THE BOOK ENTITLED “MALTA’S PARLIAMENT: AN
OFFICIAL HISTORY” NOW ON SALE
The Book “Malta’s
Parliament – An Official History” by
Professor Godfrey A Pirotta, published
by the Office of the Speaker of the
House of Representatives and the
Department of Information, is now on sale from the DOI Sales Office,
3 Castille Place,
Valletta, the Banca Giuratale, Victoria
Gozo, and from
leading bookshops.
The 312-page book which
is hardbound and illustrated in full
colour, costs Lm18.
The book chronicles the
political history and evolution of
Malta’s Parliament from 1800 to 2003 and
is divided into three sections.
Section One (1800-1921) with its study
of the workings of the colonial style
Council of Government, explores the
emergence of a partially elected Chamber
and the continuing Maltese struggle for
responsible government.
Section Two (1921-1964), examines
Malta’s first responsible government
Parliament at work until its dissolution
in 1933 when the 1921 Constitution which
had created it, was first suspended and
later withdrawn. It also gives a brief
look at the events which followed until
responsible government was re-instated
in 1947. This section then takes the
reader through the issues debated in
Parliament and the Parliamentary process
which culminated in Malta’ Independence
in 1964.
Section Three
(1964-2003) allows the
reader to explore Malta’s
transition to Republican
Government, the closure of
the military base and its
implications for a Malta
free from the last vestiges
of colonialism, and the long
road to EU membership.
The book
contains a vast display of
photos portraying several
personalities including all
the Speakers of the House of
Representatives, all the
Governors, the Presidents of
Malta, Prime Ministers, and
various Maltese
Parliamentarians. Other
photos depict important
historic events that took
place inside as well as
outside the House. One also
finds full-coloured photos
showing the beauty and
majesty of the Tapestry
Chamber which served as the
House of Parliament, the
Committee Rooms, State Rooms
and details of The Palace,
and the present Parliament
Chamber.
