‘Code of conduct’ may be needed for persons running for office – President

Amid intensified discussions on the attempts to derail the 2020 General and Regional Elections, President Dr. Irfaan Ali on Wednesday suggested that a new code of conduct should be in place to bar any undemocratic behaviours from persons seeking public office.

The President, during an interview with five woman journalists as part of his new ‘In the Seat’ programme, spoke about the 2020 elections and his view on the pace at which the elections’ trial has been unfolding.

For him, there should be “some amount of expediency” in dealing with such national issues. However, he acknowledged that the judiciary is an independent body whose work must not be interfered with.

Nevertheless, the Head of State expressed some concerns about parties and party members who were involved in the “heist” and may be seeking public office once again.

“A lot of people asked me the question: ‘What about those people who defended this heist?’

“Should some sort of code of conduct be applied, especially for public office?” he quizzed.

Dr. Ali added, “If they can defend that 32 is greater than 33, and if they defend attempts to rig an election… then they are showing they can defend something they are capable of doing, they are defending something that was beneficial to them and they are defending something they were part of.”

The March 2020 Elections were marred by controversy. It took five months before Irfaan Ali and the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) were officially declared the winners through Statements of Poll (SoPs) that showed this victory were produced by the PPP/C days after the elections.

For the past four years, the APNU+AFC has not produced their SoPs which they insist show that they won the 2020 elections. And year later, members of the parties are challenging the recount which was accepted by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) and all international observer missions in Guyana at the time.

Nigel Hughes, the recently- elected leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), is one political leader who has faced questions over the past few weeks and has come under pressure to apologise for the party’s role in derailing the 2020 General and Regional Elections

In a live broadcast, Hughes said he promised to conduct a review of the party’s performance in his acceptance speech for party leader earlier this year. And he said until that assessment is complete, he will not speak on the concerns raised.

Meanwhile, the President also noted on Wednesday that a previously announced ‘Order of Democracy’ National Award will be issued next year. This award, he explained, is for those persons who helped to defend Guyana against the threats to democracy in 2020.