Republic Day honours: Robert Arrigo’s service to sport, politics and tourism recognised

Former Nationalist MP Robert Arrigo was posthumously awarded the medal for service to the Republic during the Republic Day investiture ceremony in Valletta.

Arrigo, who died earlier this year, was awarded the medal for his lifelong work in the tourism sector, his contribution to sport as Sliema Wanderers president, and his contribution to politics as Sliema mayor and later an MP.

Former MPs Dolores Cristina and Alex Sceberras Trigona were made companions of the National Order of Merit.

On Republic Day each year, the President, on behalf of the Government and people of Malta, pays public tribute to a number of Maltese citizens who distinguish themselves in different fields of endeavour, by appointing them to The National Order of Merit or to the Xirka Ġieħ ir-Repubblika, or by awarding them the Midalja għall-Qlubija or the Midalja għall-Qadi tar-Repubblika.

This year's investiture ceremony took place at The Palace, Valletta, following the customary ceremonial parade held at Palace Square and the President’s address.

The President appointed seven members to The National Order of Merit and 10 other individuals were awarded the Midalja għall-Qadi tar-Repubblika.

NATIONAL ORDER OF MERIT

Companion

Dolores Cristina: She was born in Senglea in 1949. She is a former MP who served in several ministerial positions under Nationalist governments.

Cristina graduated from the RUM (Royal University of Malta) with a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) degree and held teaching posts in History and English at Secondary and Post-Secondary levels. Between 1991 and 1995, she held the post of President of the National Council of Women, with a strong involvement in the voluntary sector. She was also President of the Women’s Section and President of the Administrative Council of the Nationalist Party.

Dolores Cristina

In 1996, she contested the General Election unsuccessfully and in 1998 briefly served as Swieqi mayor until she was elected to parliament in the same year from the 10th District. During the legislature, she occupied the post of Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee. She was re-elected to Parliament from the 9th District in the 2003 general election and became parliamentary secretary within the social policy ministry. In 2004, she was appointed minister for the family and social solidarity. In 2008, elected from both the 9th and 10th districts, Cristina was appointed education minister.

In 2013, she was appointed Acting President, a post she occupied until 2022.

Alex Sceberras Trigona: He is a former Labour MP and served as foreign minister between 1981 and 1987. He was also special envoy of prime ministers Dom Mintoff, Joseph Muscat and Robert Abela.

He obtained his Law Doctorate in 1973 with a thesis on ‘Constitutional Change and the Maltese Constitution’ followed as to form and substance in introducing Malta's 1974 Republican Constitution.

Alex Sceberras Trigona

He is a Rhodes Scholar, practices law as a notary and is Malta’s Ambassador to the World Trade Organization. He is an arbiter on the International Commercial Arbitration Centre, Scientific Council member of the European Foundation for Progressive Studies (FEPS); a senior fellow and co-founder of DiploFoundation; a senior visiting lecturer in diplomacy at the University of Malta and at the Mediterranean Academy for Diplomatic Studies (MEDAC).

As foreign minister, he lobbied for, won and managed Malta’s first ever term (1983-1984) on the United Nations Security Council. He negotiated Malta's neutrality agreements with Italy, France, Libya, Algeria, the Soviet Union and the United States of America.

Officer

Carmel Borg: An associate professor in the Department of Education Studies, at the Faculty of Education, University of Malta, Borg is a former Head of Department and ex-Dean of the Faculty of Education. He lectures in sociology of education, curriculum theory, development and design; critical pedagogy; adult education for community development; and parental involvement in education. He is an academic with a strong presence in the public sphere, both locally and internationally. His professional work and his social activism focus on the intersection of education, democracy and social justice.

His three-decade struggle for equity in education has reached all corners of the world, with

frequent keynote speeches, honorary visiting professorships, a string of collaborative research projects, and community-based initiatives.

Michael Camilleri: He is a physician and scientist who has pioneered mechanistic studies of gastrointestinal functions in health and disease in human subjects during his entire career.

He has developed innovative techniques and has devoted his clinical activity in Malta to establishing regular upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and colonoscopy services and other specialised therapy that brought substantive advances in the diagnosis and treatment of diverse gastrointestinal and liver diseases in Malta.

Michael Camilleri

Prof. Camilleri was recently ranked by Experts Cape News as the best in the world in gastrointestinal motility, based on his impact on the field. He is currently a consultant and holds an endowed chair as Professor of Medicine, Pharmacology and Physiology at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, USA.

Salvina Zrinzo: Born in Gozo in 1962, she studied medicine at the University of Malta and, between 1987 and 1994 obtained her training in general and breast radiology at Stadtklinikum Nürnberg in Germany.

She returned to Malta in 1994 and started working as a radiologist at St Luke’s Hospital. She was appointed consultant radiologist in 1999 and was Chairperson of the Medical Imaging Department at Mater Dei Hospital between 2011 and 2018.

Her main clinical interest has always been breast imaging, including mammography, ultrasound, MRI as well as image-guided biopsies and localisations. Dr Zrinzo was instrumental in setting up the Malta National Breast Screening Programme, which has been in place since 2009. She is the first radiologist in Malta who obtained the EDBI diploma (the European specialist Diploma in Breast Imaging) and is part of the team who runs the breast screening and symptomatic breast services in Malta.

Member

Chev Alfred Camilleri Cauchi: He was born in 1943 in Victoria, Gozo. He received his education at St Edward’s College and the Malta School of Art. Camilleri Cauchi then furthered his studies at the College of Arts in Edinburgh, Scotland. He is the author of several papier-mâché, bronze, wood, limestone and marble masterpieces found in Malta and around the globe.

Various local parish churches boast of his works, including Good Friday statues and altar or ceiling decorations. He is the author of many titular statues, mainly Christ the King, Saint Mary’s Queenship, Saint Augustine and Saint George Preca.

While keeping alive the craft of traditional Maltese papier-mâché and spreading it overseas, he gave life again to the craft of carving wooden statues. He participated in various international and local exhibitions, notably those with a philanthropic aim, and even won international artistic competitions. At the age of twenty-four, Camilleri Cauchi was honoured as Chevalier of Honour by the Spanish Ordine della Real Corona Balearica for sculpting the marble Ta’ Pinu Via Sagra in Gozo. In 1998, he was awarded the Academic Knight of Honour by Italy’s International Academic Order Greci Marino. In 2006, the same Order awarded him the title of Honorary National Advisor.

Mro Archibald Mizzi: Maestro Archibald Mizzi was born in Qormi in 1952. He is a well-known icon in the classical music industry and local band clubs. Mro Mizzi started his first musical lessons on the E-flat clarinet at St George’s Band Club and pursued piano lessons with the renowned Mrs Bice Bisazza. In 1970, he took on learning the Bassoon under the auspices of Mro Joseph Sammut. The astounding talent he exhibited on this musical instrument led him to further pursue his skills on the Bassoon in 1975 in Turin under the tuition of Prof. Giuseppe Della Valle. Mro Mizzi put the expertise gained on this instrument to fruition locally through his appointment as Principal Bassoon with the Manoel Theatre Orchestra, a position he held for 40 years until retirement.

Archibald Mizzi

The band march ‘The King’ remains one of Mro Mizzi’s trademark, putting Malta on the international platform. This musical piece has been played in various countries and is the soundtrack of the film Dopo Mezzanotte and Ispettore Montalbano by Rai. His international exposure made him play under the baton of famous conductors such as Mro Michael Laus, Mro Brian Schembri, Mro Wayne Marshall, Mro Peter Stark, Mro Charles Camilleri, Mro Olivier Monroe among others.

MIDALJA GĦALL-QADI TAR-REPUBBLIKA

Anthony Abela Medici: Born in 1949 in Rabat, he is considered an expert in the field of forensics. Abela Medici spent 30 years working in the police’s forensic laboratory on all major cases, including, murders, the Egyptair Hijack in 1985 and the recovery of the Caravaggio in 1987.

In 1992, he was appointed by the Archbishop of Malta to carry out the exhumation of Blessed Adeodata Pisani and the same process was carried for Frenċ tal-Għarb in 1997 for the Diocese of Gozo. The Church appointed him in 1999 to examine and report on the circumstances of the weeping Madonna tal-Għar at St Dominic priory, Rabat. In July 2000, he carried out the exhumation and preservation of the saintly remains of Saint Ġorġ Preca. In 2016, Abela Medici was elected to serve on the Committee of Experts for the Prevention of Torture and Inhumane or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, by the Council of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

From 2018 to 2021, he held the post of Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations.

Robert Arrigo (Posthumous): Born in 1954, Robert Arrigo was a leading Maltese tourism operator and a politician who served as MP from 2003 until his death in 2022. Between 2017 and 2022, he was appointed as deputy leader of the Nationalist Party. In 1994, he was elected as the first mayor of Sliema.

Arrigo was also a prominent businessman and a pioneer within the travel and tourism industry. He spearheaded his company, Robert Arrigo & Sons Limited, by opening new source markets for incoming tourism to Malta and Gozo.

Arrigo was also involved in sports management where he was elected chairperson of Gżira United and Sliema Wanderers football clubs and served as Vice-President of Neptunes Waterpolo Club.

Anna Bonanno: Anna Bonanno was a renowned TV journalist and a broadcaster with the Public Broadcasting Services for more than 30 years. She became a pioneer in the field of television and news anchoring at that time dominated by men. She also became the first Maltese female correspondent abroad, sending her first reportages from Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia for the Commonwealth Heads of States Meeting, Tiananmen Square in China for the official visit of Malta’s Head of State, and Brussels when Malta formally submitted its application to join the European Union. She also presented a number of television news and current affairs programmes.

Saviour F Borg (Posthumous): He served in Malta’s foreign service from 1977 to 2012, having first joined the civil service in 1965. In 1994, he was appointed as the first director of the newly created multilateral affairs department. From 1978 to 1982, he served as first secretary and deputy permanent representative of Malta to the United Nations Office in Geneva, and from 1983 to 1987 to the UN in New York.

In 2007, he was appointed as Malta’s permanent representative to the UN, also serving as the Rapporteur of the United Nations Committee on the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People. Following his retirement, Ambassador Borg served as advisor to the minister for foreign affairs and trade promotion and as Malta’s non-resident ambassador to the Swiss Confederation, the Principality of Liechtenstein, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Simone Borg: She is Malta’s Ambassador for Climate Action and chairs the National Climate Action Board. Prof. Borg is a resident academic at the University of Malta, a visiting lecturer at the IMO International Maritime Law Institute and has lectured at various universities abroad. She specialises in international law and policy relating to climate, ocean governance and biodiversity conservation. She chaired the Steering Committee for Malta’s National Post-COVID Strategy and occupied various other senior roles at governmental level. She was the Occupational Health and Safety Authority’s first chairperson.

Prof. Borg started her career as a diplomat and coordinated the transposition of the environmental acquis communautaire before Malta joined the EU in 2004.

In 2017, during Malta’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union, she chaired the EU working party on climate negotiations. She is also very active in promoting climate action with stakeholders and civil society.

Antonio P Briguglio: Born in Ħamrun in 1934, he started his refereeing career in 1961 and for 16 years was on the FIFA/UEFA panel of referees. He also attained a UEFA ‘C’ licence as a football coach. Briguglio attended several courses on advanced refereeing instruction and leadership organised by UEFA, the FA, FIGC and the Olympic Committee of Germany. He held various administrative positions including that of president of the Malta Football Referees Association, and member of the MFA Referees’ Board between 1985 and 1987. He was also an active member of the Malta Basketball Association and a Basketball referee between 1974 and 1996. In the early 1980s he founded and was the first president of the Federazzjoni Klabbs tal-Boċċi, where he compiled the statute and competition rules.

He also held various positions in the Malta Amateur Athletics Association and at the Malta Table Tennis Association.

Fr John Caruana (Posthumous): Born in 1941 in Mosta, Caruana was ordained as a priest on the 11 March 1967. He was already considered a social activist along his 17-year experience as a priest at the St Julian’s parish church. In 1984, Fr Caruana left the country to start his missionary vocation in Brazil, where he spent the rest of his life. He leaves a legacy of relevant work with Basic Ecclesial Communities, social pastoralists and his advocacy for agricultural reforms. His most notable and relentless commitment to the poor could be demonstrated by his constant and unwaivering support to the Landless Peasants Movement. He was one of the few who chose to defend the poor and was always present to help peasants occupy land and ranches purposely left untilled and turn these into productive farms to feed them and thousands of other families.

Karl Farrugia: Born in 1973, Farrugia is an engineer. After working in the private sector, he joined the health ministry as a biomedical engineer in 2001, where he was responsible for the procurement and commissioning of medical equipment at Mater Dei Hospital. He furthered his studies and in 2003 obtaining a Master’s Degree in Engineering. In 2007, he was appointed director for hospital materials management and logistics. He was selected as CEO in 2011 to spearhead the consolidation of the government procurement health services, today known as the Central Procurement and Supplies Unit. His role included the provision and distribution of pharmaceuticals, medical and surgical supplies, hospital equipment and services across the whole National Health System which accounted for a portfolio of over €500 million. In 2016, he was promoted to Managing Director with add-on responsibilities including the Pharmacy of Your Choice and the National Blood Transfusion Centre.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, he was also appointed by the Government to represent Malta on the European Union Joint Procurement Strategic Action Group. Ing. Farrugia was instrumental to guarantee timely availability of critical life-saving equipment and vaccines to the whole nation. Credit to his dedication and professional work, Malta became the first country in the European Union that reached herd immunity.

Louis Fsadni: Born on 18 August 1941 in Birgu and raised in Bormla, he served for 47 years in the public service. He was involved in numerous important reforms and the introduction of new systems mainly with respect to the counting of votes. Successive Electoral Commissions retained his services for 17 years after he retired from the public service in 2002.

His first experience in vote counting was the Gozo Referendum in 1973. He served as Senior Manager (Counting Hall) during nine general elections, four referenda, four European Parliament elections, 27 calls of Local Councils’ elections, numerous casual elections and other minor ones. Fsadni’s best achievement is the introduction of e-counting. He proposed the idea of e-counting to the Gonzi Commission in 1994 and again to a Parliamentary Select Committee in 2008. After the 2014 MEP Election, once again Fsadni proposed the e-counting system to the Electoral Commission. Fsadni’s dream became true after 29 years during the 2019 European Parliament and Local Councils’ Elections.

Brother Edward Galea: Born as Anthony in 1924 in Żabbar, in May 1939 he left Malta with another 11 aspirants and travelled to the Juniorate at Avignon, France. Despite the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, he stayed in France and was given the religious name of Tiburce Marie. When he returned to Malta in 1945, he started being called Edward.

In 1940, he started his novitiate at Pibrac, near Toulouse and in 1942, he moved to St Maurice L’Exil where he was given a special identity card allowing him restricted movement. He and the other Maltese Brothers were almost discovered by the Nazis due to their British passports and they decided to flee from St Maurice L’Exil. Edward headed to the Immaculate Conception Boarding School in Bezier where he started his first teaching practice in an elementary class.

At the end of August 1944, since much of France had been liberated, he returned to St Maurice L’Exil to finish his studies. Eight months later, when the war was over, they were all sent back to Malta. Since then, Brother Edward has been teaching and helping in the administration at De La Salle College for over 70 years.