Adrian Delia has been granted a mega portfolio by PN leader Bernard Grech, while new MP Mark Anthony Sammut has been granted the energy sector.
The shadow Cabinet was announced on Monday evening after PN leader Bernard Grech on Monday spent the day meeting his new MPs and began handing out portfolios.
Three former ministers - Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici, Mario de Marco and Chris Said - were not given any responsibility.
Former PN leader Delia has been granted the transport, mobility, and capital projects portfolio, his scope is also to continue the fight against the three hospitals handed over first to Vitals Global Healthcare and later passed on to Steward Health Care.
Delia was ousted as party leader after months of internal PN strife and eventually lost out to Bernard Grech in 2020, after which he refused to take on a portfolio in the new leader’s first shadow cabinet.
New MP Mark Anthony Sammut has been granted the energy sector to shadow, a portfolio which was previously in the hands of Ryan Callus.
Another new MP, Justin Schembri, has been given the education portfolio – something which doesn’t necessarily come as a surprise, as Schembri’s profession is that of a teacher.
Darren Carabott – yet another new PN MP – has been appointed as the chairperson of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee.
That role was previously held by Beppe Fenech Adami, and was particularly significant as the committee heard witness after witness while it looked into the Electrogas power station contract. Fenech Adami will be the foreign affairs spokesman.
Robert Cutajar will be retaining his role as Whip of the PN's parliamentary group, and that Robert Arrigo will be retaining the tourism portfolio.
Ryan Callus will move from the energy portfolio to the infrastructure portfolio, while David Agius was appointed Deputy Speaker - a post previously held by Claudette Buttigieg.
Eve Borg Bonello, who at 18 years of age is not only the youngest ever MP in Malta but is also the youngest current MP in Europe, has been handed the climate change portfolio, where she will be shadowing Miriam Dalli.
Joe Giglio has been given responsibility for the home affairs portfolio, and that Karol Aquilina got the justice portfolio .
The full list as as follows:
David Agius Deputy Speaker and spokesman for social policy
Robert Arrigo - tourism
Robert Cutajar Whip, secretary of parliamentary group and spokesman for self-employed and small enterprises
Paula Mifsud Bonnici Assistant Whip and spokesperson for active aging
Darren Carabott Chairperson PAC and spokesman for local councils and public administration
Karol Aquilina - justice
Graziella Attard Previ - equality and children's rights
Charles Azzopardi - hobbies and fight against cost of living
Ivan Bartolo - social accommodation
Ivan J Bartolo - economy and Air Malta
Toni Bezzina - agriculture and fisheries
Graham Bencini - sport and public broadcasting
Bernice Bonello - youth and European funds
Alex Borg - Gozo
Eve Borg Bonello - climate change
Claudette Buttigieg - civil rights and fight against diabetes
Ryan Callus - public works and infrastructure
Jerome Caruana Cilia - finance
Ivan Castillo - maritime affairs and employment
Janice Chetcuti - environment and animal rights
Rebekah Cilia - Lands and consumer rights
Adrian Delia - transport, mobility and capital projects
Beppe Fenech Adami - foreign and European affairs
Graziella Galea - inclusion
Joe Giglio - home affairs and security
Mark Anthony Sammut - energy and enterprise
Justin Schembri - education
Stephen Spiteri - health
Ian Vassallo - primary health care and mental health
Julie Zahra - national heritage and culture
Stanley Zammit - planning and research/innovation