Claudio Grech will likely be in charge of the Nationalist Party’s policy transformation, innovation, and the electoral programme as PN leader Bernard Grech continues managing his reshuffle of his party’s parliament bench.
The reshuffle process has been ongoing since Monday, with Grech meeting MPs in one-on-one meetings – a process which will likely continue till the end of this week.
Party sources have told The Malta Independent that two MPs in particular are likely to be given new responsibilities in the reshuffle which they are not necessarily pleased about.
Amongst those who will be moved to a new portfolio is Jason Azzopardi. He was the party’s justice spokesperson, but sources confided that him being on the legal team of the family of Daphne Caruana Galizia creates a potential for conflict in this regard.
He will likely be replaced by Karol Aquilina.
David Thake meanwhile, who currently holds the shadow role for the environment and climate change, is expected to be handed a role on research and development with the added responsibility of managing the PN’s post-Covid-19 policy.
Gozitan MP Joe Ellis, who only recently made it into parliament after replacing Frederick Azzopardi who passed away, is being earmarked to lead the party’s position on constitutional reform and good governance.
Shadow equality minister Claudette Buttigieg is expected to be handed the social policy portfolio, while the sources said that Therese Comodini Cachia is expected to lose part of her portfolio, with the arts and national heritage moving over to another MP.
There is no word yet as to whether former PN leader Adrian Delia will form part of the shadow cabinet: he had initially said that he does not want to form part of it, but it is not clear as to whether he has changed his mind.
The reshuffle comes over 100 days after Bernard Grech took over the reins of the party. Since then he has been working with the shadow responsibilities as handed out by the party’s previous administration.