The Cabinet was overhauled yesterday with a reshuffle that changed the portfolios of eight ministries and introduced four parliamentary secretaries.

Most of the seasoned ministers retained their portfolios, but Prime Minister Joseph Muscat carried out several unprecedented changes to a Cabinet after just one year in power.

The Prime Minister’s Office planned to make an announcement on Tuesday, the day Social Solidarity Minister Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca would be voted in as Malta’s next President.

However, the plan flew out of the window when outgoing Health Minister Godfrey Farrugia surprisingly tendered his resignation in the morning after turning down the offer to head the social solidarity portfolio or another undisclosed ministerial responsibility.

“When I accepted the Health Ministry I did so only because I saw a golden opportunity to strengthen my service towards the dignity and needs of the patients,” Dr Farrugia wrote in a resignation letter that he personally delivered to the OPM.

The Prime Minister was not there at the time but the two saw each other briefly at Girgenti Palace in the afternoon where Dr Muscat met the Cabinet members affected by the changes, after the reshuffle was announced.

Later, Dr Muscat tweeted a picture of the two embracing, saying: “A chat with my good friend Godfrey Farrugia, thanking him for his contribution. Sure he has still more to offer.”

The changes announced yesterday will come into effect on Wednesday after Tuesday’s Parliament vote on the President’s nomination. Details started emerging on Twitter as journalists waited outside Girgenti while MPs were driven in to learn about their new appointments.

At Girgenti, Dr Farrugia also had a brief meeting with Konrad Mizzi, who will take over his portfolio. On his way out, he refused to make a statement.

Asked if he felt he failed in the health sector, Dr Farrugia turned the question back on the journalist: “Do you think I failed?”

Dr Mizzi praised his predecessor, saying he was a “phenomenal man”, adding he would be meeting him for a handover.

In its statement, the OPM also announced that Labour Party whip Carmelo Abela would act as a government spokesman while MP Tony Agius Decelis will become the new Commissioner Against Bureaucracy.

Parliamentary Secretary for Disability and Active Ageing Franco Mercieca will step down in line with his wish to return to his ophthalmic profession.

One of the biggest surprises was the nomination of Tourism Minister Karmenu Vella, a party veteran who presided over several records in his sector, to become Malta’s nominee for next European Commissioner.

That paved the way to promote Parliamentary Secretary Edward Zammit Lewis, who will take his place.

Cabinet reshuffle leaves Bonnici with hands full

Parliamentary Secretary Owen Bonnici got arguably the biggest promotion, not only having been bumped up to Justice Ministry but also getting responsibility for local councils and the culture portfolio (he was shadow minister for this portfolio in the previous legislature).

He will have Stefan Buontempo as Parliamentary Secretary responsible for Local Councils.

The change means Dr Bonnici will have more than his fair share on his plate as he is currently captaining an ambitious justice reform and the party financing Bill (which is being discussed by the parties) among other things.

He will also have to oversee a radical change to the wardens system, proposed by José Herrera, who will become Parliamentary Secretary responsible for Competitiveness and Economic Growth.

Konrad Mizzi will also be leading a super ministry with the health sector added to his already substantial energy portfolio. However, Labour MP and paediatric surgeon Chris Fearne will be joining as parliamentary secretary.

Along with Mr Fearne, the other new faces include former Labour deputy leader Michael Falzon, who will become Parliamentary Secretary responsible for Mepa, Justyne Caruana, who will take over from fellow Gozitan MP Franco Mercieca, and Chris Agius who will become Parliamentary Secretary for Youth and Sport.

Deputy Prime Minister Louis Grech, Finance Minister Edward Scicluna, and Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia were among those who kept their portfolios, despite rumours to the contrary.

The first hint of a reshuffle came in an interview with The Sunday Times of Malta in the first week of February when the Prime Minister said to a question about a possible change: “I think it is natural that after the first period of government, you should make assessments, see if there is need for certain changes and make those changes.”

The delay in announcing this change took its toll on Dr Muscat’s Cabinet team.

The Health Minister’s partner Marlene Farrugia had vented her frustration on Facebook at one point, saying that the reshuffle suspense was creating a sense of anguish.

There was no comment from Marlene Farrugia yesterday but she posted Dr Farrugia’s resignation letter on her Facebook post.

Dr Muscat drove off without giving any comments to the press.

Another evaporated promise – PN

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat had promised the best Cabinet in Maltese history but after just a year this was another promise that had already evaporated, the Nationalist Party said in its first reaction last night.

The resignations that preceded yesterday’s announcement continued to uncover the bad qualities of Dr Muscat’s management style, the Opposition said.

The Prime Minister had “used” Health Minister Godfrey Farrugia and Elderly Parliamentary Secretary Franco Mercieca for his own political interests, as he had done with the residents of the south with his decision to anchor an LNG storage tank in Marsaxlokk Bay.

It said that not only did Dr Muscat put all imaginable spokes in the wheel for Dr Farrugia to implement his responsibilities as Health Minister, but he also hid Mr Mercieca’s resignation from Cabinet and the public for several weeks.

Additional reporting by Matthew Xuereb.

New faces in government