CABINET DECISIONS – 21 MARCH 2008
1. Subsequent to recent problems involving persons employed as bouncers, Cabinet has agreed to the activities of bouncers being regulated. Cabinet has agreed to the introduction into the National Assembly of the Private Security Service (Amendment) Bill, which aims at amending the Private Security Service Act to provide for the application of certain provisions of the Act to security guards employed in night clubs, discothèques, private clubs or restaurants selling liquor and providing entertainment, or by any licensee under the Gaming Regulatory Authority Act. Bouncers should, henceforth, be holders of a certificate of registration delivered by the Commissioner of Police.
2. Cabinet has taken note of developments in the setting up of the Mauritius Tianli Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone. Construction works are due to start in April 2008.
3. Cabinet has agreed to the introduction into the National Assembly of the Environment Protection (Amendment) Bill which provides for –
(a) the setting up of the following three Committees –
(i) a Multilateral Environmental Agreement Co-ordinating Committee to co-ordinate the implementation of all the multilateral environmental agreements and other instruments to which Mauritius is a party;
(ii) a Preliminary Environmental Report (PER) Committee which shall make recommendations to the Minister in relation to applications for the approval of a preliminary environmental report; and
(iii) an EIA/PER Monitoring Committee which shall be responsible for monitoring compliance with conditions imposed following the grant of EIA licences and the approval of preliminary environmental reports;
(b) the empowerment of local authorities to enforce environmental laws falling within their respective administrative areas; and
(c) the application of a range of fixed penalties depending on the nature and gravity of the offences.
4. Cabinet has agreed to the setting up of a Joint Public-Private Sector Task Force to look into ways for accelerating the restructuring of the local manufacturing sector in the wake of the tariff liberalisation programme. The Terms of Reference of the Task Force are, inter alia, to -
(i) organize and oversee audits of specific sub-sectors of the local manufacturing sector and ensure follow-up;
(ii) in the light of the above audits, recommend specific support measures to industrial firms to become globally competitive;
(iii) recommend the setting-up of appropriate facilities for promoting product development and export;
(iv) make recommendations on the utilization of funds available for the development of the manufacturing sector;
(v) recommend to Government specific changes in legislation for removing any negative protection aspects and other constraints; and
(vi) identify and recommend other measures that would facilitate the adaptation of local industry for an open market environment.
The Task Force would be co-chaired by Mr Amedee Darga, Chairperson of Enterprise Mauritius, and Mr M. Cheeroo, Secretary General of the Mauritius Chamber of Commerce.
5. Cabinet has taken note of developments in the finalisation of the Employment Relations Bill and the Employment Rights Bill, following further consultations with ILO Consultants, Government and Workers' and Employers' organisations.
6. Cabinet has agreed to the introduction into the National Assembly of the Tourism Authority (Amendment) Bill which aims at amending the Tourism Authority Act to –
(a) make better provision for the regulation of the operation of tourist enterprises, pleasure crafts, and, in particular, to enable the Tourism Authority to issue provisional closing orders, provisional pleasure craft licences and enforcement notices;
(b) streamline certain provisions of the Act to facilitate its implementation; and
(c) give to the Minister the power to make regulations to implement a points system for the suspension of a skipper’s licence.
7. Cabinet has taken note that the World Trade Organisation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade & Cooperation, would hold the following Workshops in Mauritius -
(i) the WTO Regional Workshop on Trade Negotiating Skills from 26 to 30 May 2008;
(ii) the WTO Regional Workshop on Rules (including Fisheries Subsidies) in the third quarter of 2008; and
(iii) the WTO National Workshop on Domestic Regulations in July-August 2008.
The objectives of the Workshops are to :
(a) provide participants with skills and knowledge on appropriate strategies and tactics for the conduct of trade negotiations, as well as techniques of systematic decision analysis for monitoring and managing the negotiating process;
(b) help English-speaking African officials better understand complex WTO rules and disciplines so that they can implement multilateral and regional agreements in ways which will bolster their trading regimes and negotiate more effectively with their trading partners; and
(c) enable government and private sector officials to understand the concepts and issues currently being addressed in the context of the ongoing Doha Round negotiations.