Got TIPS or BREAKING NEWS? Please call 1-284-442-8000 direct/can also WhatsApp same number or Email ALL news to:newsvino@outlook.com;                               ads call 1-284-440-6666

Territorial Song to replace ‘God Save the Queen' @ sports events

- Decision made @ Cabinet Meeting of September 18, 2019
Pan Am Games 2019 gold medallist Chantel E. Malone, centre, waves to the crowd at the conclusion of the playing of ‘God Save the Queen at the games’ medal ceremony on August 7, 2019. Photo: Facebook/BVIAA
The Resolution for the Territorial Song, ‘Oh Beautiful Virgin Islands’ to be played, in place of the National Anthem, ‘God Save the Queen’, at regional and international sports events will be tabled in the House of Assembly at the next convenient Sitting. Photo: VINO/File
The Resolution for the Territorial Song, ‘Oh Beautiful Virgin Islands’ to be played, in place of the National Anthem, ‘God Save the Queen’, at regional and international sports events will be tabled in the House of Assembly at the next convenient Sitting. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- When Virgin Islands long jump queen Chantel E. Malone received her gold medal for winning the Women’s Long Jump Final at the Pan American Games in August 2019, those at the Estadio Nacional, in Lima, Peru and others viewing via television or live-stream, then heard the National Anthem, ‘God Save the Queen’, played.

While this may not be the last time Malone wins a medal at such a prestigious international event, it may be the last time ‘God Save the Queen’ is played whenever an athlete or team from the [British] Virgin Islands receives a medal at regional and international sports events.

Cabinet, in its meeting of September 18, 2019, decided on this change.

According to Cabinet’s post meeting statement released to the media today, October 8, 2019, Cabinet decided that the Territorial Song, "Oh Beautiful Virgin Islands" be played, in place of the National Anthem, "God Save the Queen", at regional and international sports events where a participant(s) representing the territory of the Virgin Islands receives a medal and that a Resolution be tabled in the House of Assembly at the next convenient Sitting.

History

The winning team or athlete's national anthem was first played with the raising of the country flag at the 1924 Olympic Games.

A nation may choose to have another anthem played instead of their national one if they so choose.

Even though they were a divided country, both West and East Germany participated as the United Team of Germany from 1956-1964. To avoid dispute between the countries, the anthem to be played was chosen to be Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 melody to Schiller's Ode an die Freude (the ode to joy).

Research shows that at the 1992 Olympic Games, the former Soviet republics competed in a united team known as the "Unified Team", with the song "Ode to Joy" played during their medal ceremonies.

Taiwanese athletes receive their medals to the "Flag Raising Song", rather than the Chinese National Anthem.

At the 1980 Games in Moscow, several non-Communist countries that were participating chose to have the Olympic Hymn played instead of their National Anthem.

According to Olympic rules, national anthems cannot be longer than 80 seconds in length, which means that some countries have had to create a shortened version of their anthem.

22 Responses to “Territorial Song to replace ‘God Save the Queen' @ sports events”

  • residents (08/10/2019, 14:49) Like (19) Dislike (19) Reply
    Good move we support
    • Huh! (09/10/2019, 10:51) Like (11) Dislike (5) Reply
      The anthem is supposed to generate an overwhelming feeling of pride in the competitor and the crowd. Anthems such as the US, the French and the German do this very well. The UK anthem (God Save the Queen) does not and is probably the least pride generating song Bar one - unfortunately the one is the BVI National song. It is truly awful - (Oh how radiant are your daughters! And how wealthy are your sons!) and nauseating. I would prefer to hear silence to this rubbish. Let’s have a rousing anthem (something like Land of Hope and Glory) and consign our territorial song to the rubbish bin.
    • Citizen (09/10/2019, 11:26) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
      It's a good move but can't we make this song a bit shorter?
  • Really (08/10/2019, 15:10) Like (12) Dislike (3) Reply
    So they doing that overseas and NOT AT HOME SMH
  • mo (08/10/2019, 16:03) Like (20) Dislike (5) Reply
    Bout darn time.
  • Whyyy (08/10/2019, 16:59) Like (14) Dislike (18) Reply
    It is such an ugly song.
  • Jordana (08/10/2019, 19:30) Like (10) Dislike (4) Reply
    @why.. Hmmn that song is a beautiful song and so is the melody.. I always disliked singing that “God save the queen”song in school... God save us BVI from her lol.. just never felt right; so I am very proud that we will be using our own song-National Pride..our island is very beautiful.. good move!
  • Want2Kno (08/10/2019, 20:19) Like (4) Dislike (5) Reply
    "....Cabinet decided that the Territorial Song, "Oh Beautiful Virgin Islands" be played, in place of the National Anthem, "God Save the Queen", at regional and international sports events where a participant(s) representing the territory of the Virgin Islands receives a medal...."

    Only for the athlete winning gold, is the anthem is played....not when they 'receive a (bronze/silver) medal'
  • Tolian (09/10/2019, 07:37) Like (5) Dislike (11) Reply
    This is so disrespectful.... We will be the only country on the planet not singing their official national anthem....youall too quick to forget who we bawl help from after Irma...you can't have your cake and eat it too.
    • @Tortolian (09/10/2019, 08:02) Like (14) Dislike (1) Reply
      No, we are the only country with a territorial song using an anthem. Not even the UK plays God Save the Queen for these events. Know the facts.
    • There is more than the headlines (09/10/2019, 09:04) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
      Did you not read the article? they gave examples of other countries that do not play their national anthem.
  • ...... (09/10/2019, 08:25) Like (3) Dislike (8) Reply
    I disagree. It should stay with 'God Save The Queen' ...National pride is to be shown abroad. We're still a British territory that don't have a problem with Great Britain. Why create one 'just because' ?
  • Fran (09/10/2019, 11:03) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Thank you, thank you and thank you for changing from God save the queen.
  • Give credit (09/10/2019, 11:39) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    The Territory Song is quite lovely I think, certainly in terms of the musical arrangement and the voice of the person who did the official recording, but I am just concerned that it blatantly plagiarizes Maya Angelou poem, “Still I Rise”. I refer specifically to Line 32 of the poem which reads, “Out of the huts of history’s shame”, which is the opening line of the Territory song! I would have thought, that in writing a song for the Territory, the powers that be would have checked to ensure that the wording was authentic, and if not, give due credit to Maya Angelou if you are going to use her work. I mean, it’s bad for a person to steal someone else’s work; it’s much, much worse when a country does it.
  • hm (09/10/2019, 20:01) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    There is a difference. Be careful folks


Create a comment


Create a comment

Disclaimer: Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) welcomes your thoughts, feedback, views, bloggs and opinions. However, by posting a blogg you are agreeing to post comments or bloggs that are relevant to the topic, and that are not defamatory, liable, obscene, racist, abusive, sexist, anti-Semitic, threatening, hateful or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be excluded permanently from making contributions. Please view our declaimer above this article. We thank you in advance for complying with VINO's policy.

Follow Us On

Disclaimer: All comments posted on Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) are the sole views and opinions of the commentators and or bloggers and do not in anyway represent the views and opinions of the Board of Directors, Management and Staff of Virgin Islands News Online and its parent company.