Recommendations trickling in

Ministerial Code of Conduct

Recommendations are slowly trickling in from civil society as Government continues its effort to quickly enforce the ministerial Code of Conduct.
This is according to Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo who said that recommendations have so far been received from the Guyana Bar Association and the Guyana Human Rights Association, among others.

He is still encouraging more citizen and stakeholder participation in the process leading up to the final version of the Code, which is intended to promote professional, exemplary and responsible conduct by senior Government officials.
He explained that it is meant to engender and reinforce public confidence in the manner in which senior Government officials perform their duties in service to the people.
Prime Minister Nagamootoo explained that recently, a sub-committee was commissioned, comprising the Governance Department together with representatives from the Guyana Legal Aid Committee – the body dealing with professional conduct and discipline of practitioner in the legal profession, and also some representatives from the Natural Resources Ministry.
Nagamootoo restated that Government will be following the best practices from around the Caribbean and the rest of the Commonwealth.
At the beginning of March, Government had said it was extending the countrywide consultation on the subject, opening opportunities for civil society to give its extensive input on the way forward. However, up until now, nothing has been forthcoming.
The Code of Conduct says that the acceptance of gifts and other forms of rewards worth more than $10,000 by Ministers, MPs and other public office holders in their official capacity shall be reported to the Integrity Commission. Ministers, MPs and public office holders should consider declining such gratuities if the acceptance of same could be perceived to have an effect on their objectivity and lead to complaints of bias or impropriety.
The Code of Conduct lays out that Ministers, MPs and public office holders should also avoid using their official position or transmitting any information made available to them in the course of their duties to benefit themselves, their relations or any other individuals with whom they are associated.
They should avoid compromising themselves or their office and any action which may lead to an actual or perceived conflict of interest. Failure to avoid or declare any conflict of interest may give rise to criticism of favouritism, abuse of authority or even allegations of corruption.