PN reveals new shadow cabinet, Delia refuses role
The Nationalist Party has announced its new shadow cabinet, with a number of MPs retaining their previous portfolios.
The party, meanwhile, said that its former leader Adrian Delia had refused to take on a spokesperson role within the shadow cabinet. Delia had expressed his wish not to form part of the shadow cabinet in the past, where a spokesperson for Delia had previously said that he would rather follow the Westminster model, whereby former party leaders do not take up such roles.
The reshuffle comes ahead of a general election which will need to be held by latest next year.
Robert Arrigo and Stephen Spiteri, amongst others, have been effectively retained in their original positions, despite rumours that they and others were going to have their portfolio’s changed. In addition, Jason Azzopardi is one of those MPs who has had his role shifted.
Claudio Grech will be, among other things, responsible for the transformation and policy innovation of the Nationalist Party. This move could mean that he would play a key role in the run up to the election.
In a statement published on Wednesday, the party said that the first 100 days of Bernard Grech as party leader were marked by a renewal within the Nationalist Party.
This was done through intensive work carried out both internally within the same structures of the party and through the approval of candidates for the general election, as well as externally through continuous contact with various entities, constituted bodies and close meetings with the people at a local level.
The PN’s Parliamentary Group has been fundamental to this renewal, the statement read.
During these 100 days, the PN Parliamentary Group has met an average of more than once every two weeks with PN Leader Grech, aimed at strengthening the work of the group in the coming months, the statement read.
The renewal will continue, the statement added, so that the Nationalist party can fulfil its vision – that of offering a new page for the country.
The announcement comes after several Nationalist Party MPs who were angered about the reshuffle of portfolios were absent from a three-hour parliamentary group meeting held on Tuesday. Grech had been holding one-to-one meetings with MPs throughout the week as he had prepared to change responsibilities for some of them, while retaining others in their present post. But not everyone was pleased with the changes that Grech was planning, but, in the end, some of them retained what they had.
Opposition Leader – Bernard Grech
Deputy Leader for Parliamentary Affairs & Spokesperson for Inclusion and Quality of Life – David Agius
Responsible for pensions, policies regarding children, inclusion, quality of life, and social wellbeing.
Deputy Leader for Party Affairs & Spokesperson for Tourism – Robert Arrigo
Responsible for the tourism sector.
Whip & Spokesperson for the Environment and Climate Change – Robert Cutajar
Responsible for environmental policies, and includes policies on climate change, the waste management strategy, environmental projects, protected maritime zones, Natura 2000 sites, and urban improvement.
Parliamentary Group Secretary & Justice Spokesperson – Karol Aquilina
Responsible for the justice sector and for electoral reforms.
Deputy Whip & Spokesperson for European Funds and NGOs – Kevin Cutajar
Responsible for European Funds, state aid, and the voluntary and non-governmental organisations’ sector.
Deputy Whip & Spokesperson for Local Government, National Heritage and Youths – Karl Gouder
Responsible for local government, public cleanliness, national heritage, culture, the arts, and youths.
Deputy Speaker & Spokesperson for Social policy and the family – Claudette Buttigieg
Responsible for social policy, family policy, social security, solidary services, consumer protection, and a member of the Covid-19 Action Team.
Spokesperson for Employment, Training, Competitiveness, and Enterprise – Jason Azzopardi
Responsible for the employment and training sectors, Malta Enterprise, Competitiveness, and Industrial relations.
Spokesperson for Social and Affordable Accommodation and the Fight Against Poverty – Ivan Bartolo
Responsible for social accommodation, affordable accommodation, and the fight against poverty.
Spokesperson for Transport and Infrastructure – Toni Bezzina
Responsible for the Transport and infrastructure sector, ports, aviation and maritime affairs.
Spokesperson for Water & Energy Policy and Sustainable Development – Ryan Callus
Responsible for water management, energy policy, alternative energy, conservation and management of parks and valleys, and sustainable development.
Spokesperson for Human Rights and Good Governance – Therese Comodini
Cachia Responsible for human rights, good governance and the rule of law.
Spokesperson for Finance – Mario De Marco
Responsible for finance and for Air Malta.
Spokesperson for Economic Development and Industry – Kristy Debono
Responsible for the economic sector, financial services, gaming, lands, creation of new economic sectors, and the industrial sector.
Spokesperson for the Elderly and Community Care – Maria Deguara
Responsible for the elderly and community care sector, and a member of the Covid-19 Action Team.
Spokesperson for Constitutional Reform, Social Dialogue, and National Broadcasting – Joseph Ellis
Responsible for the discussions about constitutional reforms, social dialogue, national broadcasting, and public administration.
Spokesperson for Home Affairs, National Security and Citizenship – Beppe Fenech Adami
Responsible for Home Affairs, national security, immigration, and citizenship.
Spokesperson for Mental Health and Animal Rights – Mario Galea
Responsible for the mental health sector, dementia, the fight against diabetes, and animal rights.
Spokesperson for Political Renewal, research, and innovation – Claudio Grech
Responsible for the transformation and policy innovation of the Nationalist Party, the make-up of the party’s socio-economic vision, the implementation of the party’s policy clusters, preparation of the electoral programme, research, innovation, science, technology, the post-Covid-19 recovery plan, and is also a member of the Covid Action Team.
Spokesperson for Foreign and European Affairs – Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici
Responsible for Malta’s relationships with foreign countries.
Spokesperson for Education and Sport – Clyde Puli
Responsible for the education sector, sport, the fight against obesity, and also a member of the Covid Action Team.
Spokesperson for Gozo – Chris Said
Responsible for Gozo.
Spokesperson for Planning and the Construction Industry – Hermann Schiavone
Responsible for development planning, the property market, the construction industry, and the Freeport.
Spokesperson for Health and the Response to the Pandemic – Stephen Spiteri
Responsible for the health sector, and also a member of the Covid Action Team.
Spokesperson for the Green Economy and Capital Projects – David Thake
Responsible for the Green Economy and for capital projects.
Spokesperson for Agriculture, Fisheries, and Small businesses – Edwin Vassallo
Responsible for the agricultural and fisheries sector, the conservation of traditional hobbies including hunting and trapping, corporate bodies, and small businesses.