By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT

tsmith-cartwright@tribunemedia.net

TRIBUTES poured in over the weekend paying homage to the life of former PLP Cabinet minister and veteran broadcaster Sir Charles Carter, who died at the age of 78 on Saturday.

Sir Charles was elected to the House of Assembly as a member of Parliament for the Progressive Liberal Party in 1982 and served a second term in 1987. He represented the Holy Cross constituency and served in the Pindling administration as Minister of Health and Minister of Foreign Affairs.

In 1992, the Ingraham administration passed a law opening the airwaves to all who wanted private licences. In 1993, that administration started to issue the licences and Sir Charles was in 1999 granted a licence to open his radio station, Island FM. He was appointed to the Senate in 1997 by the PLP, but had to resign his seat as the law stipulated that no politicians were to have radio licences.

From 2004 to 2007, Sir Charles held the positions of publisher and general manager of The Nassau Guardian. He was knighted in 2016.

Colleagues in the Pindling administration,  including former Prime Ministers Perry Christie and Hubert Ingraham, and current Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis were among the first to pay tribute to his life.

“More than any other radio personality of his or any other age, Charles Carter was the greatest exponent of indigenous Bahamian music that we have ever had,” Mr Christie said.

“For decades, his ‘Young Bahamian Show’ celebrated the musical and creative genius of The Bahamas in such a profoundly learned and interesting way that it is unlikely ever to be matched.

“This was immensely important for us, a people struggling to develop a unique cultural identity and consciousness in the years preceding and then following the attainment of national independence.”

Mr Ingraham also remembers Sir Charles for pushing Bahamian artists into the spotlight. He hailed the broadcaster as being “true to his mission” of using Island FM to continue this good will.

“His ‘Young Bahamian Show’ on ZNS radio and later ‘Focus’ on ZNS television served, in the formative days of our nationhood, to bring recognition and value to Bahamian culture and very markedly to Bahamian music,” Mr Ingraham said.

“I was happy to see him obtain a licence to operate a radio station following the ending of the government’s monopoly of the airwaves. It is telling that he resigned his appointment to the Senate so as to become eligible to hold a broadcasting licence. True to his mission, he dedicated his station, Island FM, to the promotion and advancement of Bahamian music and culture.”

In his tribute Dr Minnis said he was saddened to hear of Sir Charles passing: 

I was saddened to learn of the death of Sir Edward Charles Carter at the age of 78.

“When he spoke of our arts or music one could hear the passion he had for his country and people,” said Dr Minnis.

“Sir Charles began at the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas in 1964 as a radio announcer.

“He spent years promoting Bahamian culture and played an instrumental role in bringing television to the country.

“Sir Charles rose through the ranks at the Corporation to the top post of general manager. Along the way, he was the national voice of numerous broadcasts and programmes that enriched our understanding of ourselves as a people. His signature voice was recognized throughout the Commonwealth.

“Sir Charles entered frontline politics for the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP). He served as the Member of Parliament for the Holy Cross constituency from 1982 to 1992. He also served in Cabinet as Minister of Health and Minister of Foreign Affairs.

“In his post-political life, Sir Charles had further successes. He created Carter Marketing in 1993 with his sons Eddie and Mark.

“He received a radio licence in 1999 for Island FM, a station focused on Bahamian music and culture. Sir Charles also served for a period as publisher of The Nassau Guardian.

“As an acknowledgement of his extraordinary service to the country Her Majesty the Queen knighted Sir Charles in 2016.

“Sir Charles was a cultural giant who did his part to ensure that knowledge of Bahamian culture passed on to successive generations. He loved our traditions and passed on this love with great exuberance and passion.

“Sir Charles lived a life of extraordinary accomplishments. On behalf of the Government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, I extend heartfelt condolences to Lady Carter and the entire Carter family on the death of Sir Charles.

“May he rest in eternal peace.”

For his stellar career in the field of journalism and communications, Sir Charles was the recipient of The Sir Etienne Dupuch Lifetime Achievement Award during the Bahamas Press Club Media Awards in 2018. It is the highest honour given by the group.

The Press Club released a statement on Sir Charles’ passing calling him a pioneer in the business.

“Sir Charles’ career ran the gamut from a radio announcer and television personality to the House of Parliament, and the Cabinet to newspaper publisher, and radio station owner,” the statement said.

“Sir Charles, as he was affectionately called, was a pioneer in the early 1960s with the Young Bahamians radio programme on ZNS. He rose through the ranks of the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas and was instrumental in setting up the television station in the mid-1970s, for which he was general manager.”

Senator Fred Mitchell, chairman of the PLP, praised Sir Charles for serving Parliament with distinction.

“This marks the end of an era in the life of our country for the arts, broadcasting and media. For decades Sir Charles loomed over those spheres,” Senator Mitchell said. “He was the voice that woke us up each morning. He assured us that we were Bahamians.

“He then entered public life and served with distinction as a member of Parliament and a Cabinet minister.”

Sir Charles spent his formative years at the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas (BCB). He began his career there in 1964. In a statement, the BCB referred to him as the promoter of excellence in broadcasting.

“On behalf of the executive chairman, board of directors, management and staff of the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas (past and present), we send our sincerest condolences to Lady Muriel Carter and the entire Carter family on the passing of a Bahamian broadcast giant.

“He spent many years at ZNS in the promotion of excellence in broadcasting, both on radio and television. He was instrumental in the introduction of television in The Bahamas and was the voice of many national radio and television broadcasts including the seminal, 1973 independence celebrations broadcast, ‘Focus’, and the ‘Young Bahamian Showcase.’”

Sir Charles is survived by his wife Lady Muriel Carter, as well as sons, Eddie and Mark Carter.