Former Gozo Channel chairman Joseph Grech has resigned from his post as a government consultant at the ferry company seven months after his appointment, this newspaper has learnt.

Dr Grech was controversially appointed by the Labour government, two years after being forced to resign as chairman following a report he had ordered a ship to turn back and pick him up when he turned up late at the Mġarr terminal.

He was given the consultant role following the change of government in March, holding meetings with the management and giving orders to staff.

When contacted, Gozo Channel chairman Joe Cordina denied the two of them had a falling out, saying they enjoyed “a good working relationship” and he was unaware of Dr Grech’s resignation.

Questions sent to Dr Grech on Thursday remained unanswered.

When asked about the resignation, Gozo Minister Anton Refalo said Dr Grech had stepped down “for personal reasons”.

In August, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat defended Dr Grech’s appointment, saying he “deserved another chance”.

Dr Muscat had even remarked that under Dr Grech’s chairmanship the company had been doing well and that problems only started to surface after his departure.

A year after his forced resignation, Dr Grech hit the headlines again when he tried to stop Gozo Channel from issuing a call for the engagement of a CEO after claiming he was “the most qualified person for the job”.

Dr Grech had accused former finance minister Tonio Fenech – then responsible for Gozo Channel – of “victimisation” and “political expediency”.

The Nationalist Administration had rejected Dr Grech’s allegations and dismissed his claim due to “political baggage” and lack of political trust. It insisted that Dr Grech’s actions had “embarrassed the company and the government” and so could not be trusted with running the company.