1. Following the Indian Ocean tsunami catastrophe of 26 December 2004, Cabinet has agreed to make a donation of US$ 50,000 to the Republic of India, the Republic of Seychelles, the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, the Republic of Maldives and also to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the UNICEF, respectively. Cabinet has also agreed to support the national initiative launched by the MACOSS to collect funds to come in aid to the victims of this catastrophe._______________________________
2. Cabinet has reviewed the arrangements made for the SIDS International Meeting to be held in Mauritius from 10 to 14 January 2005 and has taken note that the Prime Minister has had the opportunity during a site visit effected on Tuesday 21 December 2004 to note that the Swami Vivekananda Convention Centre was fully operational for the holding of the Meeting.
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3. Cabinet has reviewed the candidatures to the post of Director-General of the World Trade Organisation and has taken note that the two most serious candidates were from France and Mauritius.
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4. Cabinet has agreed to the programme of activities for the National Day Celebrations 2005. The official Flag Raising Ceremony will be held at the Esplanade Gaëtan Duval, Mahebourg Waterfront on 12 March 2005 at 1800 hours and will be followed by a popular Cultural Show. Respective Local Authorities will also hold a Flag Raising Ceremony followed by a popular show simultaneously with the official ceremony at Mahebourg.
Other activities will include, inter alia –
(i) the Prime Minister’s National Unity Award 2004 Ceremony at Vaghjee Hall, Port Louis;
(ii) a National Youth Concert in the yard of the Municipal Council of Curepipe;
(iii) a Flag Raising Ceremony at Women Centres and Social Welfare Centres of the Island;
(iv) a “Mauritian Gastronomical Week” in hotels and restaurants; and
(v) a Salon de l’Industrie Mauricienne at the Swami Vivekananda Convention Centre.
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5. Cabinet has agreed to postpone the date of coming into operation of the targeting of the Basic Widows Pension from 1 January to 1 April 2005.
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6. Cabinet has taken note that the Prime Minister has on 29 December 2004 chaired a meeting with all stakeholders on the proposed realignment of part of the South Eastern Highway. The next meeting has been fixed for 18 January 2005, by which time the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Technology and Natural Resources, the Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute, the University of Mauritius, the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation would be expected to have completed the survey of fauna and flora on the proposed new alignment, and the Road Development Authority to complete the detailed design thereof.
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7. Cabinet has reviewed the status of admission of students to Form One for year 2005 and has taken note that the Ministry of Education and Scientific Research has already dealt in priority with requests for transfers in respect of 70 students with health problems or whose twins had obtained admission in a different secondary school. All other requests would be finalized by 6 January 2005, whereas hardship cases would be considered on a case to case basis.
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8. Cabinet has reviewed the situation regarding the expected shortage of frozen fish on the local market during the months of January and February 2005 and has taken note that the Prime Minister has chaired a meeting on 24 December 2004 and it has been agreed that as an exceptional measure, the five existing fishing companies would be allowed to import 100 tonnes of fish each during that period.
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9. Cabinet has reviewed the Integrated Resort Projects at Bel Ombre and St. Félix and has taken note that the Prime Minister would chair a meeting in January next to coordinate the implementation of the public beaches and social projects at these sites.
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10. Cabinet has taken note that following allegations of malpractices at the National Transport Corporation (NTC), the Stores Superintendent of the Corporation has been dismissed and three other officers have been suspended. In that connection, the NTC will appoint an Accounting Firm to undertake a comprehensive study on the stores on the Corporation.
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11. Cabinet has reviewed the mechanism for the control of sale of bootlegged CDs and has taken note that the Police Anti-Piracy Unit and the Mauritius Society of Authors (MASA) are working in close collaboration to crack down on that illegal practice. Further, the Police will beef up the strength of the Anti-Piracy Unit by March 2005.
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12. Cabinet has taken note of an accident involving an Airfield Officer of Airport of Mauritius Ltd, whose vehicle has damaged a private jet of Executive Jet of South Africa. A Police enquiry is underway to determine the circumstances of the accident.
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13. Cabinet has agreed to the implementation of the recommendations of the study carried out by the Trust Fund for the Social Integration of Vulnerable Groups to establish a support scheme for children from Agalega who are pursuing their studies in Mauritius and to the setting-up of a Steering Committee under the Chair of the Trust Fund to ensure the smooth implementation thereof.
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14. Cabinet has taken note that the results of elections in Mozambique has been released after one month delay and that the international observers had reported cases of irregularities which do not however put into question the validity of the vote. On the other hand, there were positive reports from Zimbabwe where a team of Jurists should be appointed to review the legislations to ensure fair and free elections scheduled for March 2005.
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15. Cabinet has agreed to the list of projects in the agricultural sector to be submitted under the National Medium Term Investment Programme to the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), in the context of the NEPAD Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme.
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16. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the official visits of -
(i) the Ministerial Troika of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to Madagascar from 15 to 17 December 2004, led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Regional Cooperation ; and
(ii) the Minister of Social Security, National Solidarity and Senior Citizen Welfare & Reform Institutions to Reunion Island from 30 November to 2 December 2004, where he had working sessions with responsible parties on various social issues.
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17. Cabinet has taken note of the Project Proposal for Outreach Strategy for Commercial Sex Workers prepared by the Ministry of Social Security, National Solidarity and Senior Citizen Welfare & Reform Institutions. These proposals will assist the National AIDS Committee to address the issue of HIV/AIDS among commercial sex workers.
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18. Cabinet has taken note of the reconstitution of the Conservatoire de Musique François Mitterand Trust Fund Board for period 2005-2007 under the Chair of Mr J.M.A. Bhujoharry.
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19. Cabinet has taken note of the updated list of Indicative Priority Fields of Study for period 2005-2006 prepared by the Tertiary Education Commission and based on an Employers’ Survey covering the public sector and some 150 private firms.
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