Edward Zammit Lewis And Carmelo Abela Left Out Of Prime Minister’s New Cabinet
Former Justice Minister Edward Zammit Lewis and former Broadcasting Minister Carmelo Abela have been left out in the cold after Prime Minister Robert Abela announced his new Cabinet.
As the first Cabinet of this legislature was announced, it was confirmed that there was no room for Abela and Zammit Lewis, even though they had received 2,067 and 2,430 first-count votes respectively.
Both ministers found themselves at the centre of controversy during the last legislature.
Zammit Lewis was revealed to have enjoyed a close friendship with Daphne Caruana Galizia murder suspect Yorgen Fenech, infamously describing PL supporters as Ġaħan (stupid) in a particular text to him.
Meanwhile, Abela was accused of involvement in the notorious 2010 attempted heist of HSBC’s headquarters. He has denied the allegation and sued former PN MP Jason Azzopardi for libel.
They are two of only six PL MPs who were elected last weekend but who didn’t get elected to Cabinet. Former parliamentary secretaries Deo Debattista, Chris Agius and Alex Muscat have been left out in the cold too.
Former Minister Michael Farrugia hasn’t been appointed to Cabinet either but has been touted as the next Speaker.
Energy Minister Miriam Dalli is one of the big winners
Meanwhile, Miriam Dalli is one of the big winners of Abela’s new Cabinet and has been given responsibility for the environment, as well as the energy and enterprise sectors she had in the last legislature.
After overseeing the environment and planning in the last legislature, Aaron Farrugia has now been given responsibility for transport, infrastructure and capital projects, Ian Borg’s former ministry. Borg has been moved to foreign affairs.
Byron Camilleri has been given responsibility for reforms and equality, over and above his previous responsibilities for home affairs and national security, while Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi has taken charge of a new ministry of Public Works and Planning and Jonathan Attard has been promoted to Justice Minister.
All of Labour’s four new MPs have been given a position in Cabinet, with Jo Etienne Abela made Minister for Active Ageing, and Alison Zerafa Civelli, Chris Bonnett and Keith Azzopardi Tanti appointed parliamentary secretaries.
What do you think of Robert Abela’s new Cabinet?
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