Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor
Secretary-General of the International Seabed Authority Satya Nandan (right), chats with Xiao Linhua (centre), wife of the Chinese Ambassador and Chief Modupe Akintola, Nigerian High Commissioner. -Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer
The late Michael Manley wasa man ahead of his time! A visionary, the former Prime Minister, author and scholar, was thought of by some of his contemporaries to have preferred the international political stage to that which the national platform afforded him. He found succour for many of his national and regional ideas, while trumpeting the cause for a new international economic order. This was not only to add window dressing to the North-South dialogue at the time, but was a meaningful vehicle by which the 'Third World' could move from its poverty into a more economically friendly operational framework.
One of the many avenues Manley saw as having the potential to redistribute the wealth necessary to move debt-laden countries from poverty was the redistribution of the natural resources of the world, such as to be found and/or yet realised on the International Seabed Authority (ISA).
New frontier
Manley's contention at th of his days of international advocacy was that the ISA represented the greatest arena of potential discovery in resources, and that this new frontier should shared by rich and poor countries alike, and not just be gobbled up by the rich countries.
Manley was a passionate advocate of the ISA and its empowerment. So much so that he spent considerably political capital in not only advocating the ratification and passage of the International Law of the Seas, but that its international headquarters be here in Jamaica.
Bounties
Well, it's been a long time since the heady '70s and that organisation is headquartered here in Kingston. To be sure, the bounties envisioned by Manley are yet to be realised as it is still trying to define its would-be arbiter. But, there's no gainsaying the fact that Manley was spot on when it came to the treasure trove that is the seabed. That some near 30 plus years after this acceptance and realisation, the ISA has not moved into a proactive mode speak to the snail's pace at which international diplomacy can move, when those with the power deem this fit!
Anyway, with its potential yet to be realised, the ISA continues to enjoy the goodwill of its over 200 signatory members.
And so, last week saw the delegates and a battery of translators jetting into Kingston, from all over the globe for the 13th annual session of the organisation. And naturally, where there is a gathering of such august proportions, not only is a call to celebratory cocktails in order, it is a matter of course!
Snazzy little reception
Last Thursday evening, His Excellency Ambassador Satya Nandan, the secretary-general of the International Seabed Authority, threw a snazzy little reception at The Top of the World - the absolutely fabulous open terrace atop the Jamaica Pegasus hotel, in New Kingston, It was as charming as it was fabulous!
My daahlings, a Fijian national, the ISA secretary-general has been head of that organisation for the last 10 years, during which he has resided here in Kingston, directing the affairs of the organisation, as well as acquainting himself with the people and culture, not to mention culinary traditions and feats of his hosts.
A gentleman by any and all standards in the traditional sense of the world, Ambassador Nandan proved the host with the most tact and diplomatic savvy. In his speech to the delegates, dignitaries and other guests, he thrilled them by in effect giving a welcome and thank you 'speech' that proved the shortest by far, by any diplomat and of high official anywhere. In effect, the secretary-general took to the podium, and after bidding his guests welcome, followed with an entreaty to enjoy the night, and that was that!
No speeches here by long-winded officials! No my dears, this was a class act, bar none, and one of the highest order to boot!
And luvs, it made for one simply fabulous to-do!
Dovecakes, we are talking one marvellous shindig here, as a number of heads of missions and some of their staff were out to break bread and mingle.
And sweet-things, talk about the United Nations, well this was it in livingcolour as guests did gather and hobnobbed in their various mother tongues, and it made for one stimulating outing!
A linguist's dream
Oh honeys, it was a linguist's dream, and then some. And my dears, the world of international diplomacy never sounded sooo good!
The notables spotted included Nii Allotey Odunton, deputy to the ISA secretary-general; permanent secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, HE Ambassador Douglas Saunders; Director of protocol in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sandra Grant-Griffiths; Jamaica's Ambassador to the U.N., HE Raymond Wolfe; The newly elected dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Brazilian Ambassador, HE Cezar de Souza Lima Amaral; Head of the EU Delegation, HE Ambassador Marco Mazzocchi-Alemanni; French Ambassador, HE Francis Hurtut; Spanish Ambassador, HE Jesus Silva; Belgian Ambassador, HE Herman Portacarero, and his wife, Miryam Portacarero; the new German ambassador, HE Jurgen Engel; Mexican Ambassador, HE Leonora Rueda and Argentinean ambassador, HE Mario Jose Pino.
We saw Chilean Ambassador, HE Alfanso Silva; Venezuelan Ambassador, HE Noel Martinez Ochoa; Colombian Ambassador, HE, Ventura Diaz; Panamanian Ambassador, HE Ricardo Moreno Flores; HE Ambassador, Filomena Navarro of the Dominican Republic; Deputy High Commissioner, British Embassy, Paul Nicolopulo; Honorary Consul of the Republic of Ecuador, Clelia de Barretto Hunter; Dr. Wayne Henry of the World Bank; Cecile Christi; Rajan Trehan; Vickram Dhiman, and Dr. Ernest Pate of Pan-American Health Organisation.
