Flacq District

Etymology

Flacq comes from the Dutch word vlakt, meaning flat. This is a reference to the area's topography and results from the historical Dutch occupation of the island.

History

Main page: Mauritius.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, Flacq was governed by Dutch colonizers, who settled in the area and utilized the land for farming and gardening due to its valuable soil. The Dutch occupation of the island spanned from 1598-1710, with the first permanent settlement attempted in 1638. During the Dutch occupation, Flacq was divided into eight townships. In 1886, the island was divided into nine administrative regions, the geographical borders of which survived several federal rule changes and are now the Districts of Mauritius.

Geography

Flacq is located in the northeast section of the island and is an overwhelmingly rural district. The coast is surrounded by coral reefs and has a tropical climate during the summer months of October to March, changing to a subtropical climate during the winter months of June to September. Flacq holds jurisdiction over several small islands near the coast, including Ilot Mangenie, Île aux Cerfs, and Île Camisard. The islands and nearby coast are popular tourist destinations, known for their beaches and golf courses.

The capital of Flacq is Centre de Flacq, which is located in the central northern area of the district.

Government and Politics

District governance and structure

Flacq is governed by the District Council of Flacq, which was formed under the Local Government Act of 2011. It is headed by a Chief Executive with the assistance of a Deputy Chief Executive. The Chief Executive is responsible for the Administration.

The Chairperson is responsible for the council, assisted by a Vice Chairperson.

Assistant Chief Executives of The District Council oversee the 23 Village Councils representing the 23 Village Council Areas (VCAs) within Flacq's borders. Each Village Council has nine elected councilors and one representative at the District Council (with the exception of three village councils that have two representatives).

The District Council (as well as all other local authorities in Mauritius) is governed by the Local Government Ministry.

Government activities

The government has departments of Administration, Public Infrastructure, Land Use and Planning, Public Health, Finance, and Welfare. These individual departments are overseen by Heads of Departments. Some departments are divided into Sections, which are overseen by Heads of Sections.

This department contains the following:

Human Resource Management Section

Occupational Health and Safety Section

Internal Audit Section

Information Technology Section

Procurement Section

Local Disaster Management Coordinator

Risk Management, Citizen-Oriented Initiatives and Good Governance

This department contains the following:

Planning Section

Road Maintenance Section

Workshop Section

Lighting Section

Management of this department includes the following positions:

Planning and Development Officer

Planning and Development Assistants

Planning and Development Inspectors

Building Inspector

Assistant Building Inspectors

List of VCAs (sorted alphabetically)

Bel Air

Bon Accueil

Brisée Verdiere

Bramsthan

Camp de Masque

Camp de Masque Pavé

Camp Ithier

Central Flacq (main village)

Clemencia

Ecroignard

Grand River South East

Grande Retraite

Lallmatie

Laventure

Mare La Chaux

Medine

Olivia

Poste de Flacq

Quatre Cocos

Queen Victoria

Saint Julien Village

Sebastopol

Trou D’Eau Douce

Economy

The economy of Flacq is powered primarily by sugarcane agriculture and tourism on the coast and islands.

Places of interest

In the small village of Trou d'Eau Douce, visitors can take boats for tours of Île aux Cerfs island.