1. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the recent mission of Dr the Hon Navinchandra Ramgoolam, GCSK, FRCP, Prime Minister, to Namibia, France and the UK.In Namibia, the Prime Minister participated in the Extraordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government which discussed the political situation in Madagascar and Zimbabwe, the economic situation in the SADC region, the Tripartite COMESA-EAC-SADC-FTA and the SADC Tribunal.
On the issue of the political situation in Madagascar, the Prime Minister supported the Road Map of the SADC Mediator and urged the international community to provide the necessary assistance for its implementation. He emphasized, inter alia, on an approach in search for a lasting solution to the crisis and for the lifting of sanctions and suspensions which are already affecting the Malagasy people.
During his visit in France, the Prime Minister met former President Jacques Chirac with whom he exchanged views of common interest to Mauritius and France. He also had a working session with the French authorities regarding the hosting of the Summit of the Commission de l’Ocean Indien, which Mauritius is currently chairing.
In the UK, the Prime Minister met Mr Philippe Sands, Legal Adviser on the Chagos issue, with whom he also discussed the constitution of the Arbitral Tribunal set up under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to adjudicate on the dispute between Mauritius and the UK regarding the proposed establishment of a Marine Protected Area around the Chagos Archipelago. In the light of the discussions, it has been decided that Mauritius would challenge the appointment of Sir Christopher Greenwood, Judge of the International Court of Justice, as member of the Arbitral Tribunal.
2. Cabinet has taken note of the status of the projects that are being implemented with the assistance of Singapore. Out of 15 projects under discussion, three, namely the Mauritius National Identity Card, the Light Rail Transport and the restructuring of the water sector, have reached an advanced stage. Cabinet has further taken note that the Singapore authorities have also agreed to provide support in the following areas –
(a) Performance Based Budgeting (PBB)/Performance Management System;
(b) Human Resources management in the Civil Service to improve staff welfare and enhance service delivery to clients; and
(c) Duty-free Island: Tourism strategy focused on entertainment and shopping.
3. Cabinet has taken note that a certain number of trees will have to be felled for the implementation of road projects, such as the Ring Road, the Harbour Bridge and the enlargement of the M1 Road, and decided that the Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security should arrange for the planting of twice the number of trees across the country.
4. Cabinet has taken note that the Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security, in collaboration with the Mauritius Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, would hold a national sensitization campaign in the months of June and July 2011 for the control of stray dogs. The campaign would comprise programmes for the registration, sensitization, vaccination and sterilization of dogs, as well as dog catching. The mobile caravan of the Division of Veterinary Services of the Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security would carry out sterilization of both male and female dogs. Furthermore, an aggressive dog catching campaign would be carried out around the country, including at hospitals and markets surroundings. The Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security would, shortly, introduce the Dogs Control Bill into the National Assembly.
5. Cabinet has agreed to the setting up of a Milk and Meat Board by the Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security as enunciated in Government Programme 2010-2015. The Milk and Meat Board, which would operate under the Food and Agricultural Research Council, would have as main objectives to advise the Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security on the formulation of policies in the Livestock Sector, coordinate the efforts of all the relevant stakeholders in this Sector and make proposals for research and development.
6. Cabinet has agreed to the release and the implementation of the National Information and Communication Technology Strategic Plan 2011-2014 - Towards
i-Mauritius, which aims at making the ICT Sector one of the main pillars of the economy and transforming Mauritius into a regional ICT hub. The Plan provides, inter alia, for the review of the regulatory framework to ensure a competitive market and the welfare of consumers, the development of high speed networks to meet growing demands, the enhancing of BPO and IT-enabled service competitiveness, moving up of value chain of service offerings, and redefining of the strategic areas for e-Government services based on user needs.
7. Cabinet has agreed to the setting up of a legal framework to promote and facilitate Legal Process Outsourcing in Mauritius in the wake of the comprehensive reforms in all sectors, including the legal and judicial sectors, and also to create a business-friendly environment. The framework would, inter alia, –
(a) promote Mauritius as a Legal Process Outsourcing destination;
(b) ensure expertise and quality service;
(c) simplify procedures; and
(d) provide for the establishment of a regulatory structure and the establishment of a complaints mechanism.
8. Cabinet has taken note of the opening of sales outlets by the Agricultural Marketing Board at strategic locations across the country to enable consumers to benefit from quality produce at competitive prices. Sales outlets would, in the first instance, be opened at Triolet, Quartier Militaire, Rivière des Anguilles, Port Louis and Rose Hill.
9. Cabinet has taken note of progress of works in the upgrading of the Dr A.G. Jeetoo Hospital Project. It is expected that the Hospital would be fully operational by March 2012.
10. Cabinet has agreed to the Meeting of the Governing Board of the African Organisation of English-Speaking Supreme Audit Institutions (AFROSAI-E), being held in Mauritius in 2013. The AFROSAI-E aims, inter alia, at –
(a) improving relations among member countries in the field of public audit;
(b) providing a forum for Supreme Audit Institutions to work together; and
(c) contributing to narrowing the gap among the differing systems, procedures and methods of public audit.
Around 150 delegates, including observers from Donor Agencies, Accounting Bodies and International Institutions, such as the World Bank and the Commonwealth Secretariat, are expected to attend the Meeting.
11. Cabinet has taken note that the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, would organize a regional Workshop on “Youth and Sustainable Development” in Mauritius from 21 to 24 June 2011. The theme of the Workshop would be Agissons maintenant pour promouvoir les emplois verts et le tourisme durable dans l’Océan Indien. The Workshop would provide an opportunity to the youth of the Indian Ocean region to promote cooperation in the field of sustainable tourism and share good practices.
12. Cabinet has agreed to the issue of the Supplementary Planning Policy Guidance on Hotels and Integrated Resorts Development: Real Estate Scheme, which aims at facilitating the implementation of policies in accordance with the Outline Schemes and in line with measures enunciated in the Government Programme. It reinforces the criteria for proper project design and location for Real Estate Schemes. The Guidance would become effective as from June 2011.
13. Cabinet has taken note of developments in the preparation of the new Local Government Bill, as enunciated in the Government Programme 2005-2010, to reinforce democratic principles and provide for greater autonomy in the management of the affairs of local authorities to better meet the aspirations of the population.
14. Cabinet has agreed to the Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security reviewing the conditions for the importation of horses in Mauritius to be in line with the guidelines/recommendations of the World Organisation for Animal Health.
15. Cabinet has taken note of developments in the implementation of the various road projects, particularly the Phoenix-Beaux Songes Link Road Project and the Ebène Triangle Project.
16. Cabinet has agreed to ban the importation of hooks of less than 5 mm, commonly known as “Hameçon Perdu”, for effective fisheries management and conservation measures.
17. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the recent mission of the Minister of Health and Quality of Life to Geneva where she participated in the 64th Session of the World Health Assembly. Discussions focused on Prevention and Control of NCDs, the reform agenda of the WHO to pandemic influenza preparedness, HIV and AIDS, maternal and infant nutrition, as well as on the Millennium Development Goals.
In the margins of the Meeting, the Minister of Health and Quality of Life also participated in the Annual Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting and met, inter alia, the Director of the World Health Organisation, officials of the Commonwealth Secretariat, as well as Prof. Tabatabay of Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève.
18. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the recent mission of the Minister of Fisheries and Rodrigues to Namibia where he participated in the SADC Meeting of Ministers responsible for Environment, Fisheries, Forestry and Wildlife. The Ministerial Meeting took stock of progress in the implementation of decisions taken at the previous Meeting and discussed policy issues on environment, fisheries, forestry, wildlife and climate change.
19. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the official visit of the delegation from the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, led by His Excellency Engr. Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Minister for Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment, to Mauritius from 23 to 28 May 2011. The purpose of the visit was to explore opportunities available in the Mauritian labour market, as well as to take stock of the conditions of work and stay of Bangladeshi workers in Mauritius.
20. Cabinet has taken note of the constitution of –
(a) the Board of the Chagossian Welfare Fund with Mr Olivier Bancoult, OSK, as Chairperson; and
(b) the Board of the Council for Consumer Education and Information with Mr Gong Ming Chen, MSK, as Chairperson.