Singer Freddie Portelli, has been awarded the Medal for Service to the Republic this morning. The top honour of the Ġieħ ir-Repubblika was given to retired Archbishop Paul Cremona.

Judge Emeritus Philip Sciberras is being made an Officer of the Order of Merit while the new Honorary Officers are former US Ambassador Gina Abercombie-Winstanlet, Sandro Gozi (Italian under secretary of foreign affairs), Lord Mandelson (former UK Cabinet minister and EU commissioner) and Rachid Marif, the ambassador of Algeria.

The new Members are Ambassador Clifford Borg Marks, Maria Camilleri, head of the Muslim school, Fr Anthony Edmond Caruana, Dr David Mifsud, the late Karmen Mikallef Buhagiar, Dr Godfrey A Pirotta and businessman Joseph Zammit Tabona. Stephen Drewes and Alexander Piltz are honourary members

The Medal for Service to the Republic is also being awarded to the late Mro Anthony Aquilina, the Hospice Movement, the Franciscan Sisters who care for Maltese patients in London, national waterpolo coach Karl Izzo, referee Esther Azzopardi and broadcaster Peter Paul Ciantar.

The award is also being given to dancer Alison White Micallef, Nicolina Farrugia, Dr Christopher Micallef, a University lecturer who has studied the Mnajdra Temples and Dr Alan Ralph Curry, founder of the Lifecycle team.