Highlights Of Cabinet Meeting – Friday 16 June 2023

The Cabinet met today under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister, the Hon. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth. The highlights of the deliberations are as follows:

1. Cabinet has taken note that the Income Tax (Amendment) Regulations 2023 would be promulgated to specify the core income generating activities in relation to the authorised freeport activities being performed by a freeport operator or private freeport developer such as warehousing and storage, light assembly, minor processing, building, repairs and maintenance, and vault services. The Income Tax Act was amended in 2022 to grant an eight-year income tax holiday to a newly set up freeport operator or private freeport developer making an investment of at least Rs50 million.
2. Cabinet has taken note that the Financial Reporting (Amendment of Schedules) Regulations 2023 would be promulgated. The First and Third Schedules of the Regulations would be amended to include the following nine additional entities for reporting purposes:
   • the Financial Services Commission;
   • the Higher Education Commission;
   • the Human Resource Development Council;
   • the Information and Communication Technologies Authority;
   • the Open University of Mauritius;
   • Université des Mascareignes;
   • the University of Mauritius;
   • the University of Technology, Mauritius; and
   • the Independent Broadcasting Authority.
3. Cabinet has taken note that the Competition (Amendment of Schedule) Regulations 2023 would be promulgated to provide for the Competition Commission to enquire on competitive matters relating to Mogas, Gasoil and Liquefied Petroleum Gas, except in matters relating to the fixing of their prices and their importation.
4. Cabinet has agreed to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the field of sustainable development between the Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change of Mauritius and the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security of the Italian Republic.

The Memorandum of Understanding aims at strengthening bilateral cooperation for sustainable development as well as international cooperation to:

• contribute to the mitigation and removal of the damage on the marine and coastal environment occurred and to the restoration and rehabilitation of the ecosystems and livelihoods affected by the oil pollution; and
• set up, strengthen and maintain an appropriate array of measures and procedures, including harmonised legal mandates, means and tools to monitor, prevent and mitigate major accidents of marine oil pollution and hazards such as chemicals and plastic pollution.

5. Cabinet has agreed to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Financial Services Commission (FSC) and the Insurance Industry Compensation The Memorandum of Understanding aims at establishing a framework for exchange of information between the two parties in their common pursuit to educate consumers of financial services in Mauritius.
6. Cabinet has agreed to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the Balaji Dental and Craniofacial Hospital, Chennai, India with a view to providing regular cranio-maxillofacial surgical, rehabilitative and reconstructive services to Mauritian patients with cranio-maxillofacial defects, birth deformities, cleft lip and palate correction, fractures, cysts and tumours.
7. Cabinet has taken note of the hosting of the Mauritius Disaster Response Conference organised by the United States of America Africa Command (AFRICOM) Environmental Security Program, from 19 to 23 June 2023. The theme of the Conference is “Mass Casualty Evacuation at Sea”. The Conference would also include a real-time evacuation exercise on a shipping vessel and it would help build preparedness for threats and hazards by providing a low-risk, cost-effective environment to:
   • test and validate existing plans;
   • strengthen policies, procedures and capabilities;
   • identify resource requirements;
   • review capability gaps, strengths, areas for improvement; and
   • adopt potential best practices.
8. Cabinet has taken note of the replacement of the current Mauritius All-in-One Digital Travel Form by a revised and more user-friendly format. The revised Mauritius All-in-One Digital Travel Form was expected to go live as from mid-July 2023.
9. Cabinet has taken note that the National Certificate of Education (NCE) Assessment 2023 would be held on Thursday 28 September, Friday 29 September, Wednesday 04 October, Friday 06 October, Monday 09 October, Tuesday 10 October and Friday 13 October 2023. The NCE Assessment results were expected to be issued on Friday 01 December 2023.
10. Cabinet has taken note that the Primary School Achievement Certificate (PSAC) Assessments 2023 would be held as follows:

• Grade 5 – Modular Assessment (Module 1)

• Grade 6 – Modular Assessment (Module 2)

• End of Year Grade 6 Assessment (Core Subject)

Private candidates and Grade 5 school candidates would sit for the PSAC Assessment papers in Science and History & Geography as follows:

11. Cabinet has taken note that the first round of negotiations of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between Mauritius and the United Arab Emirates would be held from 05 to 07 July 2023 at the Economic Development Board.

The first round of negotiations would focus on Trade in Goods, Trade in Services, Trade Remedies, Rules of Origin, Customs Procedures and Trade Facilitation, Technical Barriers to trade, Economic Cooperation and Small and Medium Enterprises.

12. Cabinet has taken note that the “Fédération Mauricienne de Triathlon” in collaboration with the African Triathlon Confederation would organise the 2023 All Africa Triathlon Championships on 09 and 10 September 2023 at Blue Bay. Around 50 triathletes from some 20 African countries as well as some European countries, were expected to participate in the Championships.
13. Cabinet has taken note that the launching ceremony of the Government chatbot by the Ministry of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation would be held on Friday 23 June The Government chatbot is an intelligent virtual assistant, which is a state-of-the-art solution to respond to citizens‟ queries.
14. Cabinet has taken note that the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway- related Regional Preparatory Meeting of the Atlantic, Indian Ocean and South China Sea region would be held in Mauritius as from 24 July 2023.
15. Cabinet has taken note of the holding of a High Level Strategic Dialogue from 20 to 22 June 2023 in the context of the 25th anniversary of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA). The meeting would reflect on the past 25 years of the IORA and deliberate on its future strategic orientation through the development of an „IORA Vision 2030 and beyond‟ document.
16. Cabinet has taken note that the Ministry of Blue Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries and Shipping would proceed with the planting of 500 mangrove plants at Le Morne on the occasion of World Mangrove Day 2023 on 26 July World Mangrove Day is observed annually to:
    • raise awareness on the importance of mangrove ecosystems as a unique, special, and vulnerable ecosystem; and
    • promote solutions for their sustainable management, conservation and uses.

Subsequently, the activity would be extended to other regions in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security, the Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change, and other relevant stakeholders.

17. Cabinet has taken note of the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic prevailing in Mauritius. As at 14 June 2023, there were 25 active cases of COVID-19, out of which four were admitted at the New ENT Hospital. Over the period 08 to 14 June 2023, no death was attributed to COVID-19.
18. Cabinet has taken note of the constitution of the Board of Directors of the National Troupe of Mauritius Ltd with Mr Ashish Beesoondial, as part-time Chairperson.