Roderick Galdes

Hon Roderick Galdes, Maltese MP (2004-present)

Roderick Galdes is a Maltese Politician elected in the Maltese Parliament on behalf of the Labour Party since 2004. He is currently a member of the Cabinet of Ministers serving as Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries & Animal Rights.[1]

He was first elected to Parliament in 2004, and re-elected in the 2008 and 2013 elections from the sixth district which comprises his hometown, Qormi, together with Luqa and Siggiewi.

Initial years: Qormi Local Council

Galdes was active in the Malta Labour Party from a young age, forming part of Labour's Youth Forum National Executive, together with Joseph Muscat, who years later became Party Leader and Prime Minister of Malta.

In 1994, he successfully contested the first local council elections in Qormi, becoming the youngest councillor.[2] In 2001, he became the first Labour mayor of the locality until 2004, when he left his office to serve as a Member of Parliament. He served a total of 10 years in the local council.

During his tenure as Qormi Mayor (2001–2004), Galdes was best remembered for the vast infrastructural projects undertaken throughout the locality, including resurfacing of the road network.

Member of Parliament

At the age of 29, Roderick Galdes became a Member of Parliament replacing long-serving MP John Attard Montalto who was elected to serve as an MEP in Brussels.[3]

Just a week earlier, Galdes had the highest number of votes polled by an MLP candidate in the 2004 local elections, garnering 3,513 first-count votes. Thanks to this result Labour won a seat from the Nationalist Party.[4]

Upon taking the oath of office, then Labour leader Alfred Sant gave Galdes the responsibility to shadow the Environment and National Heritage ministry.

2008 election

Galdes successfully contested the 2008 General Elections garnering 1,634 first count votes, reported by the Times of Malta as "a massive increase on the 359 votes of five years ago, when he was elected for the first time."[5]

For the 2008-2013 legislature, he was appointed Shadow Minister for Planning, Housing, Urban Development and Construction in 2008. He was also the official Labour Representative on the MEPA Board.

2013 election

Roderick Galdes continued to establish himself as a Labour figure in the sixth district in the 2013 general election, when he increased his tally vote to more than 2,000 first count votes.[6] Consequently, Labour leader Joseph Muscat appointed him as Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights under the Ministry of Environment.[7]

Education and Family

Roderick Galdes holds a master's degree in Small Islands States from the University of Malta, a bachelor's degree in Urban Planning from the same university, and a Diploma in Planning Studies.

He is married to Joanne née Carabott, and is a father of three: Daniel, Andrew and Nathan.

References

  1. ↑ "Cabinet: full list of ministries, parliamentary secretaries and responsibilities". MaltaToday. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  2. ↑ "The first local council of Qormi - 1994 local councillors and mayor". Qormi Local Council. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  3. ↑ "Former mayor of Qormi elected to Parliament". Times of Malta. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
  4. ↑ "MLP declares victory in Local Council Elections". MaltaMedia.
  5. ↑ "Roderick Galdes re-elected". Times of Malta. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  6. ↑ "Results of the sixth district". MaltaToday. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
  7. ↑ "The Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights". Environment.gov.mt. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
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