CABINET DECISIONS - 28 SEPTEMBER 2007
1. Cabinet has taken note that the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council would sit in Mauritius from 22 to 26 September 2008. The Attorney General, Minister of Justice & Human Rights is liaising with the appropriate authorities, local and overseas, so that sittings are held in the best possible conditions.
2. Cabinet has taken note that in Doing Business 2008, the fifth in an annual report series issued by the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation, Mauritius improved its position from 32nd to 27th in the global rankings on the ease of doing business and topped the rankings in Africa. Mauritius undertook the most reforms in the region, with improvements in six of the 10 areas of studies. A high ranking on the ease of doing business index means that the regulatory environment is conducive to the operation of business.
3. Cabinet has taken note of the Economic and Social Indicators on the September 2007 issue of National Accounts Estimates which indicates that –
(a) GDP growth rate for 2006 maintained at 5.0%. However, minor changes were noted at the industry group level. Exclusive of Sugar, the growth rate worked out to 5.3%.
(b) GDP in 2007 is now expected to grow around 5.8%, i.e., higher than the 5.3% growth forecasted in June 2007, due to higher growths in "Manufacturing", "Construction" and "Hotels and restaurants."
(c) Investment is expected to grow by around 2.3% in 2007 after a high growth of 19.2% in 2006. Investment rate would reach 24.1% in 2007 as compared to 24.3% in 2006.
(d) Private Sector investment is expected to grow by 12.3% in 2007 after a high growth of 15.3% in 2006, mainly attributable to high investment in hotels and IRS projects.
(e) The private sector investment, as a percentage of GDP at market prices, is expected to increase to 18.1 in 2007 from 16.6 in 2006.
4. Cabinet has taken note that the Sports (Sports Federations) Regulations 2000 would be amended to provide for greater mobility of players with a view to enhancing the level of our sports. Henceforth, there would be no restriction in the movement of players, be it for team or individual sports.
5. Cabinet has taken note of developments in the setting up of a Land Transport Authority which would handle all transport functions and have the mandate for planning, executing projects and managing transport resources effectively. The Authority is expected to ensure an integrated and coordinated approach to transport issues by taking over the functions of the National Transport Authority, the Traffic Management and Road Safety Unit and the Road Development Authority.
6. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the investment promotion mission of the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance & Economic Development to Finland and of the meetings he had with Moody’s and on Aid for Trade as Chairperson of Ministers of Finance of COMESA in London, Lisbon and Brussels.
In Finland, the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance & Economic Development signed an Investment Promotion Partnership Agreement and met the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Foreign Trade and Development and the Minister of Public Administration and Local Government with whom he discussed bilateral cooperation, including the establishment of a Double Taxation Agreement.
In the UK, the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance & Economic Development met –
(a) Kenneth Orchard, Vice-President and Sarah Bertin, Senior Analyst, Sovereign Risk Unit of Moody’s Investors Service with whom he discussed economic reforms, macroeconomic management and progress made on reducing deficit and debt as a ratio of GDP; and
(b) the EC Development and Humanitarian Aid Commissioner, Louis Michel, and the EC Trade Commissioner, Peter Mandelson with whom he discussed issues relating, inter alia, to -
(i) Aid for Trade;
(ii) Economic Partnership Agreement; and
(iii) Fund Support to COMESA.
7. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the mission of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade & Cooperation and the Minister of Agro Industry & Fisheries to Brussels where they attended the ACP Sugar Ministerial Meeting which deliberated on market access offer for sugar made by the European Community to ACP States under the Economic Partnership Agreements and EC’s intention to denounce the Sugar Protocol.
The ACP Ministerial Bureau also had meetings with the Commissioner for Trade, Mr Peter Mandelson, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs Mariann Fischer-Boel and the Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, Mr Louis Michel, with whom the following issues were discussed -
(i) EC market access offer for sugar of April 2007;
(ii) Denunciation of the Sugar Protocol by EC;
(iii) Total Supply Needs; and
(iv) Disbursement of Accompanying Measures.
8. Cabinet has taken note of activities to be organized on 10 October 2007 by the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life in the context of the World Mental Health Day. The theme chosen for this year is “Transcultural Mental Health: The Impact of Culture on Mental Health”.
The programme of activities would comprise, inter alia, -
(i) songs, sketches and a cultural programme to be presented by inpatients and the nursing staff of the Brown Sequard Mental Health Care Centre;
(ii) programmes on TV and radio with the participation of various stakeholders; and
(iii) exhibition at the Brown Sequard Mental Health Care Centre.
9. Cabinet has taken note of the reconstitution of the Managing Committee of the "Institut de la Francophonie pour l’Entrepreneuriat" for the period 2007–2011 under the chairmanship of Mr Michel de Speville, Executive Chairman of the Food and Allied Group. The regional Institute dispenses tertiary education and promotes research in the field of entrepreneuriat.