Alicia Bugeja Said
Alicia Bugeja Said | |
|---|---|
 Alicia Bugeja Said at the informal meeting of Fisheries Ministers in March 2024. | |
| Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries, Aquaculture and Animal Welfare | |
| Assumed office 14 April 2022 | |
| Prime Minister | Robert Abela |
| Preceded by | Clint Camilleri |
| Member of Parliament | |
| Assumed office 12 April 2022 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Alicia Said 8 October 1987 Mġarr, Malta |
| Political party | Partit Laburista |
| Spouse | Malcolm Bugeja |
| Children | 1 |
| Education | |
| Occupation |
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Alicia Bugeja Said MP (born 8 October 1987 in Mgarr) is a Maltese politician and fishing researcher from the Labour Party.
Early life and education
Bugeja Said was born into a working-class family of farmers and fishermen in Malta.[1][2] After finishing her tertiary education in Malta, she obtained her Doctoral degree (PhD) from the University of Kent in the United Kingdom in 2016.[3] Successively, in 2017 she pursued a post-doctoral position at the Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada, and in 2019 she moved to Brest in France to conduct further research with IFREMER. She has published a number of academic articles and edited a few books, and participated in various conferences worldwide.
Political career
She was elected to the Parliament of Malta in the 2022 Maltese general election under the gender quota.[4] She was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries, Aquaculture and Animal Rights in the Maltese Government.[5]
Controversies
Bugeja Said faced scrutiny for receiving donations from Malta's top fish farm operators during her 2022 electoral campaign, while in her position as director of the fisheries department.[6] She responded that she has "no conflict of interest".[7]
In July 2023, Alicia Bugeja Said was reported by Arnold Cassola to the Commissioner for Standards in Public Life over a breach of ethics. Bugeja Said had advertised a Swimming with Tuna event hosted by the Ministry of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Animal Welfare for their employees, using her personal name and logo.[8] In September, The Commissioner found her to be in breach of ethics and ordered Bugeja Said to submit a written apology.[9][10]
Personal life
Bugeja Said is married to Malcolm Bugeja. Together they have a daughter, Margaux, born 26 February 2023.[11]
See also
References
- ^ "Parliamentary Secretary". Fisheries.gov.mt. Government of Malta.
- ^ Diacono, Tim (14 April 2022). "Alicia Bugeja Said: I Was Looked Down Upon At School Because I Come From A Farming Family". Lovin Malta. Lovin Malta Ltd. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
- ^ "Parliamentary Secretary". sajd. Retrieved 2023-10-15.
- ^ "bugeja-said-alicia". Parliament of Malta. 2022-04-13. Retrieved 2023-10-15.
- ^ Diacono, Tim (2022-04-13). "Alicia Bugeja Said And Rebecca Buttigieg Become Parliamentary Secretaries For Fisheries And Reforms". Lovin Malta. Retrieved 2023-10-15.
- ^ Borg, Jacob (24 May 2022). "Fisheries junior minister Bugeja Said was backed by industry big fish". Times of Malta. Allied Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
- ^ Farrugia, Claire (25 May 2022). "'I have no conflict of interest' – fisheries junior minister says". Times of Malta. Allied Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
- ^ Montebello, Sean (6 July 2023). "Cassola wants Fisheries Minister's event investigated for breach of ethics - The Shift News". The Shift News. The Shift News. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
- ^ "Ministers should not use official activities to promote themselves – Commissioner for Standards in Public Life – Malta". Commissioner for Standards in Public Life. Commissioner for Standards in Public Life. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
- ^ Borg, Jacob (15 September 2023). "Alicia Bugeja Said breached ethics with 'swimming with tuna' poster". Times of Malta. Allied Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
- ^ Calleja Bayliss, Emil (26 February 2025). ""Sentejn Mimlijin Imħabba U Ferħ. Happy Birthday Lit-Tifla Tagħna Margaux!" – Is-Segretarju Parlamentari Alicia Bugeja Said". Gwida (in Maltese). Content House Group Limited. Retrieved 17 August 2025.