Education Minister Dolores Cristina has admitted that she wept after losing responsibility for social affairs in the recent Cabinet reshuffle.

"I did not just shed a tear, I wept," the minister told One Radio.

Mrs Cristina retained responsibility for education and employment, but responsibility for social affairs was transferred to Chris Said, who was also assigned responsibility for justice when he was made minister on Friday week.

The minister went to London for a conference immediately after the reshuffle. She told the radio that the visit was cleared by the prime minister.

She added that she did not feel that the transfer of some of her responsibilities reflected failure on her part, but rather it was a situation where duties had to be assigned to the new ministers.