Retired judge Philip Sciberras has been appointed to chair three of the four independent inquires set up by the government.

A Labour MP in the early 1980s, he retired from the bench four years ago.

Last October, Judge Sciberras was appointed chairman of an board probing whether Enemalta was buying oil products according to international specifications.

It is not known whether this inquiry has been concluded. At the same time, following the case of abduction of a German child from Gozo, Judge Sciberras was appointed by the government to conduct an inquiry on the case.

During the past week, Dr Sciberras was again appointed to chair an inquiry over the structure of the emergency ward at Mater Dei Hospital following revelations by The Sunday Times of Malta.

According to the Inquiries Act, it is up to the government to appoint members of an inquiring board. These members are duty bound to conduct a fully independent inquiry and have the right to interview whoever they deem fit.

The remaining inquiry was ordered after an oil tanker disappeared from Maltese territorial waters despite being served with an arrest warrant.

It is being chaired by ex- army commander Carmel Vassallo. All the other probes ordered by the current administration relate to minor cases and are being carried out by civil servants within the ministry related to the investigation.

These include incidents involving irregular immigrants at Lyster Barracks and another investigation into the purchase of premises by San Ġwann local council.

Judge Sciberras has also been given other government appointments over the past 15 months, including chairing the management boards of St Vincent de Paul Residence and the Embryo Protection Authority.

He is also serving as a member of the justice reform commission.