Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/254848
News maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 5 FEBRUARY 2014 Muscat's shuffle game JOSEPH Muscat's first reshuf- f le will be dominated by two major events: the nomination of a President and that of an EU commissioner. At age 40 but with a nine-seat majority, the Prime Minister is spoilt for choice. However, dedicated and effective politicians do not grow on trees. His first priority will doubt- lessly be to reconfirm his top ministers, who have delivered and offer great promise. His second priority are his parlia- mentary secretaries and young energetic junior ministers. He hopes to promote them to ministerial status. They include Owen Bonnici, the bright star who had fronted many press and media events. The big question lies with his deputy prime minister. Louis Grech is a capable negotiator, but at times appears to be more preoccupied with himself than with the message. The losers in this reshuff le appear to be dominated by Godfrey Farrugia and Edward Scicluna. The two ministers have failed to impress. Farrugia appears to lack the creden- tials to push forward a health reform, his image seriously tarnished by the overwhelming presence – albeit no longer – of John Dalli. Scicluna, on the other hand, has caused some worry over at Castille over his management skills in running the finances. Taking a cue from football, Muscat has a defining role in determining his top attackers, his captain, his promising sub- stitutes and his injured players. Only time will tell whether he will bite the bullet. THE CAPTAIN Difficult to work with, but a master negotiator and a workaholic, Louis Grech remains a very important asset for the Muscat administration Grech is a capable negotiator, will bite the bullet. THE TOP ATTACKERS They are the top five ministers who have shown over and over again that they can produce results. Evarist Bartolo with his ambitious education reforms, Konrad Mizzi, the energy guru with the crucial task of seeing a deadline through, Joe Mizzi, the transport minister who has piloted the Arriva take-over, Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, the most popular minister according to an MT poll and Chris Cardona, the minister who shares the same zeal as Muscat for 'economic growth'. THE SUBSTITUTES Young and brazen, they represent the best material in the new elite in Muscat's parliamentary group. All lawyers by profession, they are ambitious, loyal and dying to be given more responsibility. THE INJURED Godfrey Farrugia and Edward Scicluna, popular at the polls and pleasant to work with, but generally considered to be unsuitable for their posts – something of a problem, since they are responsible for two sectors which will make all the difference: Health and Finance. THE SUBSTITUTES THE SUBSTITUTES something of a problem, since they are responsible for two sectors which will make all the difference: Health THE SUBSTITUTES THE SUBSTITUTES