[WATCH] Prime Minister justifies decisions to ditch Silvio Parnis and reinstate Justyne Caruana
‘Silvio Parnis worked well but I wanted to elevate his portfolios to ministries,’ Prime Minister says
Former parliamentary secretary Silvio Parnis “worked well” during a difficult period but it was time to elevate his portfolios to ministries, Robert Abela said.
The Prime Minister said it was his decision to elevate the elderly and disability portfolios to two separate ministries in a show of commitment towards these sectors.
Parnis was left smarting after he was the only member of Cabinet who lost his place in the reshuffle over the weekend. He had faced flak for the rise in COVID-19 infections in homes for the elderly and his secretariat’s apparent lack of action.
He faced additional criticism when, at the height of an outbreak of cases at a Fgura home, he sent residents there a rolly polly with the words “courage” printed on the label.
“I understand Silvio, whom I consider as a friend, and who has been very loyal over the past months, and so have I; I appeal so that no hurts Silvio… He gave all he could… it was not an easy period. He worked and worked well but in my view, I felt the need to do a reshuffle and elevate the sectors to ministries,” Abela said.
Parnis has said that he was hurt by the Prime Minister’s decision and will not be contesting the next general election.
Abela said Parnis remained a part of the Labour Party parliamentary group and would continue working with him.
The Prime Minister was taking questions after opening the central office in Mosta of Servizz.gov.
Justyne Caruana 'highly competent'
Asked about the decision to reinstate Justyne Caruana as education minister after she resigned her Cabinet post last January, Abela said she was “highly competent”.
Caruana had stepped down as minister in January when her then husband, former deputy police commissioner Silvio Valletta, was outed as being a close friend of murder suspect Yorgen Fenech.
“Whatever Silvio Valletta was accused of she was not involved,” Abela said, adding that since the events that unfolded earlier in the year, Caruana had separated from Valletta.