‘We still wait for him walking through the door’: Parliament pays tribute to Robert Arrigo

Robert Arrigo’s family was present in parliament today as the House formally paid tribute to the former MP who died at the age of 67 last week.

Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne recalled how Arrigo was never shy of calling out what was wrong but as a member of the Opposition was not afraid of agreeing “with what is right.”

First and foremost, Fearne said, Arrigo prioritised the interest of the country even though he loved his party.

Such qualities in the former deputy leader only showed how credible Arrigo was because to call out your party for wrongdoings while still being in the party, according to Fearne, only displays “further credibility and integrity.”

Opposition leader Bernard Grech turned around to face Arrigo’s family when reading a text message, he had received from Robert himself the day Grech’s father died.

In his message of condolences, Arrigo encouraged Grech to work to honour his father’s memory. “You too shall now be a reference to your father’s memory and further work to honour him,” Grech advised Arrigo’s children.

Grech hailed Arrigo’s determination, "whether it was winning a football championship or attaining new clients."

When quoting Robert Arrigo’s first speech in parliament back in 2003 on taking the good decisions that will create more jobs, Grech expressed how the PN “will forever be proud he was one of us.”

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