1. Cabinet has agreed that the Nomination Dossier for the Inscription of the Aapravasi Ghat on the list of World Heritage, prepared by the Aapravasi Ghat Trust Fund and which has been vetted by the Attorney-General’s Office, should be submitted to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Cabinet has further taken note that according to new UNESCO rules, it would not have been possible for Mauritius to submit the Dossiers for both the Aapravasi Ghat and the Le Morne in the same year.
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2. Cabinet has agreed to amendments being brought to the Passports Regulations to provide inter alia for:
(i) an extension of the period of a passport reaching validity in 2005, free of charge, for a period of 12 months; and
(ii) the revision of the schedule of fees.
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3. Cabinet has agreed to Mauritius hosting the SADC Council of Ministers’ Meeting to be held from 21 to 25 February 2005 at the Grand` Baie Conference Centre. About 150 delegates from the 13-Member State of SADC, Madagascar, the African Union, the COMESA Secretariat and the African Development Bank are expected to attend the Meeting.
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4. Cabinet has agreed to the introduction into the National Assembly of the Central Water Authority (Amendment) Bill to provide for an increase in fine for pilferage and other illegal uses of water from Rs 2,000 to Rs 50,000 for domestic consumers and Rs 200,000 for other consumers.
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5. Cabinet has taken note of -
(i) the appointment of Mrs S.D. Ragobur as Chairperson of the Rehabilitation Youth Centre Board of Visitors for the year 2005; and
(ii) the reconstitution of the Board of Trustees of the Mauritius Telugu Cultural Centre for a period of three years under the Chair of Mr Narainsamy Sanyasi.
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6. Cabinet has taken note of the outcomes of the UN International Meeting (IM) to review the implementation of the Programme of Action for sustainable development of Small Island Developing States which was held in Mauritius from 10 to 14 January 2005 at the Swami Vivekananda International Convention Centre, Pailles.
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7. Cabinet has taken note of arrangements made with regard to admission in Primary and Secondary Schools for year 2005.
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8. Cabinet has taken note of the programme of activities proposed for the celebration of the Spring Festival at national level comprising:
(i) a cultural show organised by the Ministry of Arts and Culture in collaboration with the Spring Festival Committee at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Indian Culture on 9 February 2005 as from 2000 hrs;
(ii) ancestors’ ceremonies at the Kwan Tee Pagoda and Chung Shan Hall, Remy Ollier Street, Port Louis on 9 February 2005;
(iii) Dragon/Lion defilé and a cultural show at China Town on 12 February 2005 as from 1530 hrs; and
(iv) a cultural show to mark the Lantern Festival on 26 February 2005 at 2000 hrs at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Indian Culture.
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9. Cabinet has taken note of arrangements being made to ensure the success of activities to mark the 170th Anniversary of the Abolition of Slavery in Mauritius on 1 February 2005.
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10. Cabinet has taken note of –
(i) the lobbying mission of the Minister of Agriculture, Food Technology and Natural Resources to several EU Capitals and where he had meetings with Ministers of Agriculture of Finland, France and Spain;
(ii) the outcome of the ACP/EU Ministers Meeting; and
(iii) the outcome of the Meeting of the ACP and LDC Spokespersons with the EU Commissioner for Development, Mr Louis Michel which was held on 26 January, 2005.
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11. Cabinet has reviewed the various fund raising activities to come in aid to Tsunami victims and has taken note that the sum of Rs 200,000 collected by the Ministry of Youth and Sports through the RUN AID, and that of Rs 150,000 collected by the “Movement Cooperative” would be credited to the MACOSS Tsunami Solidarity Fund. Cabinet has also taken note that a solidarity week will be organised in the Education Sector during the course of next week.
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