Eliacin Francois (1841-1878)
Mayor of Port Louis from 1868 to 1869
Eliacin Francois was a Creole entrepreneur and a successful businessman. His election as municipal councillor following on from Hyppolite Lemière was a landmark in official recognition of the contribution of the coloured class of Creoles.
Eliacin Francois was a regular contributor to “La Sentinelle” which he eventually purchased and transformed into an influential daily newspaper.
During his lifetime, the capital Port Louis experienced significant immigration from the rural areas, was prey to devastating epidemics, destructive cyclones and financial instability. Francois worked hard to improve the finances of the municipality and to deal with recurrent outbreaks of cholera – which took the life of former mayor Louis Lechelle – and malaria.
It was while Eliacin Francois was serving as mayor of Port Louis, that the island’s first official coat of arms with the famous motto “Stella Clavisque Maris Indici” – Star and key of the Indian Ocean – was received from England. His election was nevertheless controversial, and the coloured mayor was subjected to some racist insults, which he wisely ignored, trusting to his competent administration of the city to earn him respect. The historian Auguste Toussaint acknowledged his good works: “sa charité était proverbiale Il consacrait tous ses émoluments de maire au soulagement des misères de la capital.” If only Mauritius still had politicians of this calibre!
Eliacin Francois chose not to remain in office after 1869 [if only some of today’s politicians knew when to quit!] and died at the tragically young age of 37 in 1878. A street in Rose Hill is name for in honour of this memorable member of the coloured population of 19th century Mauritius.
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