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[LIVE] A minister resigns... Muscat tweets a ‘friends’ pic

Follow us here for updates on the buzz surrounding Godfrey Farrugia's resignation and Joseph Muscat's Cabinet reshuffle

matthew_vella
Last updated on 29 March 2014, 6:53pm
by Matthew Vella
1 min read
Joseph Muscat and Godfrey Farrugia: after the minister's resignation, the PM's twitterfeed posted this photo...
Joseph Muscat and Godfrey Farrugia: after the minister's resignation, the PM's twitterfeed posted this photo...
A much-deserved promotion to minister for justice and culture - Owen Bonnici
A much-deserved promotion to minister for justice and culture - Owen Bonnici
Stefan Buontempo arrives as Girgenti
Stefan Buontempo arrives as Girgenti
Carmelo Abela
Carmelo Abela
Chris Agius
Chris Agius
Godfrey Farrugia tendered his resignation as health minister. Photo: Ray Attard
Godfrey Farrugia tendered his resignation as health minister. Photo: Ray Attard

REFRESH HERE

19:21 Social media maven Mel Hart's seven best moments from the reshuffle http://melahart.com/7-best-moments-cabinet-reshuffle-twitter-2/ Matthew Vella
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23:05 Matthew Vella
20:44 The Association of Podiatrists has told us that in reality there are over 70 practicing Podiatrists "which is higher than quite a number of other health care professions including medical specialists." We apologise for the carelessness of our previous observation. Matthew Vella
19:47 Matthew Vella
18:52 Must point out that Konrad Mizzi has mentioned, of all the healthcare workers in the world, podologists: I think there's less than two dozen in Malta. http://podiatry.org.mt/en/findpodiatrist/clinics/search/podiatrists//////all-podiatrists.htm Matthew Vella

18:45 Miriam Dalli says the Prime Minister has just left Girgenti - no comment released. Konrad Mizzi comment coming up on YouTube... Matthew Vella
17:48 Matthew Vella
17:44 It's obviously another kind of Cabinet reshuffle... Matthew Vella
17:42 The PM and his former minister are "friends".... Matthew Vella
17:42 Matthew Vella
17:40 And a word from Saviour Balzan (@saviourbalzan)... Matthew Vella
17:37 Looks like it's a done and dusted affair... no press conference by the Prime Minister it seems. Matthew Vella

Prime Minister: Joseph Muscat (of course...)

Parliamentary Secretary (Planning): Michael Falzon

Deputy Prime and Minister for European Affairs and the implementation of the electoral manifesto: Louis Grech

Parliamentary Secretary (EU Funds): Ian Borg

Home Affairs and National Security Minister: Manuel Mallia

Justice and Culture Minister: Owen Bonnici

Parliamentary Secretary (Local Government): Stefan Buontempo

Social Policy Minister: Michael Farrugia

Parliamentary Secretary (Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and Active Ageing): Justyne Caruana

Health and Energy Minister: Konrad Mizzi

Parliamentary Secretary (Health): Chris Fearne

Tourism minister: Edward Zammit Lewis

Education and Employment Minister: Evarist Bartolo

Parliamentary Secretary (Research, Innovation, Youth and Sports): Chris Agius

Finance Minister: Edward Scicluna

Foreign Affairs Minister: George Vella

Minister for Social Dialogue, Consumer Affairs and Civil Rights: Helena Dalli

Transport and infrastructure Minister: Joe Mizzi

Gozo Minister: Anton Refalo

Economy, Investment and Small Business Minister: Chris Cardona

Parliamentary Secretary (Economic Growth and Competitiveness): Jose Herrera

Sustainable Development, the Environment, and Climate Change Minister: Leo Brincat

17:25 Matthew Vella
17:18 Here's another endorsement for Muscat's new Cabinet, from his... personal secretary Matthew Vella
17:17 Oh look, it's the government's spokesperson coming out for some sun... Matthew Vella
17:15 Matthew Vella
17:03 So, former health minister Godfrey Farrugia is at Girgenti now... don't we just love it when the news gets in a twist. Matthew Vella
17:03 Spin doctors in a good mood thanks to some great weather Matthew Vella
17:02 Matthew Vella
17:01 Leo Brincat (environment) Evarist Bartolo (education) Joe Mizzi (transport) Roderick Galdes (agriculture and animal welfare) unchanged Matthew Vella
17:00 Justyne Caruana is parliamentary secretary for the elderly under Michael Farrugia's social solidarity ministry. Matthew Vella
16:55 So if Karmenu Vella is now made Commissioner, and Labour candidate Miriam Dalli gets elected to Brussels, it will be a cosy family thing up there in the Belgian kingdom. Matthew Vella
16:53 Matthew Vella
16:52 Matthew Vella
16:45 16:45 - Michael Farrugia, former parliamentary secretary for planning, to be moved to minister for social solidarity instead of Marie Louise Coleiro Preca (next President), while Konrad Mizzi is to be health and energy minister - with Chris Fearne as his parliamentary secretary for health Matthew Vella
16:43 Matthew Vella
16:43 First inklings of new Cabinet: Michael Farrugia, the anti-bureacracy commissioner, will be parliamentary secretary for planning instead of Michael Farrugia; Owen Bonnici gets a promotion to justice minister; Edward Scicluna stays on as finance minister; Karmenu Vella is new European Commissioner Matthew Vella
16:38 Joseph Muscat has just tweeted one of those tweets... Matthew Vella
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16:25 Matthew Vella
16:23 So... after a tweet of complaint that the press was hungry, out come members of the PM's staff with some biscuits and drinks. Matthew Vella
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16:10 Matthew Vella
16:07 So how much will the new Cabinet cost? In 2013 we said individual ministerial salaries were at least over €1 million, while after the presentation of the Budget we calculated total ministerial emoluments (including staff) at €11 million. Matthew Vella
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15:26 Matthew Vella
15:08 Labour MP Michael Falzon was elected via bye-election (despite having been in the past a deputy leader to Alfred Sant), and was then given a prominent role in MEPA in drafting policies for fireworks factories - while also being the lawyer/spokesperson for the pyrotechnics lobby - another impolitic appointment by the Labour administration Matthew Vella
15:06 Matthew Vella
15:06 Times journo Keith Micallef suggests a possible line-up: Matthew Vella
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14:42 Spelling mistakes on Farrugia's letter of resignation courtesy of Satiristan on @satiristan Matthew Vella
14:40 Chris Fearne MP has been summoned to Girgenti. Is the paedetrician in for a social policy or health post? Matthew Vella
14:39 Matthew Vella
14:35 Herrera was said to have been a tad displeased with his last appointment after having shadowed the justice ministry for years on end. But it's no secret that parliamentary secretary Owen Bonnici has made a great job in the field of justice, and won brownie points for handling the citizenship sale debacle with the European Commission. Matthew Vella
14:34 José Herrera, parliamentary for local councils and culture, gets snapped by our photographer Chris Mangion

 Matthew Vella
14:32 CLAUDIO GRECH “Although some say this reshuffle is a normal, the truth is that it is not normal at all. That a minister’s resignation is published first on Facebook and not by a government announcement is certainly not normal, especially when the resignation had been hours in government’s hands. Less normal is the fact that in a country of developed governance, the resignation of a parliamentary secretary is kept hidden in some drawer without being announced publicly.” Matthew Vella
14:29 Nationalist shadow minister for health Claudio Grech has posted his reaction to Godfrey Farrugia's resignation on his Facebook wall Matthew Vella
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14:21 Matthew Vella
14:17 It's all too telling that Labour MP Marlene Farrugia also announced her partner's resignation on Facebook: there was some bitterness at the fact that her 'arrangement' to stay as a consultant to the health minister had to be brought to an end so soon. Matthew Vella
14:13 Parliamentary secretary for youths and sport Stefan Buontempo just arrived at Girgenti. Matthew Vella
14:10 http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/37451/cabinet_depurtures_expose_ugly_side_of_muscats_leadership__pn#.UzbDbq1dVxs Matthew Vella
14:04 The Prime Minister is summoning ministers at Girgenti Palace, in Siggiewi - Miriam Dalli (@miriam_dalli) is reporting from there. Matthew Vella
13:59 Nationalist Party issue their reaction: Cabinet departures expose ‘ugly side’ of Muscat’s leadership – PN says departure of two members of Joseph Muscat’s Cabinet expose how prime minister “uses and disposes of” people Matthew Vella
14:09 Matthew Vella
14:08 Matthew Vella
14:08 Matthew Vella
13:45 Good afternoon - we're live-blogging the Cabinet reshuffle... the PM is summoning his ministers today after health minister Godfrey Farrugia tendered his resignation Matthew Vella

Parliamentary secretary (Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights): Roderick Galdes

Matthew Vella, a freelance journalist at MaltaToday, was formerly executive editor at Malt...
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