ROBERT V.GALEA

Born in Valletta, Galea studied at Flores College, the Lyceum, and the UM from where he graduated B.Sc. (1908). He proceeded to London on a post-graduate course in architecture and engineering, obtaining a warrant of land surveyor. In 1915 he was appointed professor of engineering and architecture at the UM, and acted as vice-chancellor (1924), rector of the RUM (1934-48), and director of the National Museum (1924-33).

Galea joined the CP and was elected to the legislative assembly (1927, 1932, 1950, and 1951) and to the senate (1932). He served as minister of health (1927-32), minister for the treasury (1929-32), and deputy prime minister (1930). He attended the Empire Parliamentary Association Conference in Ottawa, Canada in 1928. As leader of the CP, he was leader of the opposition (1950-53).

Galea served in several government boards. He was member and chairman, National Service Appeal Committee (1940-45), UM delegate at the Congress of the Commonwealth Universities at Oxford (1948), and chairman, Technical Reconstruction Board in charge of the Inter-Universities Council for Higher Education in the Colonies (1946-48). In 1936 Galea was nominated officer of the British Empire, and was awarded the LL.D. Honoris Causa (Bristol) (1936) and D.Sc. Honoris Causa by the RUM (1947)

From Dictionary of Maltese Biographies G-Z