A Who's Who of MPs since 1921

A book has been launched that details the parliamentary itinerary of politicians who were elected, from 1921 onwards, to the House of Representatives and legislative bodies that preceded its 1964 Constitution.

Who's Who In The House 1921-2006 is the work of brothers Joe and Richard Felice Pace and owes its origins to a unique collection of photographs of parliamentarians which had been built by their father Salvatore, who exhibited it at the Hobbies' Society in November 1982. This is the only complete collection of such photos.

The publication by Midsea Books carries a foreword by John C. Lane, Professor Emeritus at the State University of New York at Buffalo and a leading authority on electoral processes. Prof. Lane has studied and analysed thoroughly the Maltese electoral system and has dedicated a website to it.

Richard Felice Pace said during the presentation that, before his demise in April 1983, their father had expressed the wish to have the collection published in book form, together with notes on the individual members. He had spent hours researching details of every parliamentarian's duties while they were members of the Legislative Assembly, the Council of Government or the House of Representatives.

Besides this information, the book carries the results of the First Count of all General Elections held from 1921 until 2004 and of all casual elections held until now.

The final section of the book gives the results of elections for the European Parliament held in Malta in June 2004. The Maltese MEPs' duties in the European Parliament are included.

Joe Felice Pace said that during the research several odd facts had come to the fore, such as the case of a member of the Constitutional Party who emigrated to Australia in 1932 and sent his resignation from the Legislative Assembly by post from abroad.

He cited the case of a member of the Democratic Nationalist Party who is said to have resigned his seat when in actual fact he had never sent in his resignation because his appointment, in 1924, as Magistrate meant the automatic termination of his membership of the Legislative Assembly.

As for the introduction to the book by Prof. Lane, Mr Felice Pace referred to his observation that "Malta's electoral system, and the particular way in which it has been practised since l921, provides opportunities for study and reflection".

The amendments ensuring that the party getting the majority of votes but not of candidates wins an election could lead to the opening of a discussion as to whether we should go for a simpler system such as the first-past-the-post or perhaps reactivate the Buhagiar report submitted to the Gonzi Commission, he said. On the other hand, why change a system that has become identified with Malta?

Anton Tabone, Speaker of the House, launched the publication. He said that following the History of Parliament published by his office, this publication could be said to deal with the history of those who constituted Parliament. These were the politicians who served the country at great personal sacrifice and it was fitting that their services be remembered, as was being done in this book.

His 40 years in the House led him to believe that it was time to have a new look at the present situation and possibly even discuss the idea of having full-time parliamentarians.

Who's Who In The House 1921-2006 includes a description of the origins of the Single Transferable Vote and its use in Malta, voting qualifications over the years, and a brief review of Malta's constitutional development under British rule.