Roderick Galdes

Roderick Galdes in October 2004

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, 2013 and 2017 elections from the sixth district which comprises his hometown, Qormi, together with Luqa and Siggiewi.

Counciler and Mayor

Galdes was active in the Labour Party from a young age, forming part of Labour's Youth Forum National Executive. In 1994, he successfully contested the first local council elections in Qormi, becoming the youngest councillor at the timw.[2] In 2001, he became the first Labour mayor of the locality. In 2004 he resigned after he was elected in the Maltese Parliament. Galdes had the highest number of votes polled by an Labout Party candidate in the 2004 Local Council elections, garnering 3,513 first-count votes.[3]

Member of Parliament

2004 General Election

At the age of 29, Galdes became a Member of Parliament, replacing long-serving MP John Attard Montalto who was elected to serve as an MEP in Brussels.[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 Malta Environment and Planning Authority board.

2013 General Election

Roderick Galdes was re-elected in the sixth district in the 2013 general election with first count votes.[6] Prime Minister Joseph Muscat appointed him as Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights under the Ministry of Environment.[7] In this role, he branded a fish market from which fishermen could operate in line to EU legislation, replacing the old fisheries building which was built in 1911.[8] He oversaw infrastructural upgrade of ports and facilities used by fishermen, through an investment of more than €5.5 million.[9]

Galdes managed Malta's abattoir fortunes. While in 2013 the abattoir was on the verge of closing, due to EU Commission's infringement procedures related to bad practices and infrastructural deficiencies,[10] in 2016 it was cleared by the European Commission following an improvement.[11]

Galdes was responsible the process for Malta to have the first National Agricultural Policy,[12] initiated upagrades at the Pitkalija market,[13] inaugurated a new botanic garden known as Ġnien il-Pjanti Maltin (to safeguard and conserve Maltese trees and plants)[14] and launched the first Animal Welfare Fund (to assist NGOs and sanctuaries).[15]

2017 General Election

Parliamentary Secretary for Social Accommodation Roderick Galdes
Malta Parliamentary Secretary for Social Accommodation Roderick Galdes

On 1 May, Prime Minister Muscat called a snap election for the following 3 June. In this election, Galdes contested on the sixth district, comprising Qormi, Luqa and Siggiewi. He was elected for the fourth time, with an increase in votes from the last election.[16] Prime Minister Muscat trusted him with the portfolio of Social Accommodation, which Muscat had earlier described as “one of the most important priorities in the upcoming legislature”.[17]

Galdes launched a number of initiatives related to the sector, such as the rental scheme of private properties 'Nikru biex Nassistu',[18] the regeneration scheme of vacant properties,[19] the launching of an affordable loan scheme for low-income earners,[20] and an anti-housing fraud freephone.[21] An ongoing project is the building of 680 housing units, in 16 sites, earmarked for affordable accommodation, complimented by a White Paper on rent reform.[22]

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 Galdes (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. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  3. ↑ "MLP declares victory in Local Council Elections". MaltaMedia.
  4. ↑ "Former mayor of Qormi elected to Parliament". Times of Malta. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
  5. ↑ "Roderick Galdes re-elected". Times of Malta. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  6. ↑ "Results of the sixth district". MaltaToday. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
  7. ↑ "The Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights". Environment.gov.mt. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  8. ↑ . The Malta Independent. 25 November 2015 http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2015-11-25/local-news/PM-opens-new-3-8-million-Marsa-fish-market-to-replace-1911-Valletta-facility-6736149644. Retrieved 14 March 2016. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  9. ↑ Mallia, Sergio (29 October 2015). "Seven fisheries projects with an investment of €5.5 million". Television Malta. TVM news. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
  10. ↑ Debono, James (17 September 2013). "'Serious public health risk' persists at abattoir". MaltaToday. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  11. ↑ Camilleri, Ivan (21 December 2016). "Slaughterhouse given clearance by EU". Times of Malta. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  12. ↑ "National agriculture policy to be launched". The Malta Independent. 4 December 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  13. ↑ Diacono, Tim (18 March 2017). "Major upgrade to Pitkalija market announced". MaltaToday. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
  14. ↑ Dimech, Tony (20 May 2016). "Investment of €2.6million in Attard botanic garden". TVM news. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  15. ↑ Borg, Martina (30 September 2015). "€40,000 animal welfare fund launched". MaltaToday. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  16. ↑ "Results of Malta General Election". electoral.gov.mt. Electoral Commission of Malta. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
  17. ↑ Micallef, Mario (3 May 2017). "Rents and housing will be first priority for new Labour Government". TVM news. Retrieved 9 March 2018.
  18. ↑ "Opening of scheme for rental to Government of private properties for housing". TVM news. 1 September 2017. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  19. ↑ "Here's How You Can Get €25,000 To Fix Up Your Vacant Property In Malta". Lovin Malta. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  20. ↑ "Second affordable home loan scheme for home ownership launched". Malta Independent. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  21. ↑ "New initiative allows public to anonymously report abuse of social housing". Malta Independent. 7 September 2017. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
  22. ↑ Gauci Cunningham, Albert (28 February 2018). "Intervista - 'L-Akkomodazzjoni soċjali; l-obbligu tal-istat mhux tal-privat'" (in Maltese). MediaToday. ILLUM. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
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