Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1514108
3 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 7 JANUARY 2024 NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The reshuffle on Saturday caught ministers by surprise as Abela spent a full day meeting Cabinet members and backbench MPs. At the end of the day, unsurprising- ly, Abela made it official that Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne will be Malta's nominee for European Com- missioner after the June MEP elec- tions. Fearne will remain in government until he formally takes up the Brussels job but his health portfolio has now been shifted to Jo Etienne Abela, the minister for active ageing. The reshuffle sees three Labour MPs being promoted to parliamenta- ry secretaries - Malcolm Paul Agius Galea, who will be responsible for the elderly under Jo Etienne Abela; Omar Farrugia, who will be respon- sible for public works under Chris Bonett; and Glenn Bedingfield, who will be responsible for public cleans- ing under Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo. The biggest promotion of the day was Bonett, who was given the impor- tant and very visible ministry of trans- port, infrastructure and public works. Bonett, who was elected to parliament for the first time in 2022, was previous- ly parliamentary secretary for Europe- an funds. Demotions The transport and infrastructure ministry was previously run by Aaron Farrugia, while public works fell within the remit of Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi. Aaron Farrugia was the biggest loser of the day, having been left out in the cold, while Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi saw all key elements of his portfolio – planning, public works and construc- tion reform – being apportioned to other ministers in what appears to be a snub. Zrinzo Azzopardi will now be re- sponsible for the Lands Authority and what has been termed as "the implementation of the electoral pro- gramme", a responsibility that Joseph Muscat had introduced in 2013 but was later ditched by Abela. Planning conundrum A notable change will be the addi- tion of the planning portfolio to Clint Camilleri's Gozo Ministry, a move that is likely to strengthen his hand but one that is expected to find little support from environmental organisations. Camilleri, an architect by profession, enjoys close relations with contractors and developers, a position that could create friction at a time when commu- nities are pushing back against unbri- dled construction. Several ministers, including Clyde Caruana, Clifton Grima, Ian Borg, By- ron Camilleri and Owen Bonnici re- tained their portfolios. Horizontal changes Justice Minister Jonathan Attard retained his portfolio but will also be responsible for the reform in the con- struction industry. With the Jean Paul Sofia public in- quiry report expected to be published in March, Attard will be responsible for implementing any changes pro- posed by the board. Miriam Dalli retained the energy and environment portfolios but lost enter- prise to Silvio Schembri. Instead, Dalli was handed the specific job to regener- ate the Grand Harbour, something the Prime Minister gave a lot of impor- tance to late last year. Fearne's temporary portfolio in- cludes European funds, social dialogue and consumer affairs with Andy Ellul as parliamentary secretary. This move could eventually see Ellul being elevat- ed to minister with the same respon- sibilities when Fearne resigns from government. Responding to disgruntlement The reshuffle came just under two years since the general election at a time when polls are showing flagging support for the Labour Party as a result of voters saying they will abstain. The promotion of Glenn Bedingfield to parliamentary secretary is in part a response to disgruntlement in La- bour's hinterland given his closeness to the grassroots. A Cabinet member who wanted to remain anonymous and who spoke to MaltaToday, said although the sud- denness of the reshuffle came as a sur- prise this was the ideal window for the Prime Minister to act. "He is going for a crucial game and every coach changes their players to go down on the pitch with the best team and timing-wise this was the only win- dow of opportunity to carry out a re- shuffle," they said. "Any reshuffle in April or May would have meant that any newcomers to Cabinet would still be in the running in phase by the end of the year. A new- comer needs at least six months to settle down, set up a secretariat and understand what is happening, while a minister who gets a new portfolio requires at least three months to ac- climatise themselves with the new re- sponsibilities." Your guide to Robert Abela's new Cabinet New ministers CHRIS BONETT – Transport, infrastructure and public works New parliamentary secretaries MALCOLM PAUL AGIUS GALEA – Elderly portfolio under Jo Etienne Abela OMAR FARRUGIA – Public works under Chris Bonett GLENN BEDINGFIELD – Cleansing under Clayton Bartolo Ministers retained with changed portfolios CHRIS FEARNE – Remains deputy prime minister loses health, gains European funds, consumer affairs; he will be nominated for European Commissioner JONATHAN ATTARD – Retains justice; gains construction reform JO ETIENNE ABELA – Retains elderly; gains health CLINT CAMILLERI – Retains Gozo; gains planning CLAYTON BARTOLO – Retains tourism; gains public cleansing MIRIAM DALLI – Retains environment and energy; loses enterprise; gains Grand Harbour regeneration SILVIO SCHEMBRI – Retains economy; loses lands; gains enterprise and strategic projects STEFAN ZRINZO AZZOPARDI – Gains lands and implementation of electoral programme; loses public works, planning and construction reform Ministers retained with same portfolios CLYDE CARUANA – Finance, work and Air Malta IAN BORG – Foreign and European Affairs CLIFTON GRIMA – Education and sports BYRON CAMILLERI – Home affairs, national security, reforms and equality OWEN BONNICI – Culture, heritage and local councils MICHAEL FALZON – Social policy ANTON REFALO – Agriculture, fisheries and animal rights RODERICK GALDES – Housing JULIA FARRUGIA PORTELLI – Inclusion and voluntary organisations Parliamentary secretaries retained ANDY ELLUL – Retains existing portfolio but shifts from OPM to Deputy Prime Minister ALISON ZERAFA CIVELLI – Retains local councils under Owen Bonnici KEITH AZZOPARDI TANTI – Retains youth, R&D under Clifton Grima REBECCA BUTTIGIEG – Retains reforms and equality under Byron Camilleri ALICIA BUGEJA SAID – Retains fisheries and animal rights under Anton Refalo Ministers demoted to backbench AARON FARRUGIA Chris Bonett gets big step up with transport ministry Losers and winners: Aaron Farrugia (left) was axed from Cabinet and was replaced by Chris Bonett (right) ast transport minister