Prime Minister Joseph Muscat was visibly frustrated today when he was asked by The Malta Independent about government contracts given to the Health Secretary’s mother and Labour Deputy Leader Toni Abela.

“For goodness sake [F'ġieħ kemm hemm], they have been [given government contracts] on the basis of competence and responsibility. Mrs Fearne is extremely competent and handles a lot of work when it comes to care orders. It is high-pressure work in which a lot of threats are received and I am utterly convinced of her competence, she is a highly respected person.”

Carmen Fearne - mother of Health Secretary Chris Fearne – has been appointed on the board of Zammit Clapp Hospital.

About Dr Abela, he said that "just like Dr [Mario] de Marco's office has been given government consultancies, Dr Abela is also a government consultant.”

Dr Abela has been handed a number of consultancy roles with the Transport and Social Solidarity Ministries since the 2013 general election which have already netted him €52,000.

His latest consultancy role is as a legal consultant with the oil exploration department, for which he is paid €21,498. 

Asked about Dr Abela’s competence as an oil exploration consultant, Dr Muscat said: “it is not a question of oil exploration, it is about international law and county-to-country disputes.”