Updated - Adds Joseph Muscat's comments on video this morning

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has again explained his position over criticism of his decision to appoint Lou Bondi' to a government committee, saying he meant it when he promised Malta Taghna lkoll and a new way of doing politics.

He also replied to questions on John Dalli's appointment to head reform at Mater Dei Hospital, saying the former minister's 2008 plan for the hospital would be revisited. Times had changed, he said, but the plan could be seen as a point of departure.

Earlier, former Labour Minister Joe Grima did not mince his words on the prime minister's decision to appoint Mr Bondi'. 

‘This is masochism,’ he said on facebook.

Referring sarcastically to Labour’s election slogan, Malta Taghna Lkoll, and calling Mr Bondi “scrap”, he asked whose idea it had been to put the TV presenter on the national festivities foundation.

“Let’s not have any illusions. This is not a new way of doing politics. This is masochism which not even Alfred Sant, who lost four times, managed to have.”

Sources yesterday told Times of Malta that Mr Bondi’s appointment was made directly on the initiative of the Prime Minster after he had backed down on a proposal to appoint the TV presenter to the board of the Valletta 2018 Foundation.

Contacted yesterday to confirm whether he had accepted the V-18 post, Mr Bondi declined to comment saying it was not prudent to state what he and the Prime Minister had discussed.

Asked to react to the outrage over his appointment, the TV presenter also declined to comment.

“If you have any queries please ask the Prime Minister,” he said.

See more reactions from various personalities at http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130617/local/Labourites-see-red-over-post-for-Bondi.474160

See the prime minister's reaction to the criticism at http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130616/local/pm-reacts-to-labour-anger-on-bonidi-appointment-i-know-what-i-am-doing.474077