-British MP appointed as UG’s first Envoy Extraordinaire

FORMER Deputy Secretary-General (SG) and United Nations (UN) Special Envoy, Professor Edward Greene, has been named the tenth Chancellor of the University of Guyana (UG).
UG’s Council, on Saturday, November 9, 2019, decided that Professor Greene will be replacing Professor, Nigel Harris, whose term ended in November 2018.
According to a statement from UG, Chancellor (elect) Greene is expected to be installed during a simple ceremony at the university’s annual convocation exercise which is scheduled for 10:00hrs on Saturday, November 16, 2019. Greene will bring to the table, a wealth of knowledge and experience which he garnered over the years.

The chancellor (elect) was born in Guyana and attended Queen’s College. He holds a B.Sc. in Economics from the University of London, an MSc in Political Economy from Mc Master University, and a Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia. Professor Greene also held visiting professorships at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), the University of Havana, and the University of British Columbia.

The professor also worked at the University of the West Indies (UWI), where his academic career included service as Pro Vice-Chancellor, Development and Alumni Relations; University Director, Institute of Social and Economic Relations (ISER); Interim Director, Consortium Graduate School for the Social Sciences in the Caribbean (1984-1986); and appointments to the rank of Professor (1988), and Inaugural Professorial Fellow, ISER (1994).

He has authored 10 books and over 60 articles in refereed journals and is Professor Emeritus of UWI.

Professor Greene had played a pioneering role in establishing the Consortium of Graduate Studies in the Social Sciences in the Caribbean, an innovative multidisciplinary enterprise linking UWI, Guyana and Suriname in 1985. He also contributed to expanding alumni relations and leading successful fund-raising campaigns at UWI from 1989 to 1994. Professor Greene also took a leading role in expanding research collaboration and international partnerships with universities and development agencies in North America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America.

He was also credited with leadership roles in the establishment of major regional initiatives such as developing the blue print for the Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP), which was designated an international best practice by the UN in 2004; the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Medical and other Health Professionals in 2004; and the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) in 2013.

Professor Greene also contributed to the establishment of the Every Caribbean Woman Every Child Programme, which is being championed by the Spouses of CARICOM Leaders Action Network (SCLAN). He was also credited for the establishment of PANCAP’s justice for all programme engaging regional parliamentarians, faith leaders, and representatives of the private sector, youth, civil society and key populations.

Professor Greene was also an adviser in social policy development to many Caribbean governments and served on many prestigious boards. These include: Director to the Canadian International Institute for Peace and Security, and Consultant to several international agencies including the World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the European Union (EU), UNDP and UNESCO.

He was a member of the Commonwealth Secretariat high level panel for South-South Cooperation in higher education, and the UNAIDS/Lancet Commission on defeating AIDS- achieving sustainable health. Professor Greene was also chairman of the CARICOM steering committee for climate change and sustainable development.

He is also a former UN Secretary-General Special Envoy for HIV in the Caribbean, former Assistant Secretary-General, Human and Social Development at the CARICOM Secretariat from 2000-2010 and a former Senior Adviser on Public Policy, Health and Human Development for Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) from 1995-1999.

Professor Greene is currently the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Global Frontier Development and Advisory Services (GOFAD), a Think Tank.

All of his work did no go without recognition, since he is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Golden Arrow of Achievement from Guyana and the second highest honor, the Yellow Star from Suriname.

He also received the prestigious PAHO/WHO Award for Administration in Public Health; the Sir Phillip Sherlock Award from the University of the West Indies and University of Technology, Jamaica for outstanding contribution to Health and Development; the Institute of Caribbean Studies, Caribbean American Heritage Award for Public Service; and an Honorary Doctor of Laws from UWI for outstanding academic and public service.

In addition to the likes of Professor Greene, UG named British Parliamentarian, David Lammy as its first Envoy Extraordinaire. Born to Guyanese parents, Lammy began serving in the British Parliament in 2000. He studied law at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. He earned an LL.M from Harvard Law School.
Lammy has served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills and later as Minister of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills. He had continuously maintained active interests in Guyana.