1. Cabinet has taken note of the success of activities organized in the context of the National Day Celebrations 2005 at the Sir Gaëtan Duval Esplanade, Mahebourg Waterfront on 12 March 2005, and has extended its appreciation to all those who have contributed to this success. Special thanks have been extended to the fishers who have sailed in front of the esplanade during the ceremony, the children of the Conservatoire de Musique François Mitterrand, the participants to the cultural programme and the inhabitants of Mahebourg who have participated in great number.
Cabinet has also started discussions on the venue for the National Day celebrations 2006 which might be held at Grand’Baie.
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2. Cabinet has taken note of the success of the Maha Shivaratree festival in spite of the prevailing bad weather conditions and has thanked the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Chairperson of the Ministerial Task Force and the members. Cabinet has further taken note that The Task Force will meet on 17 March 2005 to convey its appreciation to all parties concerned in making the pilgrimage a success. Cabinet has, in view of various projects planned at Grand Bassin, including the construction of the statue of Shiva and the development of a spiritual park, agreed to the setting-up of a Standing Committee on Grand Bassin and Maha Shivaratree under the chair of the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Economic Development.
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3. Cabinet has agreed to circulate the Constitution (Amendment) Bill which purports to introduce a dose of proportional representation with 14 additional seats instead of four as is presently the case and at the same time to provide for positive discrimination in favour of women to ensure that they secure at least seven seats in Parliament.
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4. Cabinet has taken note that in view of the number of Bills to be introduced in Parliament, the sittings of the National Assembly will be held on Tuesdays and Fridays as from next week till the presentation of the budget on Monday 4 April 2005.
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5. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of First International Coordination Meeting for the Development of a Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System for the Indian Ocean within a global framework held in Paris on 3 to 8 March. Mauritius was represented at the Meeting by our Ambassador in Paris, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment and National Development Unit the Director of the Meteorological Services and the Director of the Mauritius Oceanographic Institute. Cabinet has further taken note that Mauritius will host the Second International Coordination Meeting to be organised by UNESCO through the intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) from 14 to 16 April 2005. About 200 participants are expected to attend.
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6. Cabinet has reviewed the situation regarding the two cases involving the Mauritius Commercial Bank i.e., the MCB/NPF case and the murder and theft of 11 February 2005 and has taken note that the Prime Minister would make a statement on both cases in the National Assembly on Tuesday 15 March 2005.
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7. Cabinet has taken note of the activities being organized to mark the Consumer Rights Day on 15 March 2005. Activities would include inter alia the launching of an awareness campaign on Consumer Rights on 14 March 2005, issue of pamphlets and posters as well as special broadcasting of programmes on TV and radios.
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8. Cabinet has taken note of several comments and observations from Cooperative Societies and Credit Unions on the Cooperative Bill and has agreed that these comments would be examined by the Minister of Small Enterprises, Cooperatives Handicraft and the Informal Sector. Any amendments to the Bill, if required, would be brought at the stage of Second Reading of the Bill in the National Assembly on Tuesday 15 March 2005.
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9. Cabinet has taken note that Mr Vijay Poonoosamy has been appointed Chairperson of the Board of the Air Navigation Services Provider, a body which is being set up in the context of the restructure of the Civil Aviation Department. In order to enable Mr Poonoosamy to meet the challenges of this new assignment, he will henceforth be the Chairperson of the Airports of Mauritius Ltd. instead of the Executive Chairperson.
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10. Cabinet has reviewed Hotel and IRS Projects and has taken note that the Prime Minister will chair a Coordinating Meeting on Les Salines, Rivière Noire IRS Project on 21 March 2005 in order to activate matters. Further, the Prime Minister will lead a site visit to Balaclava on Sunday 20 March 2005 and at Bel Air Estate, Rivière des Anguilles - Senneville on Monday 21 March 2005.
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11. Cabinet has taken note that the Consultants of the NWFS have completed their assignment at Ferney Valley and are expected to submit their recommendations on the best option for the road alignment for the South Eastern Highway Project on Thursday 17 March 2005.
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12. Cabinet has reviewed the situation regarding the dolphins which had entered the lagoon at Vieux Grand Port and has congratulated all those who have taken part in the rescue operation undertaken jointly by the Ministry of Fisheries, the Ministry of Environment and National Development Unit, the National Coast Guard, the fishers of the region, the Mauritius Conservation Marine Consortium and other NGOs which has contributed in saving the life of about 30 dolphins.
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13. Cabinet has reviewed drain projects being implemented under the National Land Drainage Programme and has taken note that to date 107 projects had been approved for implementation, islandwide , for a total amount of Rs 632M. Moreover, Cabinet has taken note that a survey would be carried out by the National Development Unit in collaboration with respective local authorities to draw up a new priority list of drain projects to be implemented following flooding problems which have been reported in various localities after the recent torrential rains.
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14. Cabinet has taken note of the findings of the Report of Mr Arnaud Claude from the Direction Départmentale de l’Equipement (DDE) of Reunion Island on measures to prevent landslides at Chitrakoot, Vallée des Prêtres and has agreed to the implementation of the recommendations contained therein.
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15. Cabinet has agreed to the introduction into the National Assembly of the National Children’s Council (Amendment) Bill which will provide for a change in the composition of the National Children’s Council to provide for the establishment of a Rodrigues Children’s Council by the Rodrigues Regional Assembly and for matters related thereto.
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16. Cabinet has taken note of the visit of an Indian delegation comprising ten children from the National Bal Bhavan of New Delhi from 27 March to 03 April 2005 under the existing Cultural Exchange Programme.
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