A Nationalist Valletta councillor has stirred up new controversy after he uploaded a parody of the national anthem on to Facebook, presumably in criticism of the citizenship for sale scheme.
Vince Fabri, who is also known as a singer and guitarist on TV talk show Xarabank, entitled his piece: “Lil Din l-Art Helwa b’apologija lil Dun Karm” (To this beautiful land, with apologies to Dun Karm”
He wrote: “Lil din l-art qa?ba, l-omm li saret tinbig?, t?arisx Mulej, ?allina nag?mlu l-qlig?.” (“O Lord, do not look upon this whore of a land, the mother who now sells herself. Let us make some money.”
His post on Facebook immediately attracted a number of hostile comments, with some calling Mr Fabri a traitor. A certain Mario Psaila wrote: “Vince, irrespective of any political motivation or mileage, I must admit I never expected you – who I hold in the very highest regard – to stoop so low in changing our national anthem in this fashion. I feel it disrespectful to all those patriots who are proud to be Maltese. This I say even though I understand your concern and agree with most of it.”
A Simon Bugeja said: “I am ashamed that you represent the Nationalist Party. The PN deserves more serious people to represent it. You are a clown.”
DJ Simon Pisani wrote: “Quo vadis? You have to see to believe. Is this guy serious? The blood spilt by our forefathers is being ridiculed by someone who is supposed to be a patriot. I don’t agree with you on this Vince. I feel hurt.”
There were, however, a few who came to Mr Fabri’s defence. A Mario Azzopardi wrote: “Vince did not change the national anthem. He just used it to criticise the citizenship for sale scheme. Why are you guys getting into a tizzy because he has used the words in our national anthem to satirise a government agenda?”
But to make matters worse, former PL Mayor of Zebbug Brian Bonnici joined the comments board with his own parody of the national anthem.
“Lil din l-art ?elwa, li xi darba kienet safja, lil din l-art ?elwa, qarsa bil-korruzzjoni. Lil din l-art ?elwa li marder g?ax mermret il-pulmuni kagun taz-zejt ma?mug mixtri minn min qed jg?ix fl-Oppozizzjoni.....” Mr Bonnici’s version goes on and roughly translates as: “To this sweet land, that was once pure, sour with corruption, this land whose lungs deteriorated by the use of the oil bought by those who are now in Opposition. The same people who now think that they have become angels. They who think that they can throw stones at others as if they have no faults of their own. These pure angels are now calling Malta a prostitute but they have no shame and will not admit that they were the ones who destroyed this country.”