Prime Minister Robert Abela is meeting Labour MPs individually this morning as he prepares to form his Cabinet.

A number of MPs, including Chris Fearne, who contested Abela for the leadership, and the other PL Deputy Leader Chris Cardona were seen entering the PM's office. Also seen entering Castille was Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, at around 10.50am.

Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne, asked if he will be given a ministry, said it is the Prime Minister's prerogative whether or not to give him a ministry, but added that in the coming hours, they will meet again. Indeed that was the case. At around 11.30pm Fearne re-entered Castille, telling the press that "we will speak when I come out."

Exiting mere minutes later, Fearne refused to say whether he would form part of Cabinet, among other things, only saying that "Cabinet is announced by the Prime Minister."

Cardona was also summoned for a second time to Castille in the afternoon, but would not say anything particular to the media when he left.

Owen Bonnici, one of Joseph Muscat's closest allies and who openly supported Fearne in the leadership race, was also seen entering Castill just before 4pm.

Evarist Bartolo, who was last December posting a number of cryptic messages on Facebook in relation to the political situation in the country, also walked in.

 

All ministers and parliamentary secretaries under the Joseph Muscat administration technically resigned when Muscat handed over the keys to his office to Abela.

The new PM must now form his own Cabinet.

It is understood that while some ministers are to retain their positions, others might lose their spot or have a different portfolio. There is also a possibility that some parliamentary secretaries are promoted to the role of ministers.

Apart from MPs, seen entering and leaving Castille was the chairman of the MCST, Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando. Exiting the OPM, he said he had a job he was particularly fond of. Asked whether he will retain it, he was at first reluctant to speak about the meeting he had in Castille, and also with whom, but then let out a "yes" when asked if he was going to retain his position.