PRESIDENT OF MALTA (1994 - 1999)

Dr Ugo Mifsud Bonnici, son of Carmelo and Maria nee' Ross, was born in Cospicua on 8 November 1932. He was educated at the Lyceum and the Royal University of Malta. He graduated as a Bachelor of Arts in 1952 and as a Doctor of Laws in 1955. As a lawyer, Dr Mifsud Bonnici practised in all the Law Courts of Malta. On 3 May 1959 he married Gemma nee' Bianco. They have three children: Carmelo, Anton and Jeanne-Pia.

Following in his father's footsteps, he contested the General Elections in the interests of the Nationalist Party in 1966. He was elected from the 2nd District which comprised Cospicua, Vittoriosa, Senglea, Kalkara and Fgura. He has been re-elected in all subsequent General Elections. For fifteen years (1972-1987) he was the Nationalist Party's spokesman for Education. In 1977 he was also elected President of the Party's General and Administrative Councils.

In 1987 the Nationalist Party was elected to Government and Dr Mifsud Bonnici was appointed to the Cabinet as Minister of Education. His portfolio included Education, Environment, Broadcasting, Culture, Youth, Museums and Sport. In 1990 he became Minister of Education and the Interior. Following the 1992 elections Dr Mifsud Bonnici was appointed Minister of Education and Human Resources.

As a Member of Parliament, Dr Ugo Mifsud Bonnici took an active interest in the updating of Malta's legislation. He was a member of numerous Select Committees including the Committee set up to draft the Constitutional changes that declared Malta a Republic.

As a Minister, Dr Ugo Mifsud Bonnici worked on the drafting of important legislation such as the Education Act, the Environment Act, the National Archives Act and the Occupational Health and Safety Promotion Act.

Notwithstanding his commitments, Dr Mifsud Bonnici is a prolific writer. His articles have appeared in various newspapers and some of them were published in two books: Il-Linja it-Tajba - L-Ahjar Artikli ta' Dottor Ugo Mifsud Bonnici and Biex il-Futur Rega' Beda. He also spent some years as editor of a literary magazine Malta Letterarja.