Is the UK national anthem really necessary?
Deputy Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley said the BVI’s territorial song resonates more with residents and should replace the UK National Anthem at more local events.
The minister made this announcement on September 24 in the House of Assembly as he asked the House to formally approve the playing of BVI’s territorial song at all future events organised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
“I cannot be pleased listening to the lyrics of God Save The Queen when it says for the Queen to ‘long reign over us’. When I listen to the words of the territorial song, how much it resonates. But ‘the Queen long reign over us’, I don’t believe it so it can’t resonate in my heart,” Dr Wheatley asserted.
He said eventually the BVI will have to become a fully independent nation, as was recommended by the United Nations. Thus, he said he believes the territory should gradually embrace the playing of the territorial song, ‘Oh Beautiful Virgin Islands’, at more local events.
“Is it really necessary to have the UK National Anthem played at some of the events we have? When I was growing up I never heard the UK national anthem as much as we hear it now,” Wheatley said.
He added that some BViIslanders will not agree that the territorial song should take prominence over the UK national anthem, adding that some people have “reverence” for the UK. But he said it is important for the BVI to continue moving towards becoming an independent nation.
Earlier this year, IOC approved the BVI’s request to have ‘Oh, Beautiful Virgin Islands’ played instead of the national anthem, ‘God Save the Queen’ whenever a local athletes win a gold medal at international sporting events.
The House of Assembly formally acknowledged that change yesterday September 24.
The territorial song was originally composed in 2012 by siblings Ayana Hull and Kareem-Nelson Hull and arranged by Howard John.
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Y’all stop there…UK watching with a keen eye…thread carefully
“I cannot be pleased listening to the lyrics of God Save The Queen when it says for the Queen to ‘long reign over us’. When I listen to the words of the territorial song, how much it resonates. But ‘the Queen long reign over us’, I don’t believe it so it can’t resonate in my heart.”
Many, many, many have identical feelings since childhood. Many still cringe upon hearing that anthem bellowing morning, noon and night, keeping the young, middle and old minds colonized.
Like those colonial statues around the world, time for those insidious words and melody to go.
God save our noble mothers, fathers, aunts sisters and daughters. May they continue to live long and bring life on earth for all of us. That anthem and its representations and its history have not and is doing nothing to uplift us.
Thank you Hon. Walwyn for all your work on making sure we have a territorial song, territorial dress, our pledge and so much more. To work to have our song replace the national anthem at sporting events was started by you and the Olympic committee from what I gathered yesterday.
If you feel colonized and a slave due to a song then you should seek advanced medical help. This song pays homage to a nation and its ruler who took your ancestors out of the dark ages. Slavery was a black eye in the British Empire but you should all visit Africa to see how you would be living if it weren’t for the British. Your African relatives are joyful to have drinkable water so get over yourselves and be happy singing a great song.
Colonize is US
Colonise is UK
You sound helpless. You need help beyond medical. Your recollection of history is incorrect. You sound like a house one.
I am extremely bothered whenever I have to read bigoted posts like these, obviously resonating from descendants of those who oppressed, and dehumanized our ancestors. It bothers me more that they live among us and still feel empowered to publicly express their contempt and obvious feeling of superiority to those of us of African ancestry. It is important that we do not allow this type of expression or sentiment to flourish in our society and it must be vehemently opposed in all of its forms as we continue to remove the shackles of slavery, particularly the mental ones, that some for their own selfish gain, would wish to continue to keep us in.
Big up to the Honourable Minister Wheatley and I say “forward ever, backward never.
We are in a psychological, economic and survival war with the so-called white man. He went to Africa and sailed around the world centuries ago and launched devastating fit and war on us.
Today, his descendants, most of them are still in that frame of mind. They are still waging psychological war against us under the false notion of skin color superiority. What nonsense and stupidity!
Know that we as a collective have been woefully damaged over the centuries by their wanton inhumanity. Therefore, know and teach that it is only us who can reverse the damage done. It will takes decades to centuries to unshackle such, but we have begun the work.
Meanwhile, know and be aware that they have never stopped trying to destroy us individually or collectively. They will never stop. It is their very nature to do what they do.
say this with your real name i dare you
Wake up: With Brexit- In ten years the UK could look like Venezuela
No, it is not necessary if you prefer to sing the Chinese National anthem. Make a choice Mr Minister
Small country needs a big brother. Its a choice between UK, US or China. Which is the lessor of evils?
US: systematic racism in their electoral college and law enforcement? Cops can kill POC with impunity. Racist president unafraid to make racist statements.
UK: multicultural country where 2 of the 3 highest political positions are currently held by POC? Country making strides to improve its racial wealth disparity. Not perfect and a long way to go.
China: 2 million Uighurs in concentration camps. Currently oppressing Hong Kong and dismantling democratic infrastructure. Do you think they like non-ethnically Han Chinese people or do you think they think they are racially superior than ever other race?
Devise a plan then.
but give up the casual sexism of the territorial song – the lyrics need to be changed to reflect modern society.
That song does not resonate in my Spirit. I actually switch off my radio when I hear it playing.
Let that song be the territory song. But then again, as I recall, thought we don’t like calling here a TERRITORY.
Be that as it may, consider having a National Anthem, but not that song PLEASE
I agree
It is an undisputiable fact, that were it not for the British and all the other Euroean holocaustic, plunderous and murderous intervention into Africa and the diaspor, Africa, the diaspora and the world be in a greater advanced position today.
Your racist, Britcentric and biased response does not change historical facts or trajectories. Mic drop!!!!
Africa, like all developed and developing nations have challenges, but do be reminded that most African countries today are recording greater GDP growth that any developed western nation.
Additionally, there are parts in Africa that have higher standards of living than that of the UK, US or other EU countries.
Further, take away the colonial continuous plundering that is on going of African countries resources, and all of those countries will end up third world countries in less than a decade.
France, the most pernecious of the colonizers today will revert to a third world country over night.
Further, the conditions that you maybe alluding to in parts of Africa are direct results of continuos pernicious European pracitices against Africa.
So keep posting irrelevant nonesense as the whole Black race is still deaf, dumb, blind, uneducated, unexposed and unknowing.
Jesus lord! i thought slavery had done a masterful job on the psyche of the Blackman, but lord oh lord, it has equally brainwashed you to. Lord have mercy on your poor soul.
So why not use the US National Anthem. The people here love the US dollar more than their mother….seriously, this is the crap you guys are talking about!? You want to open the country December 1st. Can you figure out how that is going to work before this nonsense.
Please drop the “British” and just become the Virgin Islands, since your links to the UK seem to offend you so much (except when you want something!)
Assuming we are or will be colonized by the Chinese?
Well, as much as many smay till love the former government, and still do, and one of its estemmed members, and many still do, it/they sure did put such a scare and conjured up much trepidation in many minds when, in their courtship with the Chinese, they, the Chinese political machinery had manuvered our political machine into accepting mandarin as a second language in our schools.
Glad that got derailed though, as, it was the Chinese first step in their colonialization plan to colonailization.
Next would have been confuscious at HLSCC. Two of the 50 year colonilization tools project would have been established, and yes, the BVI would have been on its way to Cinese colonialozation. No doubt.
It is believed, therefore, that that may have been one of the straws that broke the confidence of the people with the previous regime.
I hate to say this.. People are suffering.. Not the time to waste time on Anthem…Use your time to help work on the reopening plan… As it is now. U all don’t have one…
Please stop your hipocrisy.you really push the bvi to independence.we are just fulling ourselves.the bvi cannot go independent anytime soon.are we gonna turn to china?.like the other islands.please stop fooling ourself.there is no suck thing as independence.none of these caribbean islands is truly independent.they still depend on chona,the us,and the eu.so what is the definatipn of independence you tell me.
The reason why this government is trying to convince us that independence is the way to go.because they wanna full control of their own affairs in other to easily get away with corruption like the other islands in the caribbean.they wanna get away with thiefing all the money in ttreasury.bvislanders wake up.lets mot repeat these mistakes like these other caribbean islands.
If we are a democratic society.first the government the people opinion on independence.
Vip must go next election.
Keep dreaming funny man it’s not going to happen vip will be there for a long time
I don’t care much. But if we are going to have a song of our own can it be something better than that turgid dirge that we play at present. It’s sounds like a requiem mass.
You all are going down a road the people of this country don’t want to go especially been led by the weakest Government in history. Yes we want to be respected but not independence.
The territorial song is just a rip off of another song with the words changed.
yes it is necessary as long as Tortola is a British Territory, any more questions?
Question to Dr Natalio Wheatley, Is the UK Passport really necessary?
For a highly educated leader it sounds so silly. Until we go independent , the U.K. anthem would be sung . I so aghast !! Our prejudice emotions make us lose our sense of reality . We are on OT of the U.K.
When are the people of the BVI actually going to have a say on these matters? This is a matter for the people. Let’s have a referendum. I am sick of these politicians trying to force their anti-UK agenda on us. If it’s the will of the people, then let it be. But, if it’s not, then maybe we can finally focus on fixing the things that need to be fixed, rather than fighting with the UK and every Governor that comes and tries to offer help.
The territory song is apalling! it’s like it was written by a 9 year old and shows us for what we are; mediocre and delusional regarding our competence and importance. Thank God we have the UK or this place would be even more corrupt, more infighting and even lower standards.
Our leaders are middle management playing at adult things at best.
The territorial song dont even sound good the UK song is much better but why are we picking a fight with them now.
Andrew stop following the mindset of these other Caribbean leaders with this anti British sentiment allegedly. This is not your country to give away to them nor to grind an ax with the UK for them.
BVI news is applauded for rectifying its comment like dislike feature. Where one could like or dislike comment multiple times was fixed. Applause!!
However, there still appears a glitch existing where that may appeal to a portion of the community may only receive one like of acknowledgement.
The comment posted by “Just saying,” which is a vital, critical and important contributive comment to the discussion on the topic of overt bigotry, now a daily and unfortunate feature in our discourses, no doubt must have garnered more agreement than one thumbs up.
As, there are many like minded readers in the territory who are appalled by those who have made themselves “empowered to publicly express their contempt, hatred and obvious feeling of superiority to those of us of African and Black BVIsalander ancestry.”
It is believed, therefore, due to the nature and content of the comment, the approval or thumbs up feature was deliberately disabled/blocked.
As is the human case, many still have severe difficulty facing and dealing with the truth and truths.
Maybe one day, after this current breed has died out, mankind will begin to evolve. Meanwhile, do right by all, always.
Is the U.K passport really necessary?
You cannot trust this government.we cannot think of independence.
This government needs to quit while they are ahead.. a group of people can not decide that kind of decision for a country. The people will decide what they want .and as for now I’m sure 9 out of 10 will say no to independence.. never ever .. that will be crazy so please just stop it and hush.. natalio and Andrew.. I hope to hear one day one of you elected officials stop saying yes to every darn thing Andrew want get some ballas and stand up mon sickening now!!
At this present time, our political leaders should focus primarily on the economy, re-opening schools, covid-19, rising crimes in the territory and not some song.
We can put MORRIS MARK SONG. ITS A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN PARADISE.as the national anthem of the bvi…….
I say, Let her play!
Does it really matter what the words of that song actually says?
What we should be concerned about, is whether we truly live up to the ideals of the territorial song:
“COURAGE for our great leaders, that they rule our destiny.
We ask for WISDOM FOR OUR PEOPLE, that they live in harmony;
And, UNDERSTANDING FOR OUR CHILDREN, that they may cherish this legacy”..
Let us as a people, strive to retain our precious lands,like the first stanza says, instead of the selling outs, that have been taking place most recently!
This my people, is what we should be about the getting of: the retention of our British Virgin Island-ness!
When a country especially its leaders do not even understand the law and boundaries under which the exist in it is sad . That is why we would soon destroy this country . 1. Simple thing like the anthem … We are not yet independent 2. Overriding the Governor… work with him to reach the best compromise… We are not yet independent 3. People we are still an OT … The politicians and the Pastor need to stop misleading the people . Fight but use wisdom in picking your battles 4. Lodging a complaint against the governor to the U.K. … The governor makes decision in conjunction with the U.K. the military is a U.K. decision. We are not yet independent…..