In a bid to ensure politicians are held accountable for their actions, the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) is compiling a code of conduct for political parties and politicians ahead of the upcoming elections.
The Commission has already met with the Opposition People’s Progressive Party on the development of this code of conduct.
In essence, the document will address the conduct of politicians in all public forums, including political rallies, according to Commissioner Neaz Subhan, who said the code will be “comprehensive”.
Upon completion, the ERC will lobby political parties and politicians to sign onto it.
The ERC is currently empowered to recommend the banning of political parties from participating in elections if it is found guilty of breaching laws dealing with ethnicity.
But over the years, no action was ever taken against groups or individuals for breaching such laws.
ERC Chairman, Reverend John Smith however said that is going to change.
After several years of being defunct, a new ERC was established in 2018.
The body’s mandate is to provide equality of opportunity between persons of different ethnic groups and to promote harmony and good relations between such persons and provide the elimination of all forms of discrimination on the basis of ethnicity.
It is also required to discourage and prohibit persons, institutions, political parties and associates from indulging in, advocating or promoting discriminatory practices on the ground of ethnicity.
