It is not known whether Mr Portelli will retain the chairmanship of the Freeport as well as that of the ADT. It is also unknown whether Mr Demicoli has been earmarked for another post.

Mr Demicoli, along with the board of directors of the ADT, resigned when the new cabinet was appointed.

This is normal practice. It is then up to the new minister to decide, and recommend for final approval from the Cabinet of Ministers, whether the board and chairman is to stay or go.

The new ADT board now consists of Ivan Fsadni, Paul Cardona, Angele Giuliani and Philip Incorvaja, as deputy chairman. Duncan Borg Myatt is the board’s secretary.

Coincidentally, the announcement of Mr Portelli’s appointment came a few hours after Labour Leader Alfred Sant called for Mr Demicoli to resign from his post “because of his contribution to the mess in the roads’ sector”.