A GREAT outpouring of emotions attended the homegoing service of former pastor of the Burns Memorial Presbyterian Church, the late Reverend Dr Dale Bisnauth, who died at the Caribbean Heart Institute, located in the compound of the Georgetown Public Hospital, on April 4 last following a brief period of illness. He had been 76 years old.

The late Reverend Dr Bisnauth had lived a life of distinguished service to his beloved country and to humanity in general. He once served his country in the capacities of Minister of Education, and Minister of Labour, Human Services and Social Security; and he had served humanity as a Professor at the University of the West Indies, and as a Historian and Journalist, among the many distinguished services he had rendered in his lifetime.

Open grief
Many wept openly as hundreds yesterday filled the auditorium of the Burns Memorial Presbyterian Church at Irving and Anira Streets in Queenstown, Georgetown to bid farewell and pay final respects to a man whose life had been so touching and inspiring.
Among the mourners were Head of State, President Donald Ramotar; Prime Minister Samuel Hinds; former President Bharrat Jagdeo; Speaker of the House, Mr. Raphael Trotman; Ministers of Government and other Parliamentarians; other key representatives of political parties; members of the diplomatic corps; relatives and friends, and hundreds whose lives Dr Bisnauth had touched in diverse ways.
A relative hush descended on the proceedings as the body of the late Reverend was removed from the entrance of the church, where it had been mounted for viewing, and ceremonially escorted before the altar by Clerk of Session and Clerks of the Demerara Presbytery. It was to be his final appearance before the altar of the church, and ironically, the only occasion when he could not grace the congregation with sage words of wisdom and consolation.

Tributes
The tributes were many, glowing and moving, as friends and loved ones relived the memory of what a wonderful husband and father Dr Bisnauth had been. They remembered his tremendous contribution to nation building, both politically and socially, even as they reminisced on the remarkable impact he had had on the lives of everyone with whom he had come into contact.
Tributes were offered by family members; representatives of Government; a representative of Parliament; the Reformed Churches of Guyana; the Diaspora (North America); and the General Secretary of the Synod, who told of having received more than 300 emails on the death of Rev. Dr. Bisnauth.
In the many glowing tributes, Dr. Bisnauth was remembered as a humble servant; a man of God; selfless and compassionate; a multifaceted individual who possessed extraordinary depths of intellect and great capacity for thought; a brilliant, inspirational theologian; and one who had a remarkable sense of humour and an incredible instinct for justice.
He was also remembered as having performed in every capacity with distinction, leaving an indelible mark on his people; and as one who had never lost the human touch or forgotten where he had come from.
Moreover, he was credited with having had an instinctive empathy ‘with the disadvantaged people of ordinary means and modest hopes and dreams’. “We shall remember him with gratitude for his humanity, his compassion and selfless service to our country and out region,” one tribute said.

Special Tributes
Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee described the late Dr. Bisnauth as a man of many talents, and one in whom he had seen seven pictures: those of a clergyman; a theologist; a historian; a journalist; a lecturer; a politician; and a chief executive officer of two government agencies. “There’s no single picture of Dale. He’s a man of many talents,” Minister Rohee said. He recalled that Dr. Bisnauth had been very complex in his personality and thinking, to the extent that he had embodied what is so complex and complicated — how the Church is to serve society, and vice versa.
“He was a very noble man, carrying out very noble tasks, and always willing to go the extra mile. (He was) positive; optimistic, always thought-provoking, and an agent of change; one who brought new thinking to the Cabinet and into those ministries he headed,” Minister Rohee said.
And Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine, who spoke on behalf of the National Assembly, recalled that the late Dr Dale Bisnauth had been born in rural Guyana in 1936, had risen from humble beginnings, and had been the son and grandson of farmers. “But through ambition, sacrifice and hard work, Dale, who was very focused and a no-nonsense person, made it up the intellectual ladder, graduating from the United Theological College, where he later lectured in Comparative Religious and Church History.
“He obtained his Doctorate in History from the University of the West Indies, and also obtained a BA in Divinity Studies from the University of London.” And he published many books, searching out and documenting the religious experiences of the early inhabitants of the Region.
He wrote on the History of the Guyana Presbyterian Church; and on the Settlement of Indians in Guyana 1830-1930, among other topics. Dr. Roopnaraine regarded the late Dr Bisnauth’s contribution to Caribbean scholarship as outstanding.
Dr. Roopnarine alluded to a statement from the Ministry of Education which attested to the fact that, during his tenure at the Ministry of Education, Dr. Bishauth had implemented many programmes that have stood the test of time: The Primary Education Improvement Project; The Design and Implementation of the Secondary School Reform Project; the initiative of the Basic Access Management Support Programme; the Introduction of Board Management at the Cyril Potter College of Education and at Senior Secondary Schools; and the introduction of technical education are among the successful and far-reaching initiatives undertaken by Dr. Bisnauth during his tenure as Minister of Education, Dr. Roopnaraine said.
Dr Roopnaraine contended that in Rev. Bisnauth’s passing, the Church and the people of Guyana have lost a son of distinction and rare talent, who saw service to the people as a natural extension of his chosen vocation. “But despite all this,” Dr Roopnaraine said, “he remained a humble person, living his life for his people, and doing it as unto God.”

Dr Bisnauth remembered
The Reverend Dr. Dale Bisnauth had been a man of quiet dignity; a profoundly meek and friendly individual who went about life with an astute sense of purpose, perhaps recognizing that God had specially placed him at the helm of three very important ministries, thereby vesting him with responsibility for the largest aggregate of people under his portfolio: the Education sector, with responsibility for educators and all the nation’s children; the labour sector, comprising the nation’s labour force; and not least, as a minister of religion, where he shepherded souls and offered stewardship for his congregation, while undoubtedly influencing other congregations.
Also, as a journalist, the late Reverend Dr Dale Bisnauth influenced the thoughts, behaviours, and beliefs of people.
The late Dr Bisnauth’s eulogy was read by Phulandar Kandhai, and the pastor who officiated at the service was Reverend Etwaroo.