CABINET DECISIONS – 31 JULY 2009
1. Cabinet has taken note of action being initiated against bus crew and bus operators for failure to pick up passengers travelling under the Free Travel Scheme, i.e., students, pensioners and disabled persons, viz. -(a) disciplinary action against bus crew and bus operators;
(b) regular checks on the roads by officers of the National Transport Authority (NTA) to ensure that beneficiaries of the Free Travel Scheme enjoy a satisfactory service;
(c) sensitization of members of the public, particularly students, to report any unlawful act on the part of bus crew; and
(d) provision for dedicated bus services to schools which are outside the normal bus routes or where normal bus services cannot give accommodation to students.
So far, 146 disciplinary cases have been heard by the NTA and defaulters have been sanctioned as per the provision of the Law.
2. Cabinet has taken note, with great concern, of the recent fatal accident at Jan Palach, Curepipe and noted that security measures are being reinforced in all the major bus terminals, particularly Victoria Square, Immigration Square and Jan Pallach, for the safety of passengers.
3. Cabinet has taken note of the launching of the Creative Arts Web portal - www.creativearts.mu - by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Human Resources and the Board of Investment (BOI) for the promotion of the Creative Arts Industries, i.e., paintings, sculpture, film production, songs, dances, literature and architecture. The portal will, inter alia, -
(a) allow creative artists to showcase their works locally and internationally; and
(b) enable artists and cultural entrepreneurs to have contacts and negotiate with buyers for possible direct sales through the e-market platform.
4. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the mission of the Minister of Agro Industry, Food Production and Security from 19 to 24 July 2009 to Japan where he discussed new avenues of cooperation and collaboration in the field of fisheries, viz., fishing agreements, training of fishers, coastal fisheries, fight against illegal and unregulated fishing and market access, with the Overseas Fishery Cooperation Foundation, the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the Japan Tuna Fisheries Cooperative Association.
Cabinet has further taken note that the Japan Fisheries Agency has agreed to support the Poverty Alleviation and Creation of Employment Project to assist the Fishermen Investment Trust to empower the fishers community and to redeploy fishing activities from the over-exploited lagoon to the FAD Fishery in the outer lagoon areas. The project involves a grant-in-aid of USD 4 million and the construction of 16 fishing boats.
In the margins of the Mission, the Minister of Agro Industry, Food Production and Security attended the 11th Japan International Expo where 60 countries participated to demonstrate the latest developments with regard to fish processing and fish technology.
5. Cabinet has taken note of the status of the Science Project Competition launched on 30 March 2009 for Lower Six Students in Mauritius. The project, an annual event, aims at –
(a) promoting understanding and appreciation of the importance of Science and Technology in today’s global economy;
(b) encouraging students to research about scientific and technological innovation that have brought improvement to the quality of life of people; and
(c) encouraging students to explore and appraise scientific and technological issues related to the Mauritian industrial sector.
6. Cabinet has taken note that the Vishwa Bhojpuri Sammelan, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Human Resources, the Indian Diaspora Centre, the Indira Gandhi Centre for Indian Culture, would organise the International Bhojpuri Conference on 29 and 30 August 2009 in Mauritius.
The main themes that would be discussed at the Conference are -
(a) Bhojpuri immigration and language;
(b) Bhojpuri trade and business;
(c) Bhojpuri food, culture and health care; and
(d) Bringing together worldwide Bhojpuri intelligencia.
About 200 delegates from India, UK, Belgium, the Netherlands, Trinidad, Suriname, France, USA and South Africa would participate in the Conference.
7. Cabinet has taken note that the Ministry of Women's Rights, Child Development and Family Welfare, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life, would conduct a study on teenage pregnancy in Mauritius with a view to, inter alia, making an in-depth analysis of the phenomenon of teenage pregnancy, underpinning possible correlation, such as age, economic status, family background, cultural functions and educational level, to develop a National Action Plan to address the issue.
8. Cabinet has taken note that the Commonwealth Secretariat would hold the Annual Meeting of Heads of Legislative Drafting Office in Commonwealth African Member States from 2 to 4 December 2009 in Mauritius. The Meeting would provide an opportunity for the Heads of Legislative Drafting Office to discuss matters of a technical nature.
9. Cabinet has taken note that the Minister of Business, Enterprise and Cooperatives would promulgate the Legal Metrology (Assize Fees) (Amendment) Regulations to provide for a revision of the prescribed fees, inter alia, for the verification of equipment, weighbridges and calibration of high capacity tanks to reflect the market price.
10. Cabinet has taken note of the reconstitution of –
(a) the Board of the Wastewater Management Authority with Mr Khushal Lobine as Chairperson; and
(b) the Central Water Board with Prof. Anwar Hussein Subratty as Chairperson.