Saturday, 5th July 2008 - 17:17CET
Major changes to shadow cabinet announced
Joseph Muscat meets the Labour parliamentary group, where the new responsibilities were discussed.
Labour leader Joseph Muscat has made major changes in the Shadow Cabinet, announced today by the MLP.
Anglu Farrugia has been moved from justice to employment affairs, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca from Social Policy to tourism and Michael Farrugia from health to social security. Michael Falzon has been appointed spokesman on home affairs, a responsibility previously held by Gavin Gulia. Dr Gulia is now spokesman on the economy while Karl Chircop is new spokesman on health.
Significantly, the list assigns responsibilities for all MPs except former leader Alfred Sant, an indication that he may be giving up his seat in Parliament in favour of Dr Muscat.
Dr Muscat as Leader of the Opposition (when he takes his seat in Parliament) will shadow the Office of the Prime Minister and be responsible for coordination of planning and priorities, internal audit and investigations and internal coordination on the European Union. He will be assisted by Karmenu Vella, chairman of the coordination group
Anglu Farrugia, formerly spokesman for justice, is deputy leader for parliamentary affairs and spokesman on employment and workers rights including the ETC, industrial relations, health and safety, living standards and cooperatives.
Justyne Caruana, formerly spokesman for youth affairs and sport, is now spokesman on the family and equality including the family, children, the Commissioner for Children and persons with disabilities.
Michael Farrugia, formerly spokesman on health, is now spokesman on Social Policy, including solidarity services, social security and housing.
New MP Anthony Agius Decelis is spokesman for generational solidarity, including the elderly and community care services, formerly the responsibility of Silvio Parnis. Mr Parnis is now spokesman on consumer affairs.
Karl Chircop becomes spokesman for health, taking over from Michael Farrugia. He will be assisted by Adrian Vassallo as spokesman on pateints’ rights.
Leo Brincat, formerly spokesman on foreign affairs and IT is now spokesman on the environment, sustainable development and climate change.
Roderick Galdes remains spokesman on the Malta Environment and Planning Authority.
Charles Buhagiar too retains his responsibilities as spokesman on the infrastructure including urban development, the roads, national projects and the construction industry.
New MP Marlene Pullicino has been appointed spokesman on utility services including Enemalta and the Water Services Corporation.
Joseph Cuschieri, formerly spokesman on Air Malta, is now spokesman on public works, manufacturing and services.
Joe Mizzi remains the Opposition whip and becomes spokesman on transport, including civil aviation, the Maritime Authority and oil exploration, areas in which he was also involved in the last legislature.
Joe Debono Grech remains spokesman on ports and defence and Helena Dalli remains spokesman on the public service and the shipyard but her responsibilities now also include public investment including privatization.
Newcomer Anthony Zammit is spokesman on Civil Society and Minority Rights including the MCESD, information, animal rights and contact with civil society.
Stefan Buontempo, formerly spokesman on housing, is now spokesman on local government.
Charles Mangion remains the opposition spokesman on finance.
Gavin Gulia moves from home affairs to being the spokesman on the economy and the self-employed.
In another major shift, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, formerly spokesman on social policy, is now the opposition spokesman on tourism, taking that responsibility from Evarist Bartolo.
Mr Bartolo returns to his first love, education and youth affairs.
Chris Cardona, formerly spokesman on local government, is now responsible for competitiveness, communications and technology including spokesman for the opposition on SmartCity.
Carmelo Abela, who used to be responsible for education, is now spokesman on industry and foreign investment.
Responsibility for agriculture and fisheries has been moved from Noel Farrugia to Joe M. Sammut, previously spokesman on SMEs. Noel Farrugia is now responsible for sustainable development and international development aid.
New MP Owen Bonnici is spokesman on Youth and Culture.
Chris Agius, the former spokesman for industry, is now spokesman for sport.
George Vella makes a return to foreign affairs, including relations with the EU, for which he was already responsible. He will be assisted by Luciano Busuttil, spokesman on European Affairs, including Meusac.
Michael Falzon, the former MLP deputy leader for party affairs, has taken over from Gavin Gulia as spokesman on internal affairs and security including immigration.
Anton Refalo remains opposition spokesman for Gozo.
Jose' Herrera has succeeded Anglu Farrugia as spokesman for justice.
Significantly, the list assigns responsibilities for all MPs except former leader Alfred Sant, an indication that he may be giving up his seat in Parliament in favour of Dr Muscat.
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Comments
First of all, labelling me 'apologist' means absolutely nothing to me and others who follow the Nationalist Party. We have nothing to apologize for. Nationalist governments have given you the ability to speak your mind(?) without the fear of some thugs beating you and your family up. This liberty was not to be found anywhere between 1971 and 1987. I challenge you to refute that!
Secondly, if you don't value my opinion, that's OK. I don't need your approval as much as I don't value your infantile arguments and memory lapses.
Regarding the pensions etc. you have the dates all mixed up. Besides, all you remember of the Labour's days are the pensions - that's all in 50 years?
Now, I am pretty sure that li'l elves will start to dig deep and list all the Labour achievements. Please don't forget to include quarrels with doctors, teachers, the burning of The Times, the fracas at the Curia, the ransacking of the Law Courts and the suspension of the Constitutional Court, the Bank of Bical, The National Bank of Malta, the water shortage, the empty shelves, the ban of colour TVs etc.
Eric, you give us a break!
you label other people's comments as boring. i suppose you really believe we all look forward to yours with bated breath.
re the statistics.......remember the 'photo finish' remark by none other than the then prime minister fenech adami?
you keep harping on the 1971-87 period and never have the decency to mention the good things like the closing down of the military base, the intro of pensions and minimum wage etc. but apparently it suits you to just remember the not-so-good/bad things that happened. as if what happened during the last 15 years is all wow !!! give us a break man.
Jeremy Callus is obviously too young to remember the 1971-1987 era.
Mistra 'scandal' is one relatively small parcel of land, which, thank God, will be preserved.
The era mentioned above saw many more parcels of land being given away (to the right people, of course) for a mere pittance.
So, before you make a mountain out of a mole hill, look back at a scandal prone regime which then reduces the Mistra case to an almost invisible footnote.
@ A Daley
Having read your previous boring contributions I have decided to ignore you.
@ F Spiteri
Are you by any chance using the same statistics which put you 15,000 votes ahead just days before the March 8 election? Your party has not changed except for one face. More importantly, your party still employs tactics of old. Read 'Spy on thy neighbour' MaltaToday - July 2 and weep. - Zimbabwe style tactics or are they KGB's?
Good show, by the way Sant is a good writer after all, while the kid is a good actor.
to my fellow elves.....let's keep up the good work.
Malta today is a "democtratic" dictatorship in western world!
You are right, dear! But it seems that under the blue mist covering your eyes, you are missing something very important! The number of persons losing hope from the blue side is increasing, whether you admit it or not! Thank God you realize that MLP has not only remained, but even gained more hope with a leader as Dr Joseph Muscat! If you are good enough at basic mathematics, you could reach the same conclusion as us that in 5 years time you are going to be grateful to whoever kept on hoping for all those years!!!!!
The MLP remains the party of 'hope'.
They hoped in 1991, they hoped in 1996 and realized their hopes for 22 months, they hoped again in 1997 and again in 2003 and now they hope again in 2008 - always for five years from the dates of their hopes.
I hope they keep hoping!
(I guess you are the same E Gatt I am recalling from another article!!!!!)
Do you know how I guessed? Because the answer to your question "And did it do MLP any good???????" is sooooooo simple! And you are going to recall the question you asked in 5 years time!!!!
Come on, think harder ... what was the position of MLP in 5 years time from 1992 .... any idea ... in 1997? That is it!!!!!!! So ... what would be the position of MLP in 2013? As Dr Muscat has already stated, he will be governing Malta, dear E Gatt. In 5 years' time!
I would have never imagined, however that we could possibly see George Vella as Minister of Foreign Affairs once again ... after 10 odd years fighting for the wrong cause, come se niente fosse.
This is not a new bright idea of Joseph Muscat in having all MP's appointed spokespersons. Alfred Sant used the same system from way back in 1992. And did it do MLP any good???????
The problem with GONZIPN is not of having a bad program, dear!!
The problem with GONZIPN is that the program is SELECTIVELY IMPLEMENTED. So I (I feel surprised in fact that after 20 years in goverrnment I am explaining this to a citizen!!!! Maybe he lives abroad???? Well, given the benefit of the doubt, hence my explanation.)
About wanting to join in, I guess you already know that Joseph welcomes everyone within the party ...
Last point here ... whoever you are referring to as "elves" must be grateful. Dr ABC finds it amusing (he does not know any better to amuse himself) but I would be proud of it as an MLP follower. Just to get you in the picture, powerful and beautiful human-sized beings used to be elevated to the rank of elves. So thanks!
@ Joe Martinelli. Labour will be lost without your advice.
May I join in ?
Formidable line up !
These armchair critics are going to help Doctor Joseph see to it that the GONZIPN electoral program would be implemented. So after all it was not a bad program.
Now let the 'team' offer sensible ideas and stay on the constructive side when opposing government proposals by offering better alternatives starting with the revision of the water and electricity tariffs, the revision of the rent laws, pension reform and other issues which require national consensus.
Maybe the 'new beginning' starts here?
It's what this country really needs at this point in time......Its just a wish & wishes not always materialse but i'm optimistic too......
Of course I do not read the leader's mind, I just write what happened before. It would even be lack of respect to assign a specific task to a former leader.