Neil Costa

The Hon.
Neil Francis Costa
MP

Minister for Health, Care and Justice, the Honourable Neil F Costa MP
Government Minister
Assumed office
2011
Shadow Minister
In office
2007–2011
Personal details
Born Gibraltar
Nationality British (Gibraltarian)
Political party Gibraltar Liberal Party (GLP)
Alma mater Bayside Comprehensive School
University of Wales
Inns of Court School of Law
Occupation Barrister
Politician
Portfolio Minister for Health, Care and Justice
Website Neil Costa at the Government of Gibraltar website

The Hon. Neil Francis Costa is a Gibraltarian barrister and politician affiliated to the Gibraltar Liberal Party (GLP). In December 2011 he was elected an MP to the Gibraltar Parliament, and was elected Minister for Tourism, Public Transport, Commercial Affairs and the Port. After the Ministerial reshuffle of December 2014 he became Minister for Business and Employment. Since October 2016, he has been Minister for Health, Care and Justice.[1]

Biography

Costa was born in Gibraltar and came from a working class background, He grew up in the government flat which his parents shared with his grandparents in Laguna Estate and he attended St. Anne's Middle School. His father was a stonemason and his mother a cashier at Safeway supermarket. He stood out when he obtained three A grades at A-level at Bayside Comprehensive School. He then went to study Law and Spanish at the University of Wales in Cardiff, where he graduated with distinction. Costa completed his law studies at the Inns of Court School of Law in London and he was admitted to the London Bar in November 2002 and the Gibraltar Bar in January 2003.[2]

Costa has been involved in the politics of Gibraltar since his student days, and he joined the Gibraltar Liberal Party in 1999. In 2007 he was elected to Parliament and became Shadow Minister for Health and Social Services. In 2011, along with Dr. Joseph Garcia and Steven Linares, formed the group of GLP candidates in the alliance with the Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party (GSLP) to contest the 2011 general elections.[3]

Re-elected to Parliament in 2011, this time in government, Costa was appointed by Chief Minister Fabian Picardo as Minister for Tourism, Public Transport, Commercial Affairs and the Port.[4]

After the Ministerial reshuffle in December 2014, Costa was appointed Minister for Business and Employment.[5] In October 2016, he was appointed Minister for Health, Care and Justice.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 Gibraltar Chronicle, ed. (2016-10-20). "Govt announces major reshuffle". Retrieved 2016-10-21.
  2. ↑ VOX, ed. (2007-03-16). "Neil Costa: A Liberal with a Bright Future in Law – Or Politics". Retrieved 2012-10-06.
  3. ↑ Gibraltar Chronicle, ed. (2011-11-11). "Garcia, Costa and Linares Make Up Liberal Part Of Alliance". Retrieved 2012-10-06.
  4. ↑ "New Government Announces Ministers' Portfolios Today". Retrieved 2012-10-06.
  5. ↑ Interview with Neil Costa, minister for business and employment, The Report, 12 October 2015
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