Malta has a rather quirky system of government that delivers results and (should) deliver accountability, efficiency, etc. but doesn't.

In Malta, as in many other countries, you have to be an elected Member of Parliament to become a minister. Other countries allow the head of government more leeway.

One unplanned secondary corollary in Malta is that the choice of ministers many times gets finalised before casual elections to fill the rest of the House can be held. This blocks and has blocked some valid people from being chosen. The country is the loser.

Indeed, for the country deserves to get the best available talent. At the end of the legislature, when the outgoing Cabinet gets ready to face the electorate, it should be able to be judged on the sum total of its work.

In this case, since the outgoing Cabinet was returned with a (reduced) majority, the basic message the country gave was broad approval. 

As a campaign, it was a relatively quiet affair as the outcome was widely predicted.

Robert Abela did the right thing to bring back Chris Fearne to Cabinet as Foreign Minister; he has the qualities to do well at Palazzo Parisio.

The move of Ian Borg from the Foreign Ministry down the hill to the Castellania was completely unexpected. The health ministry with its enormous expenditure, not forgetting the €700 million spent on three hospitals without seeing anything, had become the biggest scandal and embarrassment of the preceding Labour administrations, for which the electorate wanted to draw blood.

It is frequently said a doctor is a bad choice to lead this ministry.  It has broken the political careers of persons who thought they were winners, especially those who were doctors.

There are two ministers living on borrowed time - Jo Etienne Abela at tourism (when he is not operating) and transport minister Chris Bonnet.

The following are considered untouchables - Clyde Caruana, Myriam Dalli, and Michael Falzon. Clint Camilleri in Gozo is super-untouchable: he has a solid voter base plus he is also defending hunters, a very important base for Labour.

Abela's weakest link, I feel, is Glenn Bedingfield. What made Abela choose him? His only qualification, I think, is his blind loyalty to Abela. That's a crucial sector of Malta and one that requires strategic planning and huge expenditure. We are without a real defence when we have wars all around.

History note

Cult and Continuity

A Religious Biography of the Maltese Archipelago 

From the Neolithic up till 535 CE

By Joerie van Sister

This study explores the religious development of the Maltese archipelago from the Neolithic period until the incorporation of the Maltese archipelago into the Byzantine Empire in 535CE.

The Maltese archipelago was subjected to many different cultural influences, which is reflected in the development of religious activities.