Bonnici gets film commission, public cleansing to fall under Dalli ministry after Bartolo resignation

The Office of the Prime Minister has announced new responsibilities within the Cabinet of Ministers following the resignation of Clayton Bartolo as tourism minister.

The OPM said Ian Borg will be retaining the Foreign Ministry portfolio, and will get the Tourism Ministry as announced on Tuesday.

The OPM said Prime Minister Robert Abela took the step due to the connection between foreign affairs, the needs of small countries, and efforts to promote quality, which began in the tourism sector, “an area of much importance for the country.”

Parliamentary Secretary Glenn Bedingfield will retain the public cleansing portfolio, but will fall under Minister Miriam Dalli’s ministerial portfolio.

The controversial film commission, headed by Commissioner Johann Grech, will be part of Culture Minister Owen Bonnici’s ministerial portfolio.

Bartolo resigned from minister on Tuesday after his wife was implicated in a separate case of alleged money laundering. The Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit had flagged suspicious payments she received last year to the tune of €50,000, from a company linked to a person who was contracted by the Malta Tourism Authority.

The FIAU passed on its findings to the police for further investigation. The payments are suspected to be a kickback for the MTA contract.

Bartolo has also resigned from the Labour Party parliamentary group and now sits as an independent MP.