Sources very close to the Labour Party have told this newsroom that yet another Cabinet reshuffle is in the air, with rumours among party officials that it is imminent.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, who spent most of last week travelling to Singapore and back in connection with the IIP Conference organised by Henley & Partners in Asia, would not be drawn on the subject and refused to reply to our question as to whether or not a reshuffle is in the air, following information obtained by this newsroom. 

A reshuffle of the Cabinet of Ministers is solely at the discretion of the Prime Minister. In the past, he has gone on record saying that it is healthy to keep ministers on their toes, indicating that he favours frequent 'musical chairs'.

However, the reshuffles made so far have all been the result of circumstances beyond the Prime Minister's promise to keep refining his cabinet to get maximum productivity out of it. 

One major change came about due to the appointment of Marie Louise Coleiro Preca as President. At that time, it was Dr Muscat's intention to solve two issues with one blow by kicking the uncontrollable Social Policy Minister upstairs to San Anton while moving sideways the charming but ineffective Health Minister to Social Policy. Once that blew up in his face - when Godfrey Farrugia refused to be moved - he had to make a larger reshuffle than anticipated and brought in Michael Falzon on Mepa, settling an old score for good. Close friend Edward Zammit Lewis was promoted to Minister on the back of Karmenu Vella's departure on "study leave" until he was confirmed as EU Commissioner in October.

Now the sources are claiming that there are other pressing issues that the Prime Minister cannot avoid for long.  

The first consideration concerns a rapid deterioration in the relationship between Castile and Transport Minister Joe Mizzi over the public transport tender awarded to a Spanish company with little if any experience out of its village core in Spain. 

It is clear that, in the eyes of the Prime Minister, the reference point in transport issues is former right-hand man and former PL CEO, James Piscopo, who was promoted to Transport Malta CEO days after the PL won the general election. 

This situation has been creating problems with the Transport Minister, who has reportedly offered his resignation from the sector to the Prime Minister on more than one occasion. 

Sources within the PL claim that, following the announcement of the Spanish company taking over the public transport network, an "avalanche" of complaints reached the party from families whose livelihood depends on transport services and who claim to have "voted for the PL to get rid of Arriva". 

Now they feel betrayed because the contract has been awarded to an unknown company who may also be bringing in Spanish drivers to replace the Maltese drivers. Whether a ministerial reshuffle resolves such a problem is still a matter of conjecture, unless there is a change of heart in the adjudication of the tender.

The second issue on the Prime Minister's mind is undoubtedly who will replace Louis Galea in the Court of Auditors at the EU Commission. This is yet another opportunity to replace someone in the Cabinet. The obvious choice would be Finance Minister Edward Scicluna, but in view of his high degree of credibility with credit-rating institutions, the Prime Minister will think twice before letting him go.

Finally there's the uncomfortable scenario with the Farrugia couple made up of outspoken backbencher Marlene Farrugia and her partner former Health Minister Godfrey Farrugia. Will a possible reshuffle find a place for one of them in an attempt to iron out the differences while keeping them under check?