1.Cabinet has taken note of the site visit effected on 6 October 2005 by the Hon Prime Minister, together with the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Public Infrastructure, Land Transport & Shipping, other Ministers and all stakeholders at Ferney Valley and of his meeting with the delegation of the African Development Bank on the South Eastern Highway Project, particularly Government’s concerns for environmental issues and agreed that -(i) the Ferney Valley has to be preserved. Consequently, the construction of the road section within Ferney Valley is being cancelled. Only the road sections from Plaine Magnien to Ferney roundabout and Kewal Nagar to Bel Air would be completed; and
(ii) they will join the existing coastal road from Mahebourg to Beau Champs. A study would be carried out on the upgrading of the existing coastal road.
Cabinet has also taken note that, in view of its exceptional beauty, the Ferney Valley would, in collaboration with the Mauritius Wild Life Society and the National Parks and Conservation Service, be converted into a nature reserve with controlled access to the public.
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2. With a view to boosting up the tourism sector, Cabinet has taken note of the setting up of a “Cercle des Partenaires du Tourisme”, chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Tourism, Leisure & External Communications and comprising mainly foreign eminent personalities drawn from the international media, the Arts, the business spheres, the celebrity world and very influential Mauritian nationals established abroad. The mission of the “Cercle” would be to promote and disseminate information on Mauritius as a tourist destination by utilizing the members’ own communication links and networks, thus enabling the Ministry of Tourism, Leisure & External Communications to penetrate high profile spheres of human, cultural and business activities for tourism promotion purposes.
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3. Cabinet has agreed to Britannia Airways AB being authorized to operate special flights to carry tourists from Sweden to Mauritius on a once weekly basis during the IATA Winter Season 2006/2007, i.e., from 7 November 2006 to 15 April 2007. In case, flights are to continue beyond the IATA winter season, consideration would be given to the operation of scheduled flights within the framework of a Bilateral Air Services Agreement.
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4. In line with Government’s policy to promote an entrepreneurship culture and to encourage small entrepreneurs to start a business of their own, Cabinet has agreed to the “Support to High Potential Entrepreneurs” (SHPE) and the “Support to Start-Ups” (STS) projects being implemented under the Enterprise Empowerment Scheme with a view to providing potential entrepreneurs with financial assistance to start a project which should be economically and socially feasible, and have jobs generation capacity.
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5.Cabinet has agreed not to proceed further with the offer of lease of State Land at Agalega to IBL Ltd.
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6. Cabinet has taken note that the Trade Union Trust Fund has been allocated land at Ebène for the construction of a Workers’ House.
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7. As in the case for CWA and CEB Bills, Cabinet has agreed to pensioners who are WMA customers, being allowed a total period of 35 days before surcharges are imposed on their outstanding waste water bills.
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8. Cabinet has taken note of arrangements made by the Ministry of Education & Human Resources to complete construction works of 10 State Secondary Schools so that they are equipped with all infrastructural facilities, such as Science Laboratories, Home Economics Workshops, etc.
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9. Cabinet has agreed to Mauritius participating in the UNEP Project on the Development of National Legal Databases to enhance access to Environmental Law Information in Africa. The project consists of the development of national digital databases containing environmental law information, such as legislation, licences, permits, etc., that will assist in the day-to-day use of environmental law and natural resources management.
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10. Following the series of thefts that have been reported to have occurred in different stores of the CEB, Cabinet has agreed to the Management Audit Bureau carrying out an exercise to evaluate the extent of fraud/theft which have been committed to the detriment of the Central Electricity Board. The outcome of the exercise would permit the Ministry of Public Utilities and the CEB to adopt a sound policy for the procurement of spare parts as well as materials and put in place a reinforced control mechanism for the safekeeping of stores items.
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11. Cabinet has agreed to the importation of an additional quota of 600 tonnes of controlled fish species, i.e., capitaine, butterfish and sacrechien, with a view to avoiding a shortage of frozen fish on the local market during the end-of-year period.
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12. Cabinet has taken note that there is a widespread misuse of the insecticide Chlorpyfiros, a toxic product and harmful to health and the environment, and has agreed to restrict its importation and use.
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13. Cabinet has taken note that the Customs Department would host the following SADC Workshops –
(i) the Inaugural Workshop of the Newly Established Working Group on Customs Cooperation and International Liaison from 21 to 25 November 2005. The workshop aims at bringing customs experts from SADC countries together to devise ways and means to deal with strategy and policy for the administration of customs matters and also fostering synergy among Customs Advisory Working Groups at national level; and
(ii) the Workshop on Tariff Nomenclature Working Group from 28 November to 2 December 2005. The Working Group proposes inter alia to develop a draft product categorization schedule for onward transmission to the SADC Trade Negotiating Forum for further development.
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14.Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the mission of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade & Cooperation to London where he attended the 5th Meeting of the Africa Partnership Forum held from 4 to 5 October 2005. He also had a series of meetings on the Chagos Archipelagos issue with the Hon Jack Straw, Foreign Secretary of the UK, the Rt Hon Don Mckinnon, Secretary General of the Commonwealth, and Prof Ian Brownlie.
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15.Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the Francophone Conference of Ministers responsible for Vocational and Training of the Indian Ocean Region held in the Seychelles on 28 and 29 September 2005. The objectives of the Conference were inter alia to take stock of progress achieved with regard to reforms of technical and vocational training systems initiated at the ‘Assises Francophones’ on technical and vocational training in Bamako, Mali and to strengthen the Inter-State partnership at the regional level through the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation among the Francophone States of the Indian Ocean Commission.
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16.Cabinet has taken note of measures initiated by the Ministry of Agro Industry & Fisheries, in collaboration with the MSPCA and PAWS to ensure a more effective control of stray dogs and for the promotion of animal welfare, such as providing free sterilization services, equipping the MSPCA with the required facilities and organizing pet shows at regional levels. At the same time the amount claimed for the retrieval of a pet, if the pet has been caught by the MSPCA, would be reduced from Rs 2,000 to Rs 500.
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17.Cabinet has taken note of activities being organized by the Nelson Mandela Centre for African Culture to mark the “Journée Internationale Créole 2005”. The main activities would comprise inter alia the final of the National Drama Festival in Créole language, an exhibition on Sirandanes and other Créole items at the Malcom de Chazal Art Gallery and a cultural show at Caudan Waterfront.
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18.Cabinet has taken note of the reconstitution of –
(i) the National Transport Corporation Board with Mr Ram Brizmohun as Chairperson;
(ii) the Bus Industry Employees Welfare Fund Board with Mr Sheikh Mukhtar Hossenbocus as Chairperson;
(iv) the Small Planters Welfare Fund Board with Mr Tunraz Rampall as Chairperson;
(v) the Farmers’ Service Corporation with Mr Poorun Bhollah as Chairperson;
(vi) the National Pensions Board with Mrs Kamla Ramyead as Chairperson; and
(vii) the Seafarers’ Welfare Fund Committee with Mr N. Bachraz, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Land Transport & Shipping as Chairperson.
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19.Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the 15th Session of the General Assembly of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention held in Paris from 10 to 11 October 2005 and that Mauritius has been elected Member of the World Heritage Committee.