Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1694840826195.pdf (Mauritius)
CABINET DECISIONS – 24 JULY 2020 Page 1 of 5 1.

Cabinet has taken note that the joint e-inauguration of the new Supreme Court building by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Mauritius and the Prime Minister of the Republic of India would be held on 30 July 2020.

The Prime Minister of the Republic of India would perform the inauguration live from New Delhi through digital connection.
The New Supreme Court building project is being implemented with the assistance of the Government of the Republic of India.

The building is wholly financed by the Government of the Republic of India to the tune of USD30 million.

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Cabinet has agreed to drafting instructions being issued to the Attorney General’s Office for the preparation of an Institute of Technical Education and Technology Bill.
The object of the Bill is to provide for the setting up of an Institute of Technical Education and Technology to operate and manage Technical Education Centres as well as to provide opportunities and pathways to post Grade 9, post SC and post HSC students pursuing studies in technical education in line with the education reform policy.

---- Cabinet has agreed to the Ministry of Information Technology, Communication and 3.
Innovation issuing drafting instructions to the Attorney General’s Office with a view to repealing the existing Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act and coming up with a new legislation to meet the evolving needs of the cyberspace and ensure adoption of comprehensive measures against cyber threats.
With the enactment of a new legislation, it would be an opportunity to accommodate, inter alia, – (a) new offences for new types of threats and conditions in the cyberspace; (b) reinforced provisions for critical information infrastructure; (c) investigation procedures; (d) international co-operation against cyberthreats; (e) international best practices; (f) (g) provisions of Conventions to which Mauritius has adhered such as the Budapest and the African Union Conventions on cybersecurity; and provisions for alignment with the new proposed National Cybersecurity Strategy.
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Cabinet has agreed to the review of the eligibility income thresholds for the following Scholarship Schemes with a view to allowing more students from low income families to be eligible for a scholarship – (a) (b) (c) Scholarships to Children from Vulnerable Families: the household income threshold to be increased from Rs10,000 to Rs10,200; the 16 additional Scholarships based on Merit and Social Criteria: the parents’ income threshold to be increased from Rs16,000 to Rs18,000; and the eight additional Scholarships based on Merit and Social Criteria: the parents’ income threshold to be increased from Rs9,500 to Rs10,200.
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Cabinet has agreed to a new Athlete Assistance Scheme that would be effective as from 1 July 2020 in order to replace the existing financial assistance scheme for high-level athletes.

With the new Scheme, the quantum of assistance would range from Rs10,000 to Rs50,000 per month per qualifying athlete.
The main criteria that would be considered under the new Scheme are – (a) qualification/medal prospect at different levels/competitions; (b) achievements/medals/results obtained and recorded by the athlete; (c) minima standards recorded by the athlete in applicable sports discipline (Athletics, Archery, Swimming, Triathlon, and Weightlifting); (d) number of participating countries and participants recorded at the event in which the athlete participated; (e) ranking; and (f) training requirements.
An evaluation of the performance of beneficiaries would be carried out on a quarterly basis, while their attendance at training would be monitored monthly.

---- Cabinet has taken note of the status of implementation of the Intercontinental Slavery 6.
Museum (ISM) Project by ISM Mauritius Ltd, namely – (a) (b) contracts for the exhibits which showcase various aspects of slavery have already been allocated; the uplifting and reinstatement works of Wing A of the ex-Military Hospital which would house the ISM would start shortly; Page 3 of 5 (c) various friendly countries have been approached by the Ministry of Arts and Cultural Heritage for technical assistance on an assignment basis, in the field of Museology and Archaeology, with specialisation in the history of slavery as well as for objects, artefacts, replicas, archival records, lithographs, documents and audio-visual materials related to the history of African Slavery, particularly the history of slavery of Mauritius; and (d) the launching ceremony for the opening of an exhibition on the theme, ‘Breaking the Silence’ has been scheduled on 13 August 2020.
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Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the study for the Re-engineering of the Cooperatives Division of the Ministry of Industrial Development, SMEs and Cooperatives carried out by the Office of the Public Sector Governance.

Consultations would be held with relevant stakeholders to work out an Implementation Plan.

8.
Cabinet has taken note that the Mauritius Police Force would organise various activities to mark World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, observed on 30 July, including – ---- (a) (b) (c) (d) a workshop on Trafficking in Persons at the Police Training School for Enquiring Officers; sensitisation campaigns and distribution of anti-human trafficking posters in schools and shopping malls; distribution of pamphlets “Know Your Rights” to expatriates by the Passport and Immigration Office; and a talk on radio on the subject matter with a view to raising public awareness on this global phenomenon.
---- Cabinet has taken note of the actions proposed by the Ministry of Health and Wellness 9. to control and reduce the harmful use of alcohol in Mauritius as contained in the National Action Plan to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol 2020 to 2024.

The plan aims, inter alia, to reduce the harmful use of alcohol by at least 10 percent by year 2025 and address alcohol related harm through awareness campaigns.
The main recommendations of the Action Plan are, inter alia, to – (a) inform and educate the public and targeted groups on the harmful effects of alcohol; (b) set up rehabilitation centres and ‘Alcohol Clinics’ in Area Health Centres; Page 4 of 5 (c) enhance the prevention programme on harmful use of alcohol for primary and secondary schools through capacity building for teachers and involvement of students in anti-alcohol programmes; (d) carry out advocacy with the media and other influential groups and people; (e) (f) train health care providers and focal persons in the community on counselling to alcoholic and non-alcoholic young persons; and strengthen and enforce the Public Health Regulations (Prohibition on Advertisement, Sponsorship and Restriction on sale and consumption in public places of alcoholic drinks).
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Cabinet has taken note of the activities being organised by the Ministry of Health and Wellness during the first week of August 2020 to mark World Breastfeeding Week 2020, namely – (a) a workshop on 6 August 2020 at Victoria Hospital to create awareness on the importance of breastfeeding amongst young people and its positive contribution towards a healthier planet, as present trend can be altered with the full support of the younger generation; and (b) Radio/TV programmes with a view to sensitising the population on the benefits of breastfeeding.
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Cabinet has taken note of the reinstatement of the use of the Electronic Time Recorders (ETRS) deployed across the Civil Service.

A Protocol has been worked out by the Occupational, Safety and Health Division of the Ministry of Public Service, Administrative and Institutional Reforms in consultation with the Ministry of Health and Wellness to reinstate the use of ETRs across the Civil Service.

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Cabinet has taken note that the Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change would hold the second High Level Policy Dialogue on Climate Change with the European Union on 27 July 2020, to take stock of the progress on implementation of measures in the Joint Monitoring Framework which was signed in 2018 and discuss on further support on climate change matters.

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Cabinet has taken note that the Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change would shortly embark on the review of the Mauritius’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), with the technical assistance of the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Country Office.

The NDC is a commitment which the Republic of Mauritius intends to take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change.
The technical assistance from AFD would be utilised for the following - Page 5 of 5 (a) (b) (c) (d) assessment and evaluation of mitigation and adaptation measures in key sectors identified in the current NDCs and identify the gaps and needs; review and update the initial targets set in the NDCs based on measures taken since its submission to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and provide recommendations for the mainstreaming of climate change in regulatory and legal documents; elaboration of a Communication Plan for awareness-raising about UNFCCC, Paris Agreement and NDCs Process; and capacity building of main stakeholders for NDCs implementation and monitoring.
UNDP would, under the Climate Promise project, assist in the review process which would be geared mainly towards awareness-raising and capacity building to ensure a fully inclusive participative approach.

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Cabinet has taken note of a temporary new procedure for the accreditation of non- resident Ambassadors/High Commissioners-Designate in view of the prevailing COVID-19 sanitary conditions in Mauritius.
There would be virtual presentation of credentials by non- residential foreign Ambassadors/High Commissioners to Mauritius.

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Cabinet has taken note that World Hepatitis Day 2020 would be celebrated on 28 July 2020 and the Ministry of Health and Wellness would organise a ceremony at Dr A. G. Jeetoo Hospital to mark the day.
The MBC would showcase the diagnosis of Hepatitis at the Central Health Laboratory and the main Units which are actively involved in dispensing Hepatitis C treatment to patients.

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