Newly appointed members of Robert Abela's cabinet have been sworn in at the President's Palace in Valletta after a surprise weekend reshuffle.

A new minister and three parliamentary secretaries took the oath of office on Monday.

After meeting with the prime minister throughout Saturday most ministers retained their portfolios, albeit losing certain responsibilities or gaining others.

However, there were some new faces.

Chris Bonett at the swearing-in ceremony. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

The most notable change was the appointment of former parliamentary secretary Chris Bonett, who replaces Aaron Farrugia as Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Public Works.

While Farrugia was the only minister sidelined in the reshuffle, Abela almost doubled the number of parliamentary secretaries in his cabinet.

Parliamentary Secretary for Public Works Omar Farrugia, Parliamentary Secretary for Public Cleanliness Glenn Bedingfield and Parliamentary Secretary for Active Ageing Malcolm Paul Agius Galea were all sworn in on Monday.

Glenn Bedingfield kisses the cross during the swearing-in ceremony. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

Prime Minister Robert Abela oversaw the oath of office of his newly appointed Cabinet members in a ceremony presided over by President George Vella. Cabinet Secretary Ryan Spagnol and State Advocate Chris Soler were also in attendance. 

The biggest surprise of the reshuffle was Farrugia who had held a ministerial portfolio since 2017 but was divested entirely of his responsibilities as a minister.

He said he would "continue to serve the country" as an MP. 

Prime Minister Robert Abela congratulates one of the new parliamentary secretaries Malcolm Paul Agius Galea. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

Reacting to the reshuffle, Sandra Gauci, leader of ADPD - The Green Party, pointed out that Abela had not promoted any women to cabinet.

"After the reshuffle all I can think of is that it is still all a boys club," she said. 

"No women have been introduced. So much for the mechanism and the empty words about promoting women. It's still boys and their expensive land-grabbing toys."

In Abela's cabinet of 18 ministers and eight parliamentary secretaries, there are two female ministers, Miriam Dalli and Julia Farrugia Portelli, and three parliamentary secretaries, Alison Zerafa Civelli, Rebecca Buttigieg and Alicia Bugeja Said. 

Omar Farrugia takes the oath of office. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier