Anton Refalo awaits his fate after Gozo minister’s resignation

Anton Refalo awaits his fate, with a return back to Cabinet looking even more likely in the wake of Justyne Caruana’s resignation from Gozo minister.

Refalo, who was Gozo minister in the first Labour legislature of 2013, lost his Cabinet seat after the 2017 general election despite garnering the highest number of votes in Gozo.

The ex-minister was also overlooked by Prime Minister Robert Abela when he formed his new Cabinet last week.

However, in the wake of Caruana’s forced resignation from minister, Refalo’s canvassers in Gozo were on Monday morning expecting the Prime Minister to appoint their man back to the role he occupied before 2017.

On Facebook this morning, Refalo posted a photo of himself smirking with the words: “Good morning from Gozo! Have a nice day, and a good week!”

The message contrasts with a sullen post he put up last week during the swearing-in ceremony of ministers in which he told constituents he was not in a position to translate their trust into work.

Abela had wanted to appoint Gozitan MP Clint Camilleri as Gozo minister but Caruana refused another ministry, forcing the Prime Minister to retain her in the same role.

Camilleri was eventually appointed fisheries and agriculture minister, which means that if Abela wants to appoint someone from Gozo to head the ministry on the sister island, his only option is Refalo, unless the Prime Minister re-assigns Camilleri's portfolio, or retains the ministry under his wing.

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