Robert Abela’s enforcers, the Sofia Inquiry and friction at Mile End

Robert Abela’s January reshuffle is being viewed in a different light by Labour Party insiders following the scathing conclusions of the Sofia public inquiry, MaltaToday has learnt. 

“It is even more clear now that Robert Abela tried to pre-empt the inquiry findings in January by shuffling around several portfolios to ensure that any prospective reforms are carried out by the ministers he trusts most,” a party source who spoke to MaltaToday on condition of anonymity said. 

In the aftermath of the inquiry, the Prime Minister immediately tasked Jonathan Attard, Silvio Schembri, Byron Camilleri and Clint Camilleri to implement its recommendations. 

The four ministers have formed a Cabinet committee chaired by Abela’s head of secretariat Glenn Micallef to ensure the reforms indicated by the inquiry are carried out. 

The Cabinet committee is tasked with implementing the Sofia Inquiry recommendations

Party sources now believe the four ministers are being primed by Abela to take over the party deputy leadership once Chris Fearne ships out to Brussels as Malta’s next European Commissioner. 

“The stature of Jonathan Attard, Silvio Schembri, Byron Camilleri and Clint Camilleri within the government has grown significantly since January with the Prime Minister making no secret of the trust, he has in these ministers ahead of the deputy leadership race expected after the summer,” a second source said. 

January’s Cabinet reshuffle saw Attard retain justice, while also being tasked with carrying out reforms in the construction sector. The reforms were previously handled by Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, who practically lost all his portfolio. 

Attard is now responsible for the Building and Construction Authority and the Occupational Health and Safety Authority, two agencies that came in for severe criticism by the Sofia inquiry. 

Schembri, lost the Lands Authority in January but was retained as economy minister and handed the Malta Enterprise portfolio, previously in Miriam Dalli’s responsibility. 

The inquiry concluded ME should have never recommended the transfer of public land for the doomed factory to be built on. The recommendation was made in 2019 well before Dalli was even co-opted to parliament and made minister. 

The January reshuffle also saw Clint Camilleri being handed the planning portfolio, while keeping Gozo and hunting under his wings. The planning portfolio was previously in the remit of Zrinzo Azzopardi. The PA chair was criticised by the inquiry board for not disclosing that the authority had the power to ensure works on the construction site were being done correctly. 

Byron Camilleri’s home affairs and equality portfolio remained unchanged in January but 24 hours after the Sofia inquiry was published last week, he was handed the jobs portfolio alongside home affairs. 

The change was a direct response to the inquiry’s conclusions that gave a scathing assessment of how Jobsplus, previously under Clyde Caruana, handled work permits for foreign nationals. The intention is to have greater cooperation between Jobsplus and Identità, the agency that issues residence permits. 

As a consequence of this addition to his portfolio, Byron Camilleri lost equality, which was transferred under Chris Fearne. This places Equality Parliamentary Secretary Rebecca Buttigieg in pole position to become minister once Fearne steps down.

Disquiet and anger 

Another party insider said these changes have not only strengthened the four ministers but also dented the stature of Finance Minister Clyde Caruana, Energy Minister Miriam Dalli, and Lands Minister Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi. 

The source said Caruana was angered by the decision to hive off the jobs portfolio from his ministry despite the business-as-usual attitude he showed when asked by journalists outside parliament last Thursday. 

Finance Minister Clyde Caruana lost Jobsplus following the Sofia Inquiry findings (Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday)

The source also noted that Zrinzo Azzopardi got the stick despite having started implementing reforms in the construction sector that had long been delayed by his predecessors, prompting the minister to defend his record during the parliamentary debate. 

Abela’s manoeuvring may be intended to show he is in control, but it comes with big political risks. As he tries to strengthen his grip on the party by positioning those he trusts most in key roles, one source cautioned that Abela may be alienating other members of the Cabinet and the Labour backbench. 

“The friction may not be outwardly visible because the party remains in a relatively strong electoral position,” the source said. But keeping the party together and ensuring it works in harmony may prove to be Abela’s hardest task yet in the second half of this legislature.