Wistin Abela

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Wistin Abela (born October 19, 1933 - January 20, 2014 ) was a Maltese politician of the Partit Laburista (PL), who was a member of the House of Representatives between 1966 and 1996 and was a minister several times. Among other things, he was Vice Prime Minister between 1981 and 1983.

Life

After attending the State Elementary School, the Lyceum and the Archbishop's Seminary ( Seminarju tal-Arċisqof ), Abela graduated from the Royal University of Malta . He then worked as a math teacher. In addition, he began his political engagement in the Partit Laburista, which he joined in 1959. During this time he was also chairman of the youth forum of the workers' party FZL ( Forum Żgħażagħ Laburisti ) in Żejtun . In 1961 he became chairman of the PL in the fourth district and was also involved in the trade union federation GWU ( General Workers Union ), of which he was a member of the General Council. At the same time he was union secretary of the GWU for the shipyard ( HM Dockyard ).

In the elections on March 26 and 28, 1966, Abela was elected for the first time as a member of the House of Representatives for the Partit Laburista and was a member of this until October 26, 1996.

Abela took over his first government office on June 21, 1971, when Prime Minister Dom Mintoff appointed him Parliamentary State Secretary for Finance and Customs to the Prime Minister ( Segretarju Parlamentari tal-Finanzi u d-Dwana fl-Uffiċċju tal-Prim Ministru ) in his second cabinet . He then became Minister of Development ( Ministru tal-Iżvilupp ) in this cabinet in September 1974 . In the third Mintoff cabinet , he took on the role of Minister for Economic Development, Energy, Ports and Telecommunications ( Ministru tal-Iżvilupp, l-Enerġija, l-Portijiet u t-Telekommunikazzjoni ) on September 25, 1976 .

In the fourth Mintoff cabinet , Abela, who was also vice-chairman of the Partit Laburista during this period, served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Economic Development from December 20, 1981 to September 3, 1981 ( Deputat Prim Ministru u Ministru tal-Izvilupp Ekonomiku ) . On September 3, 1983, he lost some of its influence after Mintoff's designated successor and vice-chairman of the PL, Carmelo "Karmenu" Mifsud Bonniċi , joined the fifth Mintoff cabinet as Minister of Education and Communications . As Minister of Finance and Customs ( Ministru tal-Finanzi u d-Dwana ) Abela was still largely responsible for the economic development of Malta. From December 22, 1984 to May 12, 1987, he also held the office of Minister for Finance, Economic Development, Customs and Ports in the Mifsud Bonniċi cabinet .

After the defeat of the PL in the elections on May 9, 1987, he served as the opposition spokesman in the House of Representatives for the armed forces and oil production until 1992 . On October 26, 1996, he resigned from the House of Representatives after thirty years and largely withdrew from political life.

For his many years of service, he was named Companion of the National Order of Merit on December 13, 1997 . His marriage to Catherine Abela in 1959 resulted in the children Marjohn, Carmelina and Licia. After his death he was buried in the cemetery of Żejtun ( Cimiterju taz-Żejtun ).

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personal data
SURNAME Abela, Wistin
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Maltese politician
DATE OF BIRTH October 19, 1933
DATE OF DEATH 20th January 2014