New Global Human Order (NGHO) – an initiative piloted by the late Dr Cheddi Jagan in 1994, which has found favour with over 160 countries across the globe, will in a matter of days come up for deliberation and a possible vote and call to action, at the world’s highest forum – the United Nations General Assembly, as it meets for its 71st General Council Meeting.
Dr. Cheddi Jagan
The People’s Progressive Party (PPP), the political party that Dr Jagan founded, this past week called on the current Administration to recognise the importance of the NGHO at the UN General Assembly and to put its full weight behind the initiative when the matter holds the attention of world leaders once again.
This was the clarion call by former Ambassadors, Ministers, President and other dignitaries when they met at the National Library this past weekend for a public gathering to discuss, ahead of the UN General Assembly’s confab, Guyana’s position on the matter in light of the fact that Dr Jagan’s party was now in Opposition.
‘Baby … bathwater’
PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee addressing the modest gathering at the National Library on Friday evening urged that the current A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government “not throw out the baby with the bathwater”.
In attendance were former Ambassador to Brazil, Merlin Udho; former Ambassador to Cuba, Mitra Devi Ali, brother of the late Dr Walter Rodney, Lawrence Rodney; former Prime Minister Samuel Hinds; former Junior Finance Minister Juan Edghill and a host of other high-profile PPP/Civic figures in addition to the current Russian and Chilean Plenipotentiary Representatives to Guyana.
Dr Jagan’s NGHO was first publicised in 1994 following his ascension to office. He called for a different approach in the relationships between the developed and the developing countries.
Rohee, in his presentation to the gathering, said his party had been pushed into posing the question to Parliament and was told by Vice President Carl Greenidge that “Government will continue to pursue issue as we move forward,” but not before saying that the initiative had essentially expired and had been overtaken by time.
Rohee said that it was this uncertainty in the responses provided by Government that caused the Party to hold the public forum to remind of the importance of the Guyanese initiative despite of the political party in office.
Caricom support
He said the Vice President’s answer was “good news on paper”, but urged that the Party members not sit on their “laurels” and be complacent.
He said the PPP has already written to members of Caricom, reminding of the importance of the occasion and again calling for their support.
According to Rohee, “We thought it would be useful to have this (Public) forum to discuss the matter, precisely because of this session of the UN General Assembly.”
He questioned, “…how could an important matter like this be up for discussion on the highest forum in the world and the country that has proposed that this matter be on the agenda remain silent?”
Still relevant
Addressing the primarily PPP supporters gathered in the National Library, Rohee conceded that aspects of Dr Jagan’s NGHO would have to be refined since it was always proposed as an agreement between countries that had been crafted some time ago that recognised the need for continuous reviews.
He argued nonetheless that the main tenets of the agreement were still relevant in today’s reality—moreso now.
Disorder
“This is an evolving concept,” Rohee said, even as he spoke to its relevance in the 21st Century, since according to him, the world has been plunged into a state of disorder.
Speaking directly to the response provided by Government, Rohee said, “I agree, I fully support the idea that this work can be revised, can be edited, but I don’t agree we throw out the baby with bathwater…the concept is still relevant in today’s world.”
He said what might have been applicable in 1994 may not be applicable in 2016, but as the situation evolved “obviously the necessary changes will have to be made”. Rohee nonetheless expressed optimism that the concept advanced by his Party’s founder which had found favour with Caricom, the Commonwealth and further afield including the RIO Group would in fact be represented seriously at the UN forum.
Copenhagen
Dr Walter Rodney’s brother, Lawrence, who filled in for former Ambassador Rudy Insanally –initially slated to speak – also spoke to the importance of the NGHO, to not just Guyana but the world at large.
He reminded that in 1995 when the late President launched the initiative at Copenhagen, he was the only Third World leader to be given a standing ovation and subsequently invited to give presentations across the European territories.
Rodney also conceded that the Jagan initiative was not a stand-alone process and had found favour with more than 160 countries, given its merits.He said Dr Jagan’s NGHO, as presented to the world, “was a comprehensive strategy for a new kind of social partnership” between countries
According to Rodney, the NGHO had been crafted at a time when the world had just come out of the Cold War and the United States “was behaving like a nuclear bully”.
He said it was a time too when the world had come to begin to realise the disparaging effects of the disparities that existed and continue to exist across the globe and the need for a different approach to remedy the state of affairs given the dire consequences that have become more pronounced today.
New World Order
Rodney and each of the other presenters spoke to the fact that the threats of terrorism, the refugee crisis and many of the other human catastrophes across the planet were as a result of the inequalities that Dr Jagan had recognised and was attempting to remedy.
He spoke to the fact too that Dr Jagan’s NGHO had also taken cognisance of environmental strategies and ideas – so pronounced now given the climate change phenomena.
According to Rodney, Dr Jagan’s initiative was well researched and analysed which is why it has managed to gain the respect of world leaders hence its place on the UN Agenda.
First published in 1994, Dr Jagan’s initiative was officially taken on as a UN resolution in 2000 and over the years, has been reviewed garnering support over time from more and more countries
The concept of the New Global Human Order calls for a people-centred sustainable development policy and programme aimed at the eradication of poverty and the establishment of a just and more humane system of international relations.
