THE Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) has noted the indelible contributions of Bishop Randolph George, who died on Monday.“The Bishop is said to have contributed significantly in the late 70’s and 80’s towards challenging the widespread repression and his courageous and unflappable spirit was also said to be reassuring to other human rights and political activists in times of tension,” the GHRA stated.

In a statement, the human rights watchdog said the Bishop’s willingness to be the voice of the voiceless was acclaimed to be unwavering in an era where the “Freedom of Expression” utterance was almost non-existent.

“Bishop George sought to defend human rights violations and his contributions were rooted in freedom of expressions, the independence of the courts and countering abuses generated by the supremacy of the then ruling party.

“He, along with Catholic Bishop Benedict Sigh, showed political courage to defend trade union demonstrations and denounce police actions taken against these demonstrations during the economic austerity calamity of the late 1980s,” the GHRA stated.

According to the Association, the Bishop endeavored to provide leadership in a more civilized and dignified manner as he attributed in the struggle for free and fair elections and that his role in the Guyanese Action for Reform ad Democracy (GUARD) also showed his stature as a trusted national figure whose influence was not limited to the religious and civic community.

“His influence is deemed as one of a unifying nature due to his ability to surpass the ethnic divide and highlight his genuine interest in matters that were requisite for all. He has also been attested to know many Amerindians by name due to his constant trekking in visiting interior Anglican communities,” the GHRA noted.

The Association noted that the Bishop is said to have spent almost the last two decades of his life in relative privacy, and this came as a result of the restoration of democratic space in 1992, “for which a man like him whose attributes to social justice was due to his larger religious calling rather than a political inclination.”

The GHRA noted that to those skeptical of the value of social and political activism which often felt more symbolic that substantive in that repressive era, the Bishop’s response was that, whether successful or not, without such activism the situation would have been much worse.

The GRHA extended warmest sympathy and condolences on the death of the late Bishop to his wife, Sheila, his family and to the entire Anglican Community.