CABINET DECISIONS – 26 JUNE 2009
 1. Cabinet has taken note of developments regarding the sale of plots of State land on which stand ex-CHA housing units to their owners. To date, out of 10,662 applications processed, 9,562 have already been approved for sale, 9,299 Letters of Intent issued and 4,747 title deeds signed.Cabinet has further taken note that a Committee, under the Chairmanship of the Minister of Housing and Lands, has cleared about 100 pending cases of transfer of such State land to the heirs of owners of ex-CHA houses who are not in Mauritius.
2. Cabinet has taken note that, in line with the Prime Minister's vision to transform Mauritius into a Cyber Island, the National Computer Board, in collaboration with the Cyber Learning Foundation, USA, has, so far, trained 74,700 citizens in International Core Computing Certificate (IC3).
Cabinet has further taken note that the National Computer Board proposes to implement the second phase of the Universal ICT Education Programme as from August 2009, with a view to providing quality ICT education and training to educators, Government officials and the ICT workforce.
3. Cabinet has taken note that, under the Initiative on Soaring Food Prices Project of the Food and Agricultural Organisation, the Ministry of Agro Industry, Food Production and Security is providing agricultural inputs, such as fertilizers, seeds and animal feed, in order to increase production capacity of small and vulnerable farmers/breeders and at the same time improve food security problems.
4. Cabinet has taken note that the first unit of the milk Pasteurization Project was launched in Triolet on 24 June 2009. The aim of the Project is to facilitate the collection and sale of milk produced by small breeders who have been encouraged to group themselves into cooperative societies. A second such unit would be opened at Henrietta on 2 July 2009. Two other units, which are in the final stage of implementation, would be opened shortly at Nouvelle Decouverte and Rose Belle. Cabinet has further taken note that AREU would dispense a training programme to members of the cooperatives societies on how to manage and maintain the Pasteurization Units.
5. Cabinet has taken note that a life-size statue of Sir Charles Gaëtan Duval, GCSK, QC, would be erected in the garden of Plaza, Rose Hill to pay homage to his invaluable contribution to the country as lawyer and politician. The statue would be unveiled on 9 October 2009, his birthday.
6. Cabinet has taken note that Mauritius would host the Sixteenth African Boxing Championship scheduled from 20 to 26 July 2009. Seventy participants from 20 African Countries would participate in the Championship.
7. Cabinet has taken note that, to further strengthen the close friendship ties, the People’s Republic of China has donated biomedical equipment comprising, inter alia, Electronic Gastroscopes, Anaesthetic machines, Colour Flow Doppler Ultrasound Scanner, Cardiac and Patient Monitors, to the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life.
8. Cabinet has taken note that, as an integral part of measures taken to increase surveillance and allow the early detection of any potential case of Influenza A(H1N1), a Thermal Imager, donated by the World Health Organisation, has been installed at the arrival lounge of Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport since 10 June 2009. On the same day, a simulation exercise was carried out in collaboration with the Airports of Mauritius Ltd and other stakeholders. The strengths and weaknesses of each stakeholder have been noted for necessary corrective measures.
9. Cabinet has taken note of the setting up of a Quality Control Laboratory to carry out analysis of pharmaceutical products to ensure that the drugs procured are of the required quality and to increase pharmaco-vigilance leading to a reduction in the importation of substandard and spurious drugs in Mauritius.
10. Cabinet has agreed to the introduction into the National Assembly of the Additional Remuneration Bill, which provides for the payment, with effect from 1 July 2009, of an additional remuneration to employees of the private sector drawing a monthly basic wage or salary of Rs 12,000 or less as recommended by the National Pay Council.
11. Cabinet has taken note that, as announced in the Budget Speech 2009, the Ministry of Social Security, National Solidarity and Senior Citizens Welfare & Reform Institutions, with the support of the UNDP, has set up a Non-State Actors Unit to –
(a) build the capacity of NGOs;
(b) provide adequate financial/technical and human resources to support NGOs in programme implementation;
(c) set up a professional corps of volunteers for NGOs to tap into; and
(d) provide an appropriate monitoring and evaluation system for programmes.
12. Cabinet has taken note that the Electronic Transactions (Amendment) Act 2009 would be proclaimed to come into operation on 15 July 2009 with a view to providing the legal basis for Mauritius to put up its Public Key Infrastructure, thus enabling secured and trusted e-transactions.
13. In the context of the implementation of the “Maurice Ile Durable” project, Cabinet has agreed to Mauritius becoming a member of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), an Inter-governmental organization set up to be the main driving force for the promotion of a rapid transition towards the sustainable use of renewable energy on a global scale. IRENA aims at providing practical advice and support to member countries to help improve their regulatory framework and facilitate access to relevant information, including reliable data on the potential of renewable energy, best practices, effective financial mechanisms and state-of-the-art technological expertise.
14. Cabinet has taken note that, in the context of the 16 Days 16 Rights Campaign 2009, the Ministry of Women's Rights, Child Development and Family Welfare had, in the first fortnight of June 2009, organised a number of programmes, viz., workshops for educators, rectors and police officers; creativity activities in 12 pre-primary schools; and a mini book-fair, to sensitize stakeholders on the issues of child protection, especially on the need to identify and report cases of child violence.
15. Cabinet has taken note of activities, which would be organized by the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life to mark the World Population Day on 11 July 2009 on the theme “Protecting marginalized population by expanding access to sexual and reproductive health and integration of Family Planning and HIV/AIDS Services”, viz.-
(a) a training workshop on “Repositioning Family Planning to Reduce Poverty” targeting stakeholders involved in Sexual and Reproductive Health Programmes;
(b) a one-day workshop for about 40 officers of the Ministry of Social Security, National Solidarity and Senior Citizens Welfare & Reform Institutions and the Ministry of Women’s Rights, Child Development and Family Welfare on the promotion of female condoms and other methods of contraceptives;
(c) awareness creation sessions for EPZ workers and persons in the deprived areas; and
(d) sensitization of teenage mothers on pregnancy-related matters.
16. Cabinet has taken note of activities, which are being organized by the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life, in collaboration with NATReSA and other stakeholders, to commemorate the 22nd International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, viz. -
(a) an exhibition on demand and supply of drugs across Mauritius;
(b) demonstration of sports activities as an alternative to drugs;
(c) sensitization campaigns on drug and alcohol abuse;
(d) a Family Day organised by the Centre d’Accueil de Terre Rouge, Centre de Solidarité pour une Nouvelle Vie, Chrysalide and Etoile d’Espérance; and
(e) a march, in Rodrigues, to sensitize the Community on the danger of drug abuse.
The theme chosen this year is “Do Drugs Control Your Life? Your Life, Your Community, No Place For Drugs”.
17. Cabinet has taken note of activities, which would be organized in the context of the 87th ICA International Cooperative Day and the 15th UN International Day of Cooperatives celebrated on the first Saturday of July every year, viz. -
(a) official opening of One-Stop-Consumer Cooperative Stores Society Ltd at Castel;
(b) inauguration of the renovated “Maison des Pêcheurs” at Cap Malheureux;
(c) organisation of a workshop on ‘Driving global recovery through Cooperatives’ at the National Institute for Cooperative Entrepreneurship, Terre Rouge, and another workshop on “Youth Empowerment and Good Governance through Cooperatives” at IVTB House, Phoenix; and
(d) inauguration of the Pasteurization Plant at the Mauritius Livestock Marketing Cooperative Federation Ltd, Henrietta.
The theme chosen for this year "Driving global recovery through cooperatives" focuses on opportunities for cooperatives and highlights how they promote not only economic growth, but also ethical values of openness, social responsibility and caring for others.
18. Cabinet has taken note that Mauritius would participate in the forthcoming Jeux de la Francophonie, scheduled to be held in Beyrouth, Lebanon from 27 September to 6 October 2009, in the following sports disciplines: Athletics, Table Tennis, Boxing and Judo and cultural competitions.
The objective of the Jeux de la Francophonie is to regroup every four years, young sportsmen/women and artists coming from 68 Member States of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF).
19. Cabinet has taken note of the reconstitution of the Professional Architects Council for the period 2009 - 2011.
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