This brief letter is to congratulate The Gleaner for its editorial of Thursday, October 22, titled: "Don't forget Dennis Daley and Flo O'Connor", in relation to the latest national awards bestowed on Jamaicans for significant contributions made.

The editorial singled out for special mention, or more specifically, the one "with greater symbolism", the Order of Jamaica (OJ) bestowed on Dr Carolyn Gomes, as executive director of Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ), the human rights group which, as noted, "she helped to launch at the turn of the decade, and of which she was the first chairperson..."

From what I recall as a journalist of our Caribbean Community on human rights issues in Jamaica and, in particular efforts by Dr Gomes and the JFJ, I wish to express, for what it is worth, personal congratulations for her recognised commitment in the cause of human rights.

At the same time, I think The Gleaner deserves a special note of thanks by all Jamaicans and other Caribbean citizens who may be familiar, even more than I am, with the tremendous contributions, over many years, by stalwarts in the defence and promotion of fundamental rights of the Jamaican people and others in our region.

To have reminded the decision makers and all others involved in the final list of national award recipients about the outstanding contributions of Flo O'Connor and Dennis Daley was commendable.

But there is yet another Jamaican who also belongs to that category of indefatigable human rights advocates with the Jamaica Council for Human Rights - even before it became necessary to attach 'Independent' to its acronym as the ICHR.

He is Richard Small who, like Dennis Daley, is a well known member of the region's legal profession. It has been my good fortune as a journalist to have known of their various activities in the defence and promotion of basic human rights, of Jamaicans and other Caribbean citizens, often at much personal sacrifice and, at times, mean comments from more than political elements.

I came to know the trio even better when I was recruited to be of service in the field of communication with the then Caribbean Human Rights Network (Caribbean Rights).

Together, Flo, Dennis and Richard, as I recall, steadfastly laboured in the cause of human rights when, instead of any possibility of gaining a national honour, their "reward" was often ridicule and pressure from detractors.

Champions

The many Jamaicans and others around the Caribbean Community, who may care to recollect, would know how useful it is for The Gleaner to now remember, at this time of the spreading of national awards, the sterling contributions of Flo O' Connor and Dennis Daley. I wish to also include what I view as an unfortunate omission, Richard Small, to complete the IJCHR trio of champions for human rights.

With or without any national award, I salute them, knowing as I strongly suspect, it is a sentiment shared among many Jamaicans and other CARICOM citizens who had to deal with them directly or through the human rights body, ICHR.

I am, etc.,

RICKEY SINGH

Barbados