 1. Cabinet has taken note that, for the first time, four Mauritian boxers, namely Ludovic Bactora, Bruno Julie, Richarno Colin and Kennedy St. Pierre, in the category of under 52 kg, under 56 kg, under 64 kg and under 69 kg respectively, have reached the finals of the Africa Boxing Championship which is being held in Cameroon. All four boxers will be in action this afternoon.
2. Cabinet has taken note that, at the invitation of the Law Reform Commission, Professor Robert Louis Garron, Professeur Honoraire à l’Université Paul Cézanne (Aix-Marseille III) would visit Mauritius from 14 June to 1 July 2011. During his visit, Professor Garron would address issues relating to the review/reform of the Criminal Code, the Code Civil Mauricien, the Code de Procédure Civile and the Code de Commerce and hold conferences on L’incrimination du faux et du mensonge en droit pénal and Code Civil Mauricien et le droit de la famille.
3. Cabinet has taken note that, in view of the high demand for social housing in the region of Port Louis, consideration is being given to develop some 21 Arpents of State land at Priest Peak, Vallée des Prêtres for a site and services project.
4. Cabinet has taken note of developments in the restructure of cess-funded institutions in line with the Agreement entered into with the EU in the context of the disbursement of funds under the Accompanying Measures. The Joint Public-Private Sector Committee, set up under the aegis of the Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security as enunciated in the Economic Restructuring and Competitiveness Programme 2010, has, inter alia, recommended the merger of the six cess-funded institutions, i.e., the Mauritius Sugar Authority, the Mauritius Sugar Terminal Corporation, the Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute, the Farmers Service Corporation, the Sugar Planters Mechanical Pool Corporation and the Cane Planters and Millers Arbitration and Control Board, under one roof to better develop synergies among the service providing institutions and make them more responsive to the needs of the agricultural community.
5. Cabinet has agreed to the introduction into the National Assembly of the Consumer Protection (Price and Supplies Control) (Amendment) Bill, which provides for severe penalties for failure, on the part of a trader or a person, to comply with an order of the Ministry of Business, Enterprise, Commerce and Consumer Protection to produce the requested information or documents within a specified period of time.
6. Cabinet has taken note of the Mauritius Environment Outlook Report prepared by the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development. The Report makes an assessment of the environment and underlines the importance of the perspective of environment for development. It also brings into focus environmental themes that have become increasingly important and critical for a sustainable future. It further sets out opportunities for action to improve social and economic welfare of people and the enhanced use and care of the rich but fragile natural environment of Mauritius.
7. Cabinet has taken note that the Mauritius Oceanography Institute and the Second Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration of China would sign a Memorandum of Understanding to further promote cooperation in the field of marine science and technology. The Memorandum also provides for the exchange of personnel and scientific information in areas of mutual interest, the development of joint research projects in the South-West Indian Ocean, and the establishment of a Mauritius-China Joint Ocean Research Forum to, inter alia, review progress of activities underway and to identify new projects in the field of marine science and technology.
8. Cabinet has taken note of the holding of the Ocean Data and Information Network for Africa Coastal and Marine Atlas Training Workshop in Mauritius from 24 to 29 July 2011 under the aegis of the Mauritius Meteorological Services. The Workshop would consider application of data and information products to the sustainable management of coastal and marine resources and the reduction of risks of ocean hazards. Scientists from 25 African coastal states would participate in the Workshop.
9. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the 58th World Committee of the Femmes Chefs d’Entreprises Mondiales held in Mauritius from 25 to 28 May 2011, where the women entrepreneurs shared experiences and information on their respective projects and activities. In the margins of the Meeting, a Memorandum of Understanding on mentoring of Mauritian entrepreneurs was signed between the Verband Deutscher Unternehmerinnen, a Women Association in Germany, and the National Women Entrepreneur Council, and a Business-to-Business Portal was created to encourage interaction between the local and the international women entrepreneurs. The theme of the Meeting was Women Entrepreneurs: the Driving Force for Economic Empowerment.
10. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the recent mission of the Minister of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare to Namibia where she participated in the Meeting of SADC Ministers Responsible for Gender/Women’s Affairs. The objective of the Meeting was to take cognizance of progress made by the SADC Gender Unit during the period 2010/2011, in particular, the implementation of activities related to policy development and harmonization, gender mainstreaming of SADC structures and institutions and the Women’s Empowerment Programmes.
In the margins of the Meeting, the Minister of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare had working sessions, amongst others, with the Minister of Gender and Child Welfare of Namibia, the Minister of Women, Children and Persons with disabilities of South Africa and the Regional Program Director of UN Women.
11. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the recent mission of the Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security to Brussels where he participated in the First Meeting of the ACP Meeting of Sugar, the 93rd Meeting of the ACP Council of Ministers, and the 36th Meeting of the ACP/EU Joint Council. The Meetings took cognizance of the EU common agricultural policy regarding income stabilization, price volatility, food security and climate change and provided an opportunity to appeal to the EU for the continuation of the Accompanying Measures for the Sugar Sector Programme.
12. Cabinet has taken note of activities that would be organized by the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life to mark the World Blood Donor Day commemorated on 14 June, viz. –
(a) sensitization campaign with the collaboration of stakeholders;
(b) production of a short film depicting the various processes involved in the supply of blood to patients;
(c) a march from the market place of Pamplemousses to Rabindranath Tagore Secondary School; and
(d) award of prizes to the best blood donor and winners of a Poem Competition and a Painting Competition organized by the Rabindranath Tagore Secondary School on the theme More Blood, More Life.
Cabinet has further taken note that, in Rodrigues, the following activities would be organized –
(a) blood donation on 18 June 2011 at the Passengers Terminal, Port Mathurin;
(b) workshops and brainstorming sessions on non-remunerated voluntary blood donors; and
(c) a rally from La Ferme to Passengers Terminal at Port Mathurin.
The theme chosen by the World Health Organisation this year is More Blood, More Life.
13. Cabinet has taken note of the Annual Report of the Town and Country Planning Board for the period 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009. The Town and Country Planning Board, a statutory body operating under the aegis of the Ministry of Housing and Lands, is responsible for land use planning and land development matters. It also regularly reviews the Outline Schemes to promote a sound basis for development.
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