Paul Balban
{{Short description|Gibraltarian former taxi driver, dietician & former politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|honorific-prefix = The Hon.
|name = Paul John Balban
|honorific-suffix = MP
|image =
|imagesize =
|smallimage =
|caption =
|order =
|office = Government Minister
|term_start = 2011
|term_end = 2023
|alongside =
|birth_date =
|birth_place = Gibraltar
|death_date =
|death_place =
|restingplace =
|restingplacecoordinates =
|birthname =
|nationality = British (Gibraltarian)
|party = Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party (GSLP)
|otherparty =
|spouse = Gina
|partner =
|relations =
|children = 3
|residence =
|alma_mater = Oxford Brookes University
King's College London
|occupation = Politician
Dietitian
Taxi driver
|father =
|mother =
|portfolio = Minister for Transport
|religion =
|signature =
|website = [http://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/office-of-the-chief-minister/minister-portfolios/2086-minister-traffic-health-a-safety-and-technical-services Paul Balban at the Government of Gibraltar website]
|footnotes =
}}
The Hon. Paul John Balban is a former Gibraltarian politician, State Registered Dietitian and former taxi driver. He was first elected to the Gibraltar Parliament at the 2011 general elections and was a Gibraltar Government Minister until 12 October 2023, member of the Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party (GSLP). He is married and has three daughters. On 15 September 2023, he announced that he and fellow party MPs and Ministers, Albert Isola and Samantha Sacramento, would not stand for re-election.
Biography
Paul Balban is married to wife Gina and has three daughters.{{cite web|url=http://www.change.gi/manifesto2011/aboutpb.html|title=Paul Balban|access-date=2012-10-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120508195804/http://www.change.gi/manifesto2011/aboutpb.html|archive-date=2012-05-08}} For many years, Balban has worked as a taxi driver in Gibraltar, and was treasurer of the Gibraltar Taxi Association Committee.{{cite news |url=http://www.7daysgibraltar.com/article.php?id=2536|title=Every Taxi driver locally is Gibraltar's Public Relations |newspaper=7 Days |location=Gibraltar|author=Sonia Golt|access-date=2012-10-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111214101522/http://www.7daysgibraltar.com/article.php?id=2536 |archive-date=2011-12-14}} He studied Nutrition & Food Science at Oxford Brookes University and also has a Postgraduate degree in Dietetics from King's College London. He later became a State Registered Dietitian, practicing at Central Clinic, in Horse Barrack Lane, Gibraltar.
=Political career=
Balban was nominated for the GSLP Executive in February 2007,{{cite web|url=http://www.gibconnect.com/~thekey/press/topic.php?id=50|title=Annual General Meeting of the GSLP|editor=The Key|date=2007-02-20|access-date=2012-10-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303191547/http://www.gibconnect.com/~thekey/press/topic.php?id=50|archive-date=2016-03-03}} and was one of the ten GSLP-Liberal alliance candidates to contest the general elections that year, but failed to be elected as one of the seventeen Members of Parliament.{{cite web|url=http://www.gibraltar.gi/locals/news.php?action=view_article&article=2669|title=Close result opens door to 4th term for GSD|editor=Panorama|date=2007-10-12|access-date=2012-10-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190913073234/http://www.gibraltar.gi/locals/news.php?action=view_article&article=2669|archive-date=2019-09-13}} He was elected into government following the general elections of 2011 with 8,281 votes.{{cite web|url=http://www.campodegibraltar.es/2011/12/10/la-coalicion-gslp-lp-gana-las-elecciones-generales-en-gibraltar/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130106200353/http://www.campodegibraltar.es/2011/12/10/la-coalicion-gslp-lp-gana-las-elecciones-generales-en-gibraltar/|archive-date=2013-01-06|title=La Coalición GSLP-LP gana las elecciones generales en Gibraltar|language=Spanish|editor=Campo de Gibraltar|author=Pepe Martinez|access-date=2012-10-13}} The newly elected Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, appointed Balban as Minister for Traffic, Health and Safety and Technical Services.{{cite web|url=http://www.yourgibraltartv.com/ygtv-news/written-news/417-new-government-announces-ministers-portfolios-today|title=New Government Announces Ministers' Portfolios Today|editor=YGTV|date=2011-12-12|access-date=2012-10-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610211424/http://www.yourgibraltartv.com/ygtv-news/written-news/417-new-government-announces-ministers-portfolios-today|archive-date=2015-06-10}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20121114002039/http://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/office-of-the-chief-minister/minister-portfolios/2086-minister-traffic-health-a-safety-and-technical-services Paul Balban – Government of Gibraltar official site]
{{Gibraltar topics}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Balban, Paul John}}
Category:Alumni of King's College London
Category:Alumni of Oxford Brookes University
Category:Government ministers of Gibraltar
Category:Health ministers of Gibraltar
Category:Transport ministers of Gibraltar
Category:Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party politicians
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
{{Gibraltar-politician-stub}}