Giorgio Borg Olivier
Encyclopedia
Giorgio Borg Olivier (5 July 1911 - 29 October 1980) was twice Prime Minister of Malta
(1950 to 1955 and 1962 to 1971) as the Leader of the Nationalist Party
. He was also Leader of the Opposition between 1955 and 1958 and again between 1971 and 1977. He resigned from Leader of the Nationalist Party in 1977 and was succeeded by Eddie Fenech Adami. However, he retained his parliamentary seat until his death in 1980.
Dr. G. Borg Olivier was born in Valletta
son of Olivier Borg Olivier de Puget Paleologo and Rosa Amato-Pace. He was educated at the Lyceum, Malta, and the Royal University of Malta where he graduated Doctor of Laws in 1937. In 1939 he was elected to the Council of Government. With the return of responsible Government in 1947 Dr. Borg Olivier was elected to the Legislative Assembly and was later Deputy Leader of the Opposition. In 1950 he held the post of Minister of Works and Reconstruction and the post of Minister of Education in the Nationalist Minority Government led by Dr Enrico Mizzi
. He succeeded Dr. Mizzi as leader of the Nationalist Party, Prime Minister and Minister of Justice in a Minority Government on the latter's death in December 1950.
After the general elections held in May 1951, Dr. Borg Olivier formed a coalition Government with the Malta Works Party. Dr. Borg Olivier was Head of the new Government, he retained the Ministry of Works and Reconstruction. He was again returned to office in 1953 and was Head of a Coalition Government with the Malta Worker's Party until he was defeated in 1955. From 1955 to 1958 Dr. Borg Olivier was leader of Opposition. He led the Nationalist Party delegations in June and September 1955 for the Malta
Round Table Conference and in November 1958 he led the Party delegation for talks in London about the restoration of self-government.
Following the February 1962 election, Dr. Borg Olivier agreed to form a Government after obtaining important amendments to the Constitution. In addition to being Prime Minister, he assumed the portfolio of Minister of Economic Planning and Finance. In June he made a formal request for Independence
and in September of the same year he attended the Commonwealth Prime Minister's Meeting.
On 13 July 1963, Dr. Borg Olivier headed a Government delegation for the Malta Independence Conference at the end of which it was announced that Malta would become independent. On 25 January 1964, Dr. Borg Olivier was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Sylvester, Pope, by His Holiness Pope Paul VI. After having had a series of talks with the British Government and after preparing a Constitution for an independent Malta, which was endorsed by Parliament and approved by the people in a referendum held in February 1964, Dr. Giorgio Borg Olivier set 21 September as Malta's Independence Day.
On Independence Day the degree of Doctor of Literature (Honoris Causa) was conferred on Dr. Borg Olivier by the Royal University of Malta.
In November 1964, he was received by His Holiness Pope Paul VI and made Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Pius IX. In March 1965, he became Minister of Foreign and Commonwealth
Affairs in addition to his duties as Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Planning and Finance. In the General Elections held in March 1966, the Nationalist Party was again returned to power with Dr. Borg Olivier as Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. On 14 June 1968, Dr. Borg Olivier was decorated with the Grand Cross of Merit of the Order of Malta by the Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Hospitallier Order of St. John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta.
His funeral was followed by thousands of people who went to Valletta to pay their last tributes to Borg Olivier. This marked a new era for the Nationalist Party which at the time was the Opposition party. A monument in honour of George Borg Olivier was erected in Castille Square, Valletta in 1989, as part of the events commemorating the 25th anniversary of Independence.
Dr. G. Borg Olivier married Alexandra Mattei
in 1943. They had one daughter, Angela, and two sons, Alexander and Peter. Borg Olivier's wife, Alexandra, died on Wednesday 25 February 2009, aged 87.
Prime Minister of Malta
The Prime Minister of Malta is the Head of Government of Malta.-Establishment of the office and developments:The office of "Head of Ministry" was created as soon as Malta was granted autonomous government in 1921. The 1921 constitution was suspended twice before being revoked...
(1950 to 1955 and 1962 to 1971) as the Leader of the Nationalist Party
Nationalist Party (Malta)
The Nationalist Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in Malta, along with the Labour Party. It was founded by Fortunato Mizzi in 1880 as the Anti-Reform Party, opposing taxation decreed by the British colonial authorities and measures to Anglicise the educational and the...
. He was also Leader of the Opposition between 1955 and 1958 and again between 1971 and 1977. He resigned from Leader of the Nationalist Party in 1977 and was succeeded by Eddie Fenech Adami. However, he retained his parliamentary seat until his death in 1980.
Dr. G. Borg Olivier was born in Valletta
Valletta
Valletta is the capital of Malta, colloquially known as Il-Belt in Maltese. It is located in the central-eastern portion of the island of Malta, and the historical city has a population of 6,098. The name "Valletta" is traditionally reserved for the historic walled citadel that serves as Malta's...
son of Olivier Borg Olivier de Puget Paleologo and Rosa Amato-Pace. He was educated at the Lyceum, Malta, and the Royal University of Malta where he graduated Doctor of Laws in 1937. In 1939 he was elected to the Council of Government. With the return of responsible Government in 1947 Dr. Borg Olivier was elected to the Legislative Assembly and was later Deputy Leader of the Opposition. In 1950 he held the post of Minister of Works and Reconstruction and the post of Minister of Education in the Nationalist Minority Government led by Dr Enrico Mizzi
Enrico Mizzi
Enrico "Nerik" Mizzi was a Maltese politician, leader of the Nationalist Party and Prime Minister of Malta....
. He succeeded Dr. Mizzi as leader of the Nationalist Party, Prime Minister and Minister of Justice in a Minority Government on the latter's death in December 1950.
After the general elections held in May 1951, Dr. Borg Olivier formed a coalition Government with the Malta Works Party. Dr. Borg Olivier was Head of the new Government, he retained the Ministry of Works and Reconstruction. He was again returned to office in 1953 and was Head of a Coalition Government with the Malta Worker's Party until he was defeated in 1955. From 1955 to 1958 Dr. Borg Olivier was leader of Opposition. He led the Nationalist Party delegations in June and September 1955 for the Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
Round Table Conference and in November 1958 he led the Party delegation for talks in London about the restoration of self-government.
Following the February 1962 election, Dr. Borg Olivier agreed to form a Government after obtaining important amendments to the Constitution. In addition to being Prime Minister, he assumed the portfolio of Minister of Economic Planning and Finance. In June he made a formal request for Independence
Independence
Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
and in September of the same year he attended the Commonwealth Prime Minister's Meeting.
On 13 July 1963, Dr. Borg Olivier headed a Government delegation for the Malta Independence Conference at the end of which it was announced that Malta would become independent. On 25 January 1964, Dr. Borg Olivier was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Sylvester, Pope, by His Holiness Pope Paul VI. After having had a series of talks with the British Government and after preparing a Constitution for an independent Malta, which was endorsed by Parliament and approved by the people in a referendum held in February 1964, Dr. Giorgio Borg Olivier set 21 September as Malta's Independence Day.
On Independence Day the degree of Doctor of Literature (Honoris Causa) was conferred on Dr. Borg Olivier by the Royal University of Malta.
In November 1964, he was received by His Holiness Pope Paul VI and made Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Pius IX. In March 1965, he became Minister of Foreign and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
Affairs in addition to his duties as Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Planning and Finance. In the General Elections held in March 1966, the Nationalist Party was again returned to power with Dr. Borg Olivier as Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. On 14 June 1968, Dr. Borg Olivier was decorated with the Grand Cross of Merit of the Order of Malta by the Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Hospitallier Order of St. John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta.
His funeral was followed by thousands of people who went to Valletta to pay their last tributes to Borg Olivier. This marked a new era for the Nationalist Party which at the time was the Opposition party. A monument in honour of George Borg Olivier was erected in Castille Square, Valletta in 1989, as part of the events commemorating the 25th anniversary of Independence.
Dr. G. Borg Olivier married Alexandra Mattei
Mattei
Mattei can refer to:Places:* Mattei, CaliforniaNoble families:* Mattei , noble Roman family* Marquis Mattei, noble Maltese familyPeople:* Bruno Mattei, Italian movie director...
in 1943. They had one daughter, Angela, and two sons, Alexander and Peter. Borg Olivier's wife, Alexandra, died on Wednesday 25 February 2009, aged 87.