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 agreed to the Ministry of Social Integration, Social Security and National Solidarity providing cash grant, instead of assistance in kind, to beneficiaries of assistive devices, namely wheelchairs, hearing aids and spectacles. The new measure would have the following benefits:

(a) eligible beneficiaries would be able to procure assistive devices as and when required from any supplier;

(b) beneficiaries might top up the amount provided by the Ministry of Social Integration, Social Security and National Solidarity to have an assistive device of their choice;

(c) the cost involved in the procurement exercises would be eliminated; and

(d) there would be a timely delivery of services to those in need of assistance devices.

2. Cabinet has agreed to the lifting of the ban on in-lagoon fishing activities from La Cambuse to Mahebourg and from Bois des Amourettes to Trou d’Eau Douce, as from 29 March 2021. The latest results of seawater analysis in March 2021 have revealed no oil and grease, no Total Hydrocarbons and no Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in seawater samples collected along the shoreline and in-lagoon from La Cambuse to Trou d’Eau Douce.

Cabinet has also agreed to the maintaining of the restriction on fishing activities including collection of baits in the region from Pointe Canon to Vieux Grand Port. In view of the ongoing wreck removal operation, fishers would not be allowed within the defined radius of 500m from the wreck removal site. The fishers would not be allowed to collect baits in the region from Pointe Canon to Vieux Grand Port, including from mangroves.

3. Cabinet has agreed to the implementation of four drain projects at Montagne Blanche, Flic en Flac, and Anse Ally as well as Port Sud Est in Rodrigues, and for the National Development Unit to have recourse to consultancy services for two regions namely, Clemencia and Rivière Noire to mitigate flooding in High Risk Flood Prone Areas.

4. Cabinet has agreed to the Agricultural Marketing Board being the sole importer of potatoes and onions and that no import permits be issued to other importers for year 2021. After liberalisation of import of potatoes and onions, an upward trend in price on the market has been noticed. Currently, the price of potato and onion is fixed in the context of the COVID- 19 pandemic and with a view to protecting consumers from unscrupulous sellers.

5. Cabinet has taken note that in view of the national confinement and in order to alleviate the financial burden of consumers, the CEB and CWA would waive surcharge on unpaid bills during the period of confinement and an additional moratorium of up to four months would be provided for payment of bills, following the lifting of the confinement. There would be no disconnection of supply during the moratorium period. Moreover, payment facilities would be given to consumers, on a case to case basis.

6. Cabinet has agreed to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Academic and Research Cooperation between the Ministry of Blue Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries and Shipping and the Indian Maritime University, Republic of India.

The Memorandum of Understanding caters for development and implementation of joint programmes and projects in undergraduate, postgraduate and extended education as well as training in maritime sector and exchange of experience and data in the areas of education, training and research.

7. Cabinet has taken note that Mauritius would benefit from grant funding of USD14M from the Green Climate Fund following a proposal made by the Agence Française de Développement in favour of the Indian Ocean Commission. The proposal is in respect of a project for “Building Regional Resilience through Strengthened Meteorological, Hydrological and Climate Services”.

8. Cabinet has agreed to make a contribution of USD50,000 to the Malagasy Government through the World Food Programme following an appeal made for international aid for the population of the Grand Sud of Madagascar which is currently affected by the severe drought. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has launched the “Flash Appeal” for donations in order to raise USD75.9M. This fund is intended to finance the most urgent needs of 1.14M people in districts of the Grand Sud of Madagascar.

9. Cabinet has taken note of the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic prevailing across the world. With regard to Mauritius, as at 26 March 2021, 881 cases of COVID-19 had been registered. There were currently 231 active cases of COVID-19 in Mauritius, out of which 218 are local cases and 13 imported cases. Contract tracing exercises and random testing are being carried out in accordance with the established protocol. The public should observe strict sanitary precautions.

Cabinet has also taken note of progress in the implementation of the national COVID-19 vaccination programme.

10. Cabinet has taken note of the reconstitution of the Training and Employment of Disabled Persons Board with Mrs Cassim Maria Magdalena as Chairperson.

26 March 2021

Source: Government Information Service

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