1.Cabinet has taken note that the Swiss Federal Council and the Government of Mauritius would sign an Agreement providing for a framework for the Swiss Government to put, on request, at the disposal of the Government of Mauritius the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit whenever Mauritius is hit by a natural disaster or other calamities. This assistance would be provided free of charge._______________________________
2.Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the mission of the World Bank from 29 September to 06 October 2005 to review progress of the Urban Transport Program in the Curepipe and Port Louis corridor. The World Bank has, inter alia, stressed the need for a holistic and programmatic approach in respect of the Transport Action Plan in view of the different projects proposed by different promoters as alternatives to the LRT and the Ring Road Projects. Cabinet has also agreed to the setting up of the Urban Transport Program Secretariat headed by Dr Kishore Baguant, Associate Professor at the University of Mauritius.
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3.Cabinet has taken note of mistakes/errors in Papers and other irregularities noted during the 2005 School Certificate and Higher School Certificate Examinations and has agreed to appropriate action being initiated against all those responsible for the shortcomings.
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4.Cabinet has agreed to the introduction into the National Assembly of the Supplementary Appropriation (2004-2005) Bill to provide for the appropriation of an amount of Rs 1,657,218,602 for the financial year 2004-2005 to supplement the initial amount voted, and the Estimates of Supplementary Expenditure No. 1 of 2005 incorporating the detailed items of expenditure incurred in 2004/2005 through advances from the Contingencies Fund, in accordance with the Finance and Audit Act 1973.
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5.Cabinet has taken note of the various steps taken by the Ministry of Local Government, in consultation with local authorities, to streamline procedures for the issue of development and building permits and trade licences by local authorities,
viz. -
(a) introduction by all local authorities of a single application form in respect of development and building permit for single residential units with effect from 3 November 2005;
(b) applicants for commercial and industrial development being allowed either to apply for both development and building permit at one go or separately, taking into consideration the cost implications in the drawing up of plans for commercial and industrial development;
(c) upon request, a letter of intent being issued to the applicants for commercial and industrial development provided thereby, in principle, no objection to the proposed development; and
(d) with regard to rental building, the applicant providing a letter of consent signed by the legal owner together with a copy of his/her Identity Card instead of submitting a registered Lease Agreement.
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6.Cabinet has taken note of the report on Barachois and, in line with the Government Programme, Cabinet has agreed to the barachois which are presently uncommitted and those not in productive use being brought to economic and sustainable use for the development of integrated development projects, combining fish farming, public leisure and eco-tourism projects.
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7. Taking into account the increase in their price on the international market, the freight and the exchange rate of USD, Cabinet has agreed to the increase in the price of Kerosene, LPG and fuel oil.
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8. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the mission of the Minister of Social Security, National Solidarity, and Senior Citizens Welfare & Reform Institutions to Rodrigues from 6 to 10 November 2005 where she took stock of the situation in the different sectors falling within the responsibility of her Ministry and identified constraints and weaknesses in the implementation of policy measures regarding the vulnerable groups.
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9. Cabinet has taken note of activities organized to commemorate:
(a) the International Day Against Violence Against Women on 25 November 2005. The theme for this year is "For the Health of Women, for the Health of the World: No more Violence". Various activities, including talks on MBC/TV and radio to sensitize the public and raise awareness on the issue of violence against women, would be organized; and
(b) the Universal Children's Day (UCD) on 20 November 2005. The UCD will be celebrated at "Le Waterpark & Leisure Village" at Belle Mare whereby 1,000 children in the age bracket of 8 to 14 years would have the opportunity of enjoying the various leisure activities offered there.
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10.Cabinet has taken note that the Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations & Employment, in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation, would organise a Technical Workshop on "Working Time in Mauritius" at Le Meridien Hotel, Pointe aux Piments on 24 and 25 November 2005. The objective of the Workshop would be to disseminate the findings of a study as Working Time in Mauritius which indicate that –
(i) working time remains a peripheral issue in the collective bargaining process;
(ii) employees feel that working week-end shifts and night shifts have a negative impact on their lives; and
(iii) in some companies which have implemented more flexible working time patterns, both employers and employees have benefited in terms of improved production and a better balance between work and domestic responsibilities.
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11.Cabinet has taken note that the processing of the Certificate of Morality has been computerized with the result that Certificates of Morality would be issued within two weeks as from mid December 2005.
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12. Cabinet has taken note of the publication of the Health Statistics Annual Report for Mauritius for 2004 and the Digest of Vital and Health Statistics for Rodrigues for 2004. The Reports which contain inter alia information on Population and Vital Statistics, Infrastructure and Personnel, Services, Morbidity and causes of death, provide a wealth of information to all those professionally engaged in activities related to health.
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13. Cabinet has taken note of the participation of Mauritius in the 18th Ship for World Youth (SWY) Programme organized by the Government of Japan from 10 January to 2 March 2006. The objective of the SWY Programme which is sponsored by the Government of Japan is to promote mutual understanding and friendship between the youth from Japan and other parts of the world as well as to broaden their international outlook.
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14. Cabinet has taken note that –
(a) Justice Bhushan Domah would be appointed as Chairperson and Director General of ICAC; and
(b) Mr Radha Nunkoo would be appointed Commissioner (Drug Assets Forfeiture).
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15. Cabinet has taken note of the following nominations -
(i) Mrs M. Goodar, Mr Harold Chan Lam, Mrs A. Freynaud and Mr Krishna Pather as members of the MBC Board;
(ii) Mr Maurice Lam as Chairperson of the Board of Investment and Mr Raju Jadoo as Director-General;
(iii) Mr Mario Legrand as Chairperson of the Trust Fund for the Social Integration of Vulnerable Groups;
(iv) Mr Robert Desvaux as Chairperson of the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority;
(v) Mr Trilock Dwarka as Chairperson of the Information and Communication Technologies Authority;.
(vi) Mr Dhananjay Ramful as Chairperson of the Civil Service Industrial Relations Commission, and Mr Roger Travailleur, Mr Nizam Bundhun and two representatives of Trade Unions as members;
(vii) Mr Saïd Laulloo as Chairperson and Mr Milan Meetarban as Chief Executive Officer of the Financial Services Commission.
(viii) Mr Nanda Kistnen as Chairperson of the Termination of Contracts of Service Board;
(ix) Mr Anoop Mahess Kumar (Robin) Soonarane being assigned duties of General Manager of the Central Water Authority.
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16. Cabinet has also recommended the nomination of -
(i) Mr Anand Jugroo as Chairperson of the Mauritius Shipping Corporation Ltd;
(ii) Mr Nizam Emamaullee as Chairperson of the Mauritius Coraline Ship Agency Ltd;
(iii) Mr Dan Bhima as Chairperson of the Cargo Handling Corporation Ltd; and
(iv) Mr P. Seetohul as Chairperson of the Airports of Mauritius Ltd.
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17. Cabinet has taken note of the reconstitution of the Labour Advisory Board with Mr A.W. Nabeemeeah, Director, Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations & Employment as Chairperson.