200 years ago
Although the population of Qrendi until the middle of last century did not exceed the 2000 inhabitants it played an important part in its local administration.
The first example was during the French administration. The proclamation of the 13th June 1798 issued by Napoleon Bonaparte ordered that Malta is to be split into a number of ‘cantons’.
On the 22nd June 1798 i.e. after Bonaparte left Malta, the French Government established that Qrendi should form part of the Municipality of Siggiewi.
However, in view that the Maltese rebelled against the French, this Municipality did not function and a congress was set up by the Maltese. Gregorio Mifsud, a Qrendi Doctor born in 1759 and a resident of the village represented Qrendi.
During the early days of the British and particularly after the proclamation of 9th May 1801 Qrendi had its own “LUOGOTENENTE”. However after the 28th May 1815, during Thomas Maitland governorship, Malta was split up into six districts and Qrendi became a part of the Qormi district.
Thereafter a series of deputy “LUOGOTENENTE” followed until 1839, when the Royal Commission re-organized the districts and now Qrendi formed part of Zurrieq district which also included Safi and Kirkop. The Mayor was Dr. Giuseppe Preziozi.
A number of changes in the confines of the districts followed with Qrendi forming part of the 5th and later the 7th district until 1896 when the system was abolished. The last Mayor was Dr. Rocco Carbone.
Reference Winston L. Zammit – Forom ta’ Gvern Lokali fil-Gzejjer Maltin.
In 1993 the Maltese Parliament passed the legislation on Local Councils and on 20 November 1993, the first local elections in a number of localities were held. Qrendi was one of these first localities.