Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, one of the Nationalist Party's more promising candidates up to a few weeks ago, will not form part of Lawrence Gonzi's new Cabinet, at least for the time being.

The Prime Minister made the surprising revelation on the PBS current affairs programme Dissett last night.

The young dentist who had won the favour of the PN's top echelons for his standing within the environmental lobby, became embroiled, during the election campaign, in an explosive controversy after Labour revealed that a discotheque was likely to be developed on a tract of ecologically-sensitive land in Mistra that belonged to him.

The case is now being investigated by the police on account of the fact that Labour alleged that corruption was involved in the way the Malta Environment and Planning Authority approved the outline permit for the development against the explicit advice of its case officer and the fact that the land is a candidate Natura 2000 site.

Dr Pullicino Orlando has insisted he had nothing to do with the developer and, in addition, he was unaware of the full details of the proposed project. The Prime Minister would not be drawn into the merits of the case by PBS's interviewer Reno Bugeja but declared flatly that Dr Pullicino Orlando would not form part of his Cabinet, despite having been elected from two districts.

When pressed for the reason behind his decision, Dr Gonzi said he did not want to have a minister under investigation in his Cabinet.