Conrad Borg Manché

Conrad Borg Manché
Mayor of Gżira
In office
2015–2024
Preceded byRoberto Cristiano
Succeeded byNeville Chetcuti
Personal details
Born (1980-11-01) 1 November 1980
St Julian's, Malta
PartyIndependent (since 2024)
Partit Laburista (until 2023)
Children2; Karl and Lea
EducationUniversity of Malta

Conrad Borg Manché (born 1 November 1980) is a Maltese politician and lawyer who served as the mayor of Gżira from 2015 until 2024 on behalf of the Labour Party.[1][2] He was raised in Gzira.[3] As a political activist, he gained fame in Malta for re-opening access to the coast of Manoel Island to the public in September, 2016, after it was closed for over 15 years due to the developments by MIDI.[4][5]

The popular support gained by Borg Manché led to the first environmental guardianship agreement of its kind to be signed in Malta, safeguarding the future of Manoel Island and its surrounding environment of Gżira, Sliema and Valletta.[6]

As a result of his actions the Manoel Island Foundation[7] was founded to serve as the guardian of the Manoel Island Project. The Guardianship agreement[8] ensures unencumbered public access to the Manoel Island foreshore, Fort Manoel,[9] to be utilised for cultural, community and commercial uses enjoyed by the general public, secures protected swimming zones, building heights limited to four floors and a new park of over 80,000 m2 will be restored and returned to the public, something hailed as "a model for the relationship between the community and the investor" by Maltese prime minister Joseph Muscat.[10] The Manoel island Foundation is composed by Borg Manché as chairman, and members Claire Bonello, Ralph Mangion and MIDI CEO Mark Portelli.

Borg Manché resigned from the Labour Party in 2023, citing dissatisfaction with the party's direction and accusing it of betraying its socialist principles.[11][12]

Political career

Borg Manché was elected as mayor on his first electoral contestation of the 7th legislature of the Gżira Local Council held in 2015.[13] In June 2019, he was re-elected mayor thereby making him the first mayor of Gżira to be re-elected for the second consecutive term and obtaining a record majority of 60%.[14]

Borg Manché is known to be one of the foremost supporters of sustainable development in Malta, protesting against excessive planned skyscraper development in Gżira and ensuring that environmental factors like air quality are monitored properly to safeguard the quality of life for citizens of the locality.[15][16][17]

In April 2024 Borg Manché announced he would contest the European Parliament elections as an independent.[18] He confirmed that if elected he would join the European Conservatives and Reformists Group.[19] He failed to get elected with 2.3% of the vote, but was the second-best performing independent candidate after Arnold Cassola. He also contested the local council election in Gżira (also as an independent) and was elected to the council. However he lost the mayorship as notwithstanding his defection, the Labour Party managed to retain its majority in the Council. Borg Manché was succeeded as mayor by Neville Chetcuti, who obtained the largest number of votes from all elected candidates.

References

  1. ^ "Local Council Election Results 2015". Malta Electoral Commission.
  2. ^ Vidal, Kyle (7 May 2017). "Conrad Borg Manchè kandidat ġdid tal-Partit Laburista". iNewsMalta.com (in Maltese). Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  3. ^ Lovin' Malta 21Sep2021:"I Miss That Sense Of Community’: Gżira Mayor Speaks Out About The Evolution Of The Locality" by Sasha Vella. On-Line:https://lovinmalta.com/lifestyle/environment/i-miss-that-sense-of-community-gzira-mayor-speaks-out-about-the-evolution-of-the-locality/ Retrieved : 18Jan2022
  4. ^ Xuereb, Rueben Anthony (27 Sep 2016). "Is-Sindku tal-Gżira kellu l-appoġġ kollu tal-Partit Laburista biex jiftaħ l-aċċess għal Manoel island". illum.com.mt (in Maltese). Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  5. ^ "Community will be at the centre of Manoel Island Project – MIDI CEO". News Malta. 26 Mar 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  6. ^ Leone Ganado, Philip (14 Mar 2018). "Gżira council pens deal with Manoel Island developers". Times of Malta. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  7. ^ "Home". www.manoelisland.foundation. Retrieved 2020-06-10.
  8. ^ "Guardianship". www.manoelisland.foundation. Retrieved 2020-06-10.
  9. ^ "Manoel Island". localgovernment.gov.mt (in Maltese). Archived from the original on 2020-08-11. Retrieved 2020-06-10.
  10. ^ "Gżira council pens deal with Manoel Island developers". MIDI plc. 14 Mar 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  11. ^ Cordina, John Paul (8 October 2023). "Gżira mayor quits Labour Party". Newsbook. Beacon Media Group. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  12. ^ Xuereb, Matthew (2 March 2023). "Gżira's Labour mayor accuses party of betraying principles in petrol station row". Times of Malta. Allied Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  13. ^ "Electoral Commission of Malta". electoral.gov.mt. Retrieved 2020-06-10.
  14. ^ "Electoral Commission of Malta". electoral.gov.mt. Retrieved 2020-06-10.
  15. ^ Vassallo, Raphael (3 October 2016). "We can't afford to lose any more | Conrad Borg Manché". MaltaToday.com.mt. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  16. ^ Sansone, Kurt (5 June 2018). "Gżira mayor takes developers' chief Sandro Chetcuti to task over construction cowboys". MaltaToday.com.mt. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  17. ^ "Gżira Commitment Data". Global Covenant of Mayors. 5 June 2018. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  18. ^ "Conrad Borg Manche to contest European Parliament elections as independent candidate - The Malta Independent". The Malta Independent. Standard Publications Ltd. 29 April 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  19. ^ Vella, Matthew (6 June 2024). "Rightward drift for Gżira mayor Borg Manché as he declares ECR allegiance". MaltaToday. MediaToday Co. Ltd. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
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