Updated 9.36am with comments by Prime Minister Muscat 

Newly-promoted ministers and new parliamentary secretaries were sworn in by President George Abela in a ceremony at the Palace in Valletta this morning.

The appointments were announced in the Cabinet reshuffle on Saturday following the departure from the Cabinet of ministers Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca and Karmenu Vella and the resignation of Godfrey Farrugia and Parliamentary Secretary Franco Mercieca.

Parliamentary Secretary Owen Bonnici has been promoted to minister, retaining responsibility for justice but also taking culture and local councils.

Parliamentary Secretary Michael Farrugia returns to a ministerial role as minister for social policy, taking over from Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca. He was also minister (for health) in the Sant government between 1996 and 1998.

Parliamentary Secretary Edward Zammit Lewis has also been promoted to minister, and takes over tourism from Karmenu Vella, who is to be nominated European Commissioner.

New parliamentary secretary Chris Fearne has been assigned responsibility for health, previously the remit of Godfred Farrugia, who resigned after the prime minister offered him the social policy portfolio instead of health, which he piloted for the past year. Dr Fearne will work within the Ministry of Energy and Health.

Parliamentary Secretary Michael Falzon is taking over responsibility for planning and simplification of administrative procedures from Michael Farrugia.

Another newcomer, Parliamentary Secretary Justyne Caruana, takes over the responsibilities for the elderly and persons with disabilities from Franco Mercieca, who has stepped down to return full-time to his profession.

Also new to the job is Parliamentary Secretary Chris Agius, who assumes responsibility for sport and young people from Stefan Buontempo, who moves to the justice ministry with responsibility for culture and local councils.

Serving ministers and parliamentary secretaries who had new responsibilities assigned to them did not need to be sworn in again. Among them are  Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi, with additional responsibility for health (shared with Chris Fearne).

Parliamentary Secretary Jose' Herrera has moved from culture and local councils to take over the responsibilities formerly held by Edward Zammit Lewis for economic competitiveness.

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Speaking after the ceremony, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said that in the health sector,  former minister Godfrey Farrugia did a lot and had laid the groundwork for important changes. 

He said many of the problems in the health sector were not medical but managerial, and minister Konrad Mizzi would focus on those.

He reiterated that he would have liked Dr Farrugia to stay within the Cabinet and he hoped that would be the case in the future.

On the departure of Franco Mercieca, he said he still saw a role for him, particularly in the health sector in Gozo.

Replying to questions, Dr Muscat said Labour MP Carmelo Abela’s new position as government spokesman would be purely that. He said that the number of people in his secretariat was smaller than that of Dr Gonzi and Mr Abela would now take over some of the work.

Dr Muscat said the reshuffle was partially dictated by the appointment of a new President, but change wasan essential part of life and it would not stop here.

He said that in the energy sector, the next big priority was to achieve stability in the prices of petrol and diesel.

See also - Muscat: No animosity with Godfrey Farrugia at http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140401/local/muscat-no-animosity-with-godfrey-farrugia.513159

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