The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) has proposed and drafted a code of conduct for political parties ahead of the March 2nd General and Regional Elections but to date has received a response from only one of the contesting parties.
This announcement was made yesterday morning during a press conference hosted by the commission at the Cara Lodge Hotel, Georgetown. There are 11 parties contesting the elections.
ERC Chairman Reverend John Smith disclosed that during interactions with the various political parties contesting the upcoming polls, the commissioners proposed the signing of a code of conduct.
He said a draft was subsequently distributed to the parties for their input but to date they have only received one response. While the name of the party was not disclosed, on his Facebook page, executive of The Citizenship Initiative (TCI) Ruel Johnson said that it was that party that had responded to the ERC’s proposal. The deadline has been extended to Monday.
“Previously [in] 2015, GECOM [the Guyana Elections Commission] were the people who put out that code of conduct. We, as the Ethnic Relations Commission, have crafted one which we have sent to all the parties and we only had one response, so it is still a work in progress in that regard but we are hoping that GECOM will create that position for us all to embrace [the] code of conduct,” Deputy Chair of the ERC Norman McLean said.
McLean noted that the commission had waited for Nomination Day to be over and a previous deadline was extended.
Smith, meantime, said that the commissioners remain optimistic of a public signing soonest and also anticipate a similar code of conduct from GECOM.
“It is hopeful that upon signing, the content of both would be honoured,” Smith said.
He further observed that as the campaigns for the various political parties continue ahead of the elections, the ERC remains concerned over reported incidents of intimidation and abuse meted out to party officials while engaged in activities to sensitise people regarding political messages reflective of the parties they represent.
“The call for the upcoming elections to be transparent, free of hate, violence and racial or any other forms of incitement, is firmly reiterated,” he said.
The ERC chairman observed that the commission also finds it necessary to re-engage the political leadership based on what took place during some campaigns thus far with the intent to derive a collective effort for a respectful and incident-free pre, during, and post elections period.
“It therefore calls on all involved to endeavour for positive campaigns which can inspire national harmony and good relations amongst all of our peoples,” Smith said.
He added that in an effort to encourage tolerance and mutual respect, the commission is continuing its sensitisation campaign through both traditional and non-traditional media.
This, according to Smith, includes numerous engagements with residents across the ten administrative regions of the country.
