As expected, Dalli, Caruana made ministers in Cabinet reshuffle

• Justyne Caruana back in as education minister

Four new ministers were appointed yesterday and three others had their ministries changed in a Cabinet reshuffle announced by Prime Minister Robert Abela.

As expected, Clyde Caruana will be replacing Edward Scicluna as Finance and Employment Minister, while former MEP Miriam Dalli will be taking over the energy, enterprise and sustainable development portfolio.

Justyne Caruana will be returning to the Cabinet as Minister of Education, with Owen Bonnici moving to research and innovation, with the added responsibility of coordination after Covid-19.

Michael Farrugia has been moved from energy to the Ministry for the Elderly while Julia Farrugia Portelli lost the tourism portfolio and has been named Minister for Inclusion and Quality of Life.

She is replaced by Clayton Bartolo, who has been promoted from Parliamentary secretary to Minister for Tourism.

Silvio Parnis has been moved out of the Cabinet, along with Scicluna, who will take on the role of Governor of the Central Bank.

The OPM said the changes characterise the Cabinet as a united and taltented one, with a strong element of youth and with the participation of all female members of the Labour Parliamentary Group. The PM’s priority is to ensure that the country keeps moving strongly forward and implements more changes and reforms that improve people’s quality of life. In talks with the Cabinet members, the PM emphasised on the need for social justice, job creation and an investment climate that prepares the country for the future.

It was also announced that Glenn Micallef has been appointed as the OPM’s head of secretariat, a post that was previously called Chief of Staff. He will be replacing Clyde Caruana.

Micallef has a degree in economics and European policy.

Over the past few years, he has occupied the role of Director General of the European Union Coordination Department. He has also been serving as the PM’s advisor on European Affairs since January of this year, and was part of the team that negotiated Malta’s €2.25 billion fund allocation.