Roger Laroque

[1] He also became chief executive of Chalandage, president of Forges et Chantiers de l'Océanie and a member of the board of directors of the Port Authority.

[1] Laroque entered politics in 1947 when he was elected to Nouméa City Council on the list of mayor Henri Sautot.

A staunch opponent of independence, in 1968 he contested the New Caledonia constituency in the French National Assembly elections, losing to Rock Pidjot of the Caledonian Union.

[1] In 1972 he was elected to the Territorial Assembly from the South constituency as leader of the Democratic and Social Agreement [fr] (EDS).

Awarded the Legion of Honour,[1] he died of a heart attack in Nouméa in November 1985 at the age of 75.

Statue of Laroque outside Nouméa City Hall