An exhibition on the 295 years of constitutional history was launched at the Aapravasi Ghat on Friday 4 May.

In his speech, attorney general Maneesh Gobin remarked that our constitutional history is often restricted to the 50 years of independence which could be likened to the “tip of the iceberg”. “This exhibition looks at the iceberg itself,” said Gobin. The exhibition spans the history of Mauritius from the Dutch taking possession of the island in 1598 to present-day Mauritius. Visitors follow a timeline where the different constitutions of Mauritius under the French and the British and as an independent State are listed, along with local historical landmarks. The names of the 18 French governors and the 28 British governors of colonial Mauritius are listed.

The first constitution of Mauritius dates back to 1723 with the Edit du Roi établissant un conseil provincial à l’île de France and the latest one was adopted in 1991 which paved the way for Mauritius becoming a republic within the Commonwealth in 1992. The different constitutions can also be consulted on touchscreen monitors available to the public. The exhibition is open until 1 June on weekdays from 10am. to 3.30pm. and on Saturdays from 9.30am. to 12pm. Admission is free. The exhibition will be available online as from June.

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