| GIS - June 27: A Project Development Plan for the implementation of a Land Administration and Management System (LAMS) will soon be signed by the government of Mauritius and that of Western Australia. This was announced by the Minister of Housing and Lands, Mr. Asraf Dulull, at a press conference on June 26.
The objective of this LAMS is to cater for a modern, integrated, secure, transparent, affordable and efficient land administration and management system. The Department of Land Administration of Western Australia will help in the detailed designed and the costing of the land administration reform project. A Project Implementation Unit has been set up to monitor all aspects of the LAMS.
At the press conference, Mr Dulull also outlined the major achievements of his Ministry since July 2005. These include the completion of 1,375 housing units of which 210 have been delivered, the leasing of 57 plots of land of about five perches for a period of 60 years to beneficiaries under the Sites and Services programme, grants totalling up to Rs 101.8 million to 2,137 people to buy building materials and for slab casting and the signing of 757 deeds of lease for the regularization of squatters.
In addition, a Land Police - Police de Terres - has been created to put a stop to squatting. This unit effects inspections across the island and has served notices under the State Act Land to illegal occupiers. The Minister called on all Mauritians to behave in a responsible manner and not to occupy state land illegally.
The Minister gave details of the future projects of his Ministry as well. Hence, various actions have been initiated for the setting up of a National Housing Strategy to bring together stakeholders, both from the public and private sectors, for the formulation of a National Housing Policy in the national interest. In the same line, proposals from promoters to review the fiscal incentives of the existing Housing Development Certificate and New Incentives for Residential Development Schemes have been forwarded to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development for consideration.
According to Mr. Dulull, existing government housing schemes will be pursued to address the various issues of the housing sector so as to reach the overall objective of the Ministry of Un toit pour toi. Moreover, the Ministry of Housing and Lands is also contemplating the selling of state lands on which stand the ex-CHA houses to their owners. The Attorney General's Office is drafting the appropriate bill to that effect. | 
