Emmanuel Anquetil

Who was Emmanuel Anquetil?

Emmanuel Anquetil was a Mauritian trade unionist, and the second leader of the Mauritius Labour Party. He spent much of his youth in England among the dockers and became acquainted with the ins and outs of trade unionism. When he returned to his native land, he put his experience at the service of his country. He was deported to Rodrigues in 1938 by the British colonial government for organising strikes in defence of workers' rights. Back in Mauritius, he spent much time touring the island campaigning for a more liberal form of government, and took part in debates on the revision of the constitution. His long tours around the island affected his health, and he died of pneumonia before the new constitution came into being. At his death, his faithful henchman, Guy Rozemont, took over as leader of the Labour party.