Newly appointed Minister for Health Chris Fearne has taken over responsibility for the big projects related to this sector, such as the Gozo General Hospital and St Luke’s, from Konrad Mizzi who was relieved of his duties as Minister for Health and Energy last week.

In comments to The Malta Independent, the new minister said that the ultimate responsibility will lie with him but big projects will surely involve an ‘inter-ministerial effort’.

“It has been a characteristic of this government to have different ministers working with each other on big projects. The projects we’re mentioning here are big health projects; it is obvious that we have to work together. We will surely work with the Housing Authority, the Transport and Infrastructure Ministry and the Ministry for the Economy.”

Mr Fearne said that the projects at St Luke’s hospital, the Gozo General Hospital and the Barthes Medical School will also involve Projects Malta, which falls under Minister Konrad Mizzi.

“But the ultimate responsibility will lie with me, as Minister for Health,” he added.

He said that the government has managed to join ministries for big projects before, and he hopes this goes on in the future.

Chris Fearne was promoted from Parliamentary Secretary for Health to Minister after Konrad Mizzi was removed from the ministerial post, months after the Panama scandal erupted.

The reshuffle, which many deemed ‘cosmetic’, was criticized by the Opposition with the PN leader insisting that the move was a ‘farce.’ The Leader of the Opposition, however, never criticized the appointment of Chris Fearne.