Décisions du Conseil des Ministres du 10 Mai 2019

Les membres du Cabinet ont pris note que le United Nations (Financial Prohibitions, Arms Embargo and Travel Ban) Sanctions Bill sera présenté au Parlement ainsi que celui du Anti-Money Laundering and Combatting the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill

1. Cabinet has agreed to the introduction of the United Nations (Financial Prohibitions, Arms Embargo and Travel Ban) Sanctions Bill into the National Assembly. The main object of the Bill is to enable the Government of Mauritius to implement targeted sanctions, including financial sanctions, arms embargo and travel ban, and other measures imposed by the United Nations Security Council under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, with a view to addressing threats to international peace and security including terrorism, the financing of terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

2. Cabinet has agreed to the introduction of the Anti-Money Laundering and Combatting the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill into the National Assembly. The object of the Bill is to amend various enactments with a view to meeting international standards of the Financial Action Task Force on anti-money laundering and combatting the financing of terrorism and proliferation. In addition, other enactments are being amended consequently further to the United Nations (Financial Prohibitions, Arms Embargo and Travel Ban) Sanctions legislation.

3. Cabinet has taken note that the new Declaration of Assets Act which was passed by the National Assembly on 12 December 2018, would be proclaimed as from 01 June 2019. All necessary administrative arrangements have now been completed. The Secretary to Cabinet and Head of the Civil Service would issue a Circular requesting all Supervising Officers to inform all public officers and other persons concerned, of their obligations under the Act. The ICAC has also prepared a set of guidelines to assist declarants in complying with their obligations under the Act.

4. Cabinet has taken note that the Road Traffic (Construction and Use of Vehicles) (Amendment) Regulations 2019 would be promulgated to give the possibility to minibuses having a public service vehicle licence for the conveyance of tourists to draw a trailer.

5. Cabinet has agreed to coastal protection, landscaping and infrastructural works being undertaken over a stretch of 725 m from Pointe aux Feuilles village to Grand Sable village along the Flacq – Mahebourg Coastal Road. Urgent adaptation measures at the site are needed in order to control coastal degradation, improve both the use and access to the sea, reduce risk to the public and to the infrastructure, along the coastal road and also increase the resilience of the coastal stretch against the adverse impacts of climate change and sea level rise.

6. Cabinet has taken note that in the margins of the World Travel Awards Gala Ceremony for Africa and Indian Ocean, the Ministry of Tourism would organise a workshop on ‘Fintech and Tourism’ on 01 June 2019 at the Sugar Beach Golf and Spa Resort, Flic en Flac, under the theme, “The Interplay between Fintech and Tourism – The New Wave in Africa”. The Workshop would be organised with a view to exposing operators to the benefits of Fintech in tourism development and how Fintech could be leveraged to improve the overall tourism experience. Some 200 public and private stakeholders including CEOs from the banking sector, the Board of Airlines and tourist stakeholders would attend the workshop.

7. Cabinet has agreed to the setting up of a Consulate-General of Ghana in Mauritius and the appointment of Dr Robert Afriyie, a career diplomat, as Consul-General of Ghana in Mauritius.

8. Cabinet has taken note that the Government Information Service (GIS) would be restructured for greater operational efficiency and effectiveness in line with prevailing rules, regulations and legislation. The GIS would also be rebranded.

9. Cabinet has taken note that the Income Tax (Amendment of Schedule) (No. 2) Regulations 2019 would be promulgated to clarify that profits derived from the transfer of undeveloped land are exempt from income tax where the aim is to use the land to implement a project under the Smart City Scheme or Property Development Scheme and where the transfer does not result in an effective change in ownership of the undeveloped land.

10. Cabinet has taken note that according to the Ministry of Tourism, 108,565 tourists visited Mauritius in the month of April 2019 as compared to 104,967 in April 2018, representing an increase of 3.4%. Growth has been registered in arrivals from Italy (+15.1%), Germany (+9.6%), United Kingdom (+7.3%), Réunion Island (+21.2%), Saudi Arabia (+120.9%), United Arab Emirates (+90.4%), the Netherlands (+4.4%) and Austria (+20.4%).

11. Cabinet has taken note of the findings and recommendations of the Report of the Committee of Inquiry on the Irrigation Authority, chaired by Mr Didier Dodin, Barrister. Following the submission of the Report, the Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security has set up a team also comprising representatives of the Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations, Employment and Training, the Policy Procurement Office, the Internal Control Unit of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, and the General Manager of the Irrigation Authority, to implement all the recommendations made therein. The implementation team is expected to complete its assignment in around six to eight weeks.

12. Cabinet has taken note that on the occasion of the International Day of Families 2019, observed on 15 May, the Ministry of Gender Equality, Child Development and
Family Welfare would organise the following main activities :

(a) a Forum on “Réflexion sur le rôle des parents au 21ème siècle” at the
Cyber Tower 1, Ebene on 15 May 2019;

(b) launching of a campaign against drug abuse through the cinema mobile “Paran pas bese les bras – devan la drog” by Komiko, in four regions namely, Mahebourg, Black River, Camp Levieux and Flacq;

(c) leisure activities in places of attractions at rebated prices during the weekends of 18/19 May 2019 and 25/26 May 2019; and

(d) a Recreational Family Day at the Boulodrome of Plaisance, Rose Hill on
16 June 2019.

The theme chosen by the United Nations is – “Families and Climate Action: Focus on SDG13”. For the celebration at national level, the theme “Enn Fami ini – Enn Pei ini” has been retained.

13. Cabinet has taken note that, in the context of the celebration of Eid-Ul-Fitr at national level, the Ministry of Arts and Culture would also organise a Gala Show by the folkloric troupe from Turkey on 16 June 2019 at the Swami Vivekananda International Convention Centre, Pailles.

14. Cabinet has taken note of the programme of activities to mark the celebration of the Dragon Boat Festival 2019 on 2 June 2019 at Le Caudan Waterfront, namely :

(a) a dragon boat race;

(b) a traditional défile of lions and dragons; and

(c) a cultural programme by local artists and the Tianjin Arts Troupe.

Other activities that would be organised include :

(i) a workshop on the making and flying of kites by the youth on 26 May 2019 at Anari Hotel, Flic en Flac;

(ii) a Gala Show entitled ‘Beautiful Tianjin’ by the Tianjin Arts Troupe on
31 May 2019 at the Noah Jinfei Auditorium; and

(iii) a Food and Tourism Exhibition to “Discover Dalian”, Intangible Cultural Heritage at the China Cultural Centre and the Caudan Waterfront on
1 and 2 June 2019, respectively.

15. Cabinet has taken note that in the context of World No Tobacco Day 2019, observed on
31 May, the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life would carry out various activities, including :

(a) an official launching ceremony on 30 May 2019 at Simadree Virahsawmy State Secondary School, Rivière du Rempart which would include screening of NCD, exhibition on “Tobacco and Lung Diseases” and talks to sensitise the public on tobacco related diseases;

(b) sensitisation programmes on television and radios on the ill-effects of tobacco use, the existing tobacco control policies and the existence of the Tobacco Cessation Clinics around the island for the benefit of smokers; and

(c) regular talks on healthy lifestyle and harmful effects of smoking in the community, in schools and at workplaces.

The theme chosen for this year is “Tobacco and Lung Health”.

16. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the recent mission of the Minister of Tourism to Dubai where he attended the 26th edition of the Arabian Travel Market, an exclusive business-to-business event in the tourism industry. The Minister of Tourism led a delegation which comprised representatives of the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority and 13 operators of the Mauritian tourism and travel industry. In the margins of the event, the Minister had meetings with :

(a) H.R.H. Sheik Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum and thanked the Dubai Authorities for their partnership and expressed appreciation of the support extended in boosting the destination and growing the tourism sector;

(b) Hon Didier Dogley, Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine of the Republic of Seychelles and discussed the Vanilla Islands Organisation; and

(c) Mrs Rebecca Cohen, Global Events Manager of the World Travel Awards (WTA) regarding the Gala Ceremony for Africa and the Indian Ocean event to be held in Mauritius on 01 June 2019.