| Grenada Goofs: Anthem Mixup |
By BBC - Caribbean
February 5, 2007
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| "I think you would have to go a long way to find a more embarrassing moment for us" was how newspaper publisher Leslie Pierre described Saturday's incident in Grenada. |
Prime Minister Keith Mitchell has promised an investigation into the diplomatic incident, in which the Taiwanese national anthem was played at the official handing over of the Chinese-funded national stadium.
The gaffe by the Royal Grenada Police Force Band caused deep |
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| embarrassment to officials of the government, and the Chinese ambassador and other representatives who attended the ceremony on Saturday. |
| A most unfortunate incident |
| Mr. Pierre called it a most unfortunate incident which had left the country's prime minister and the police commissioner with egg on their faces. |
| But there were harsher comments from Grenadians on the streets. |
| One man told BBC Caribbean "I'm not accepting any apology from the police force, this is a sabotage by the police." |
| "Whether it was sabotage or mixup I think it's distasteful" one woman observed. |
| The police received some support when one man insisted that they shouldn't be made a scapegoat: "Somebody gave the police the national anthem to practice." |
| Correct anthem played eventually |
| The correct anthem, China's, was played after Saturday's ceremony to hand over the US$40 million facility which will host matches of the cricket world cup which starts next month. |
| China does not recognise Taiwan as an independent country, regarding it instead as a renagade breakaway province. |
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