Several important decisions were taken during the last Cabinet Meeting held on October 16, where the introduction of the Police (Amendment) Bill into the National Assembly was agreed upon. The bill aims to amend the Police Act to provide that a curfew order made by the Commissioner of Police would no longer be limited to a specific region and will be extended to the entire country. There will also be harsher punishment if a person is found outdoors in the possession of an offensive order where the curfew is implemented and operative.
The Cabinet has discussed the possibility of amending the Children’s Act with a view to bringing down the criminal responsibility of juveniles from 14 to 12 years, where a motion will be tabled at the next sitting of the National Assembly to set up a Select Committee to probe into the root causes of juvenile delinquency and violence.
The report of the Police Commissioner since the outbreak of riots on October 12 was also taken note of, where:
- 151 individuals have been arrested, including 16 minors. Cases for 12 of the individuals have been lodged, and they appeared in Court today. Three other individuals have already been sentenced by District Courts, where 7 police officers were injured.
- 8 Police stations, namely Barkly, Abercrombie, Pointe aux Sable, Petite Riviere, Bambous, Camp Levieux, Black River and Bel Ombre, have been damaged.
- 31 Police vehicles have been damaged.
- 162 Safe City Cameras on 75 sites around the island have been damaged.
- 27 traffic lights have been damaged.
- Around 17,000 tons of cane have been burnt.
The Mauritius Revenue Authority will host, in collaboration with the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF), the Inaugural Digital Tax Administration Conference themed ‘Propelling Tax Administration Toward a Trusted Digital Future’, from October 19-21. The Conference is being organised in the context of ATAF’s Tax Administration Technology and Innovation Hub, bringing together senior tax administration officials, technical experts and development partners to exchange experiences on advancing digital transformation through technical assistance, capacity building, digital solutions, peer learning and common standards, with a focus on strengthening trust, improving tax compliance and building resilient, future-ready tax administrations across Africa.
The inking of two tripartite Agreements between the Ministry of Health and Wellness, the Mauritius Telecom Foundation, and the Rotary Club of Flacq and the Renal Disease Patients’ Association has also been assented. The Mauritius Telecom Foundation, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility programme will finance two projects, namely the establishment and equipping of a Regional Autism Centre at the Dr Bruno Cheong Care Centre, in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Flacq, and the upgrading of amenities at the Souillac Dialysis Centre, following an application submitted by the Renal Disease Patients’ Association for financial and material assistance.
The Cabinet has also agreed to the promulgation of the National Pensions (Non-Contributory Benefits) designed to provide residence qualifications for the beneficiaries of Basic Retirement Pension. It aims to provide residence qualifications for people reaching 61 years from September 1, 2026 to December 31, 2026 applying for Basic Retirement Pension in the following:
- In the case of a citizen who was born on or before 31 December 1966, and who has resided in Mauritius for at least 12 years in the aggregate since his eighteenth birthday; or
- In the case of a non-citizen who was born on or before 31 December 1966, and who has resided in Mauritius for at least 15 years in the aggregate since his fortieth birthday, three of those 15 years being immediately before the claim.
