Oil exploration to fall under OPM in forthcoming legislature

All activities related to Malta’s search for oil within its territory will fall under the responsibility of the Office of the Prime Minister during the course of the legislature that has just begun, according to a list of ministerial responsibilities published today by the government.

Under previous legislatures, oil exploration mostly fell within portfolios related to energy, infrastructure or the economy.

The OPM will also be responsible for National Identity Management, including public registry, civil registration, ID cards and Passports, as well as the Individual Investor Programme and all functions related to Citizenship, Visas and Work Permits.

Public-Private Partnerships have now been introduced within the portfolio of the Tourism Ministry, which means that Projects Malta will remain under the responsibility of minister Konrad Mizzi.

There were no big surprises in the portfolios allocated to the remaining ministers and parliamentary secretaries.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs, led by minister Carmelo Abela, has expanded to include trade promotion which means that Abela has been assigned trade services.

Ian Borg's superministry - the ministry for transport infrastructure and capital projects - includes Lands, the Land Registry and the Joint Office.