COMMITTEE REVIEWS LABOUR BILLS. A high-powered committee is scrutinising the Employment Relations Bill and the Employment Rights Bill following comments made by the International Labour Office. The committee, chaired by the minister of Finance, Rama Sithanen, met for the first time last Tuesday, and ?has already done 50% of the job?, according to the minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Vasant Bunwaree. For trade unionists, the two bills should not be introduced in Parliament during the present parliamentary session because it does not correspond to workers? aspirations. However, minister Bunwaree made it clear that he would introduce them if it is ready ? and depending on the Parliament agenda.

NO COMPROMISE YET.</B> The sugar sector remains one of the most burning issues at the moment. The trial of strength between the government and the sugar industry has not come to an end yet. While the Mauritius Sugar Producers Association finds its latest proposals, ?fair and equitable?, the prime minister, Navin Ramgoolam, said they were ?unacceptable?. The main ?bones? of contention appears to be the transfer of lands to the state and the energy aspect of the reform. As for lands, sugar producers have agreed to give 2,000 acres to the state but they propose that other big producers, like the Sugar Investment Trust, contribute as well. As far as energy is concerned, the government has made it clear that the Central Electricity Board should not be the loser in this agreement while sugar producers make ?huge profits?.