Mario Vella
Mario Vella | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1953 Tripoli |
| Occupation(s) | Thinker, economist, political figure |
| Years active | 1979–2020 |
| Known for | Governor of the Central Bank of Malta (2016–2020) |
Mario Vella (born 1953 in Tripoli) is a Maltese thinker, economist, and political figure. He held the position of Governor of the Central Bank of Malta between 2016 and 2020.
Education and academic pursuits
Vella, born into a Maltese family in Tripoli, commenced his schooling there before moving to Malta, where he attended De La Salle College in Cottonera. His higher education included studies in philosophy at the Royal University of Malta, social economy with a concentration in sociology at the London School of Economics and Political Science, and international political economy at Humboldt University of Berlin in East Germany. His scholarly interests centered on economic development and foreign direct investments.
In Malta, Vella initially taught Italian and sociology within public schools, later dedicating nearly two decades to lecturing on political economy and social development at the University of Malta. In 2005, he undertook visiting professorships focusing on foreign direct investment and development at both the Università Cattolica di Milano and the University of Urbino. Between 2007 and 2012, he held a visiting professor role at Edinburgh Napier University.
Career in politics and professional roles
From 1979 to 1980 and again from 1984 to 2000, Vella occupied executive positions within the Malta Development Corporation (MDC), including serving as CEO. During the tenure of Nationalist Party administrations (1987-1996), he was excluded from leadership roles but maintained his employment. He resumed his CEO role under Labour’s Alfred Sant government (1996-1998), playing a part in facilitating Joseph Muscat’s political ascent.
Recognized as an advisor to Joseph Muscat, Vella influenced Muscat’s doctoral research on economic development. Between 1994 and 2000, Vella acted as President of the Malta Labour Party, contributing to its economic platform for the 1996 elections by advocating support for small local businesses alongside export-driven companies. He also spearheaded reforms within MDC that led to establishing the Institute for the Promotion of Small Enterprise (IPSE), where Muscat was employed.
Following the Nationalist Party’s return to government in 1998, Vella transitioned to the private sector as director responsible for foreign direct investment services at consulting firm Grant Thornton Malta. In 2013, under a Labour administration, he was appointed chairman of Malta Enterprise—the MDC's successor—serving three years before Mario Galea succeeded him.
In December 2014, he received the honorific title Cavaliere dell'Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana.
Governorship of the Central Bank of Malta
In June 2016, after former deputy governor Alfred Mifsud stepped down, Mario Vella was named by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat to serve a five-year term as Governor of the Central Bank of Malta. His appointment drew criticism from opposition members of the Nationalist Party and three Labour ministers—including his eventual successor Edward Scicluna—who preferred a candidate with broader bipartisan support such as Rene Saliba. In 2017, staff concerns emerged regarding possible political partiality within the Governor’s Award Scheme due to its selection committee comprising two former officials from the General Workers' Union. Allegations of politicization inside the Central Bank had been circulating since 2013, with reports indicating promotions favored employees aligned with Labour.
During his governorship, Vella participated on the Governing Council of the European Central Bank, represented Malta as Alternate Governor at the International Monetary Fund, and served on the Board of Governors for the Malta Financial Services Authority. He also held ex officio membership on the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development and was a trustee for the University of Malta Research, Innovation and Development Trust.
Vella regularly contributed articles to the Times of Malta and maintained a personal blog from 2008 through 2012.
Philosophical works
Vella's expertise lies in the realm of critical analysis within philosophy. His methodology incorporates elements of deconstructivist thought, revealing contradictions embedded in texts, while also embracing a contextualist perspective. He maintains that philosophy must be firmly anchored in its socio-political and historical milieu, underscoring the inseparability of philosophical inquiry and its historical development from prevailing power relations and historical circumstances. For Vella, engaging in philosophy entails adopting political positions related to tangible societal power structures and conflicts.
Reflections in a Canvas Bag (1989)
Published in 1989, Reflections in a Canvas Bag stands as Vella’s principal philosophical contribution, offering a critique of the philosophy espoused by Peter Serracino Inglott, particularly his work Beginning Philosophy (1987). The volume champions a historically grounded approach to philosophy—resonant with Marx’s concept of historical materialism—as opposed to abstract theoretical frameworks. This work gained recognition for its critical dialogue with a contemporary Maltese thinker, an uncommon occurrence since the early 20th-century analyses by Angelo Pirotta.
Selected articles
- Wara r-Repubblika (After the Republic; co-authored with Lillian Sciberras; 1979)
- That Favourite Dream of the Colonies (1994)
- Minflok Dahla (An Alternative Introduction; 1995)
Poetry and short stories
From time to time, Vella has contributed poetry and short fiction in both Maltese and English, examples of which appear in Wara r-Repubblika (1979). Although less frequent than his philosophical output, these literary pieces reflect his wider intellectual pursuits. A sample poem from this collection reads:
- The Time has come
- for the fire eater
- to empty himself
- upon the crowd.
- The time has come
- for the high wire artist
- and the flying acrobat
- to fall and nourish the earth,
- the scorched earth, with their blood.
- The time has come
- to burn the circus tent
- and crucify the clown
- and to set Barabbas free,
- the lion, from his cage.
Editorial work
Vella’s editorial role is notable in projects such as:
- Pitazzi Homor (Red Notebooks; 1989–90)
- Fl-Antiporta tal-Millennju (At the Millennium’s Threshold; 1995)
Through these endeavors, he has significantly influenced both editorial style and thematic direction, reinforcing his intellectual impact.
See also
Bibliography
- Mark Montebello, Il-Ktieb tal-Filosofija f’Malta (A Source Book of Philosophy in Malta), PIN Publications, Malta, 2001.