan, Italy from 12 to 17 February 2004 where he attended the 24th Edition of the Borsa Internazionale del Tourismo. Cabinet has also taken note of the constitution of the Committee to manage the Tourist Fund under the chairmanship of Me Bebakur Rampoortab.
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