John Dalli
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| John Dalli | |
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Minister for Social Policy
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office March 12, 2008 |
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| Born | October 5, 1948 |
| Political party | Partit Nazzjonalista |
| Residence | Qormi, Malta |
John Dalli (born 5 October 1948) is a Maltese politician, who has served as Cabinet Minister in various governments since 1987. He is currently the Minister for Social Policy.
Qualified as an accountant, Dalli worked in the private sector in Malta and abroad, both in industry and as an independent consultant.
Dalli was first elected to the House of Representatives of Malta in 1987 on behalf of the Nationalist Party and since then he has been re-elected in five successive elections: in 1992, 1996, 1998, 2003, and 2008. He has served as Parliamentary Secretary for Industry (1987–1990), Minister of Economic Affairs (1990–92), Minister of Finance (1992–1996) and again (1998–2004)[1] and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Investment Promotion (2004)[2]. During his tenure of the Ministry of Finance (the longest in Maltese political history) Dalli is best remembered for his modernisation of the taxation system through the introduction of VAT in 1994 and again in 1998.
From 1987 to 2004, he served as co-chairman of the Libyan-Maltese Joint Commission.
In February 2004 Dalli contested the election for the leadership of the Nationalist Party but was unsuccessful, losing to Lawrence Gonzi. In the new Cabinet Dalli was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs and Investment Promotion. However, he resigned after serving for only three months from April to July 2004, claiming attacks by members of his own party. This followed investigations into an award of a contract for medical equipment when Dalli was Minister of Finance and airline ticketing[3]. Dalli remained a backbench MP.
On 30 November 2006, the Maltese Court sentenced to two years in prison a person who admitted to fabricating a report that implicated corruption in the award of a contract for medical equipment when Dalli was Minister of Finance and politically responsible for the award of such contracts. According to evidence given in court, this report had been handed to the Prime Minister weeks before Dalli's resignation. Dalli maintained that he was not made aware of such a report and says that this report triggered the attacks which made his position in cabinet untenable[4].
After leaving the Cabinet, Dalli established a successful consultancy firm. On November 29, 2007, he was appointed as a personal consultant to Gonzi; Gonzi said that he made this appointment because the accusations against Dalli had been disproven. Dalli chose not to receive pay for his work in this regard. The Office of the Prime Minister said on December 1 that he would not be involved in areas where a conflict of interest could arise[5].
He was re-elected to the House of Representatives in the March 2008 general election and became Minister for Social Policy on March 12, 2008. This portfolio deals with health, employment, and industrial relations. Joe Cassar and Mario Galea were appointed to assist him, as Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Parliamentary Secretary for the Elderly and Community Care respectively.[6]
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/2004/02/08/dalli.html
- ^ http://www.doi.gov.mt/EN/ministries_and_departments/foreign.asp
- ^ http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/2007/mw/mw_july11_2007/t1.html
- ^ http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/2006/12/03/top_story.html
- ^ http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/2007/12/09/interview.html
- ^ "New Cabinet sworn in", Times of Malta, March 12, 2008.
