First Labour Prime Minister
Born in Vittoriosa Paul was the son of Carmelo Boffa and Carmela née Serracino. He was educated at the Lyceum and the Universit of Malta from where he graduated MD (1912). In World War I he served with the Royal Medical Corps in Malta, Thessaloniki, and on hospital ships. After the war he set up in private practice in Paola.
Boffa joined the Labour Party in 1923 and was elected to parliament in 1924, 1927, and 1932. He was elected leader of the Labour Party in 1927 and immediately began to instil in the workers the need for rightfully equal representation in government in order to have a say in their own affairs.
He led his party in a coalition with Lord Strickland’s party in government (1927-1932). In 1932 Boffa was the only Labour Party candidate elected to the legislative assembly until its dissolution in 1933. He was nominated member of the Executive Council from 1936-1939.
During World War II Boffa served with distinction as district commissioner and ARP medical officer in the Cottonera-Paola-Tarxien-Luqa area. He was awarded the OBE in 1941.
In the 1945 elections Boffa was again elected in the Labour Party’s interests. He reached the acme of his political career in November 1947 when he became the first Labour prime minister leading a majority government of 24 Labour members.
In 1949, following the Labour Party’s ultimatum to Britain concerning financial help, the party split but Boffa continued as prime minister and later founded and led the Malta Workers' Party. The MWP lost the 1950 elections.
Boffa was re-elected in 1951 and in 1953 and joined a coalition government with the PN led by George Borg Olivier, assuming the post of minister of health and social services. The MWP did not contest the elections in 1955 and he resigned for health reasons. However, he retained an interest in politics and was nominated honorary president of the CWP.
Boffa was created a knight bachelor in the 1956 New Year Honours List in recognition of distinguished public services. He was also awarded the 1914-18 Star, the General Service Medal, the Victory Medal, the Coronation Medal, and the Defence Medal.
Boffa was instrumental in obtaining recognition for the Maltese language in the law courts and the introduction of compulsory primary education and old-age pensions.
Dr Paul Boffa married Genoveffa née Cecy in Vittoriosa on 16 January 1921 and had two sons, Salvino and Joseph, and two daughters, Hilda and Melina.
A monument of Sir Paul Boffa was inaugurated on 12 June 1976 at Castille Place, Valletta by Minister of Justice, Anton Buttigieg, and on 12 December, 2005 a bust, provided by his nephew, Rev Marius Zerafa, OP was inaugurated by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Leader of the Opposition Alfred Sant at Couvre Porte, Vittoriosa.
He died aged 72 at his residence at 118, Tarxien Road Paola and was buried at the All Souls Cemetery in Tarxien.
This biography is part of the collection created by Michael Schiavone over a 30-year period. Read more about Schiavone and his initiative here.