A meagre turn-out of 63 and the glaring absence of representation from the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) or the Ministry of Culture at the funeral service for veteran Barbadian calypsonian Leopold Mighty Charmer Kirton yesterday prompted eulogist Mark Williams to ask entertainers: “Is it really worth it?”
The Mighty Charmer is said to have paved the way for today’s generation of calypsonians and Williams described him as “the originator of social commentary”.
William Smokey Burke was the lone artiste from the current crop of calypsonians at the service at New Dimensions Ministries, Barbarees Hill, St Michael. He sat with veterans Don Sir Don Marshall, Oliver Lord Radio Broomes, Charlie Austin, formerly of Charlie And The Cyclones, Desmond Weekes formerly of the Draytons Two, promoter Richard Stoute and saxophonist Gerald Seaman Hunte.
“When it comes to us, it seems as if people no longer care about the contribution we made,” Williams lamented.
It was a sentiment shared by Lord Radio who remarked at the end of the service: “It is really a sad thing for me that I do not see any representative of the NCF or the Ministry of Culture.”
