As with all Government-relatedpositions, it is imperative that there exist rules which govern the conduct of those individuals chosen to fill them. In Guyana, such rules come in the form of a Code of Conduct. It provides appropriate guidance on the values that should govern the conduct of Ministers and other office holders in carrying out their Parliamentary and public duties. It is also meant to reinforce public confidence in the way in which Ministers and public
office holders perform their duties. In essence, this Code enforces transparency. By virtue of the oath or affirmation of
allegiance taken when they are elected, Ministers have a duty to be faithful and bear true allegiance to the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, according to law. Public office holders are duty bound by this Code in all aspects of their public life.nThe Code does not regulate the conduct of public office holders in their private and personal lives. They do, however, have a duty to uphold the law, including the general law against discrimination and sexual harassment, and to act with propriety on all occasions in accordance with the public trust and confidence placed in them. Public office holders have a general duty to act in the interests of the nation as a whole and owe a special duty of care to their
constituents and citizens. All public office holders must abide by these 10 principles:
Accountability – Public office holders are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions, and must submit
themselves to scrutiny and criticism.
Dignity – Public office holders are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that is worthy of the respect of their peers and the public.
Diligence – Public office holders are expected to be effective, efficient, courteousand reliable in the performance of their
duties.
Duty – Public office holders are reminded that they owe a duty to the public and must consider themselves servants of
the people.
Honour – Members of Parliament should regard it as an honour to serve in the nation’s highest legislative forum. They
have a moral responsibility to preserve the
reputation of their office.
Integrity – Public office holders have a duty to declare any private interest relating to the discharge of their duties and
responsibilities, and to ensure that their personal decisions and actions are not in conflict with the national interest.
Loyalty – Public office holders should display allegiance to the State and should show concern for the wellbeing of the
persons that they were elected to represent.
Objectivity – Ministers, in carrying out public business, should make decisions based on merit when making public
appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards and benefits.
Responsibility – Ministers, collectively,have a basic responsibility to take decisions only in the national interest void of any forms of personal gain, or other material benefits for themselves, their family or their friends.
Transparency – Ministers should be open about all their public decisions and actions and be prepared to provide explanations when so demanded by the public. Another great point to note is that the acceptance of gifts and other forms of rewards worth more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000) by Ministers, Members of Parliament and public office holders in their official capacity must be reported to the Integrity Commission. Ministers, Members of Parliament and
public office holders are expected to decline such gratuities if the acceptance of same could be perceived to have an affect on their objectivity and lead to complaints of bias or impropriety. This could be considered bribery of some sort.
In terms of conflicts of interest that arise when the “private interests” of the public office holder compete or conflict with theninterests of the State, Ministers, Members of Parliament and public office holders should avoid using their official position or transmitting any information made available to them in the course of their to benefit themselves, their relations or any other individuals with whom they are associated. “Private interests” mean both the financial and personal interests of the official and staff or those of their connections including:
»» Family and other relations;
»» Personal friends;
»» Other companies or business
interests which they hold or own
(both in part or in whole)
»» Other clubs and societies to which
they belong; and
»» Any person to whom they owe a
favour or are obligated to in any
way.
They should avoid compromising themselves or their office, which may lead to an actual or perceived conflict of interest. Failure to avoid or declare any conflicts of interest may give rise to criticism of favouritism, abuse of authority or even allegations of corruption. In particular, Ministers, Members of Parliament and public office holders involved in the procurement process should declare conflicts of interest if they are closely related to, have, or will likely be perceived
to have beneficial interest in any company or transaction that would result in the award for the supplies of goods and services to the state.
Officials and Ministers, Members of Parliament and public office holders must also not accept lavish or frequent
entertainment from persons with whom the Government has official dealings with, so that they will not be placed in a position of obligation to the other party. Additionally, officials and staff who misuse their office for personal gains or to
favour their relatives or friends or to benefit their business connections are liable to disciplinary action by the overnment or even prosecution by the State. Officials and staff are not allowed to disclose any classified or proprietary information to anyone without prior authorization by the Government. Officials and staff who have access to, or are in control of such information, should at all times provide adequate safeguards to prevent its abuse or misuse. Any public office holder given access to any property or other resources of or acquired by the Government (such as venue) should ensure that it is properly used solely for the purpose of conducting the Government’s business. Misappropriation or unauthorized use of such property or resources, such as for personal use or personal gain (e.g. resale or unauthorized
leasing), is strictly prohibited. Facilities provided to Ministers, Members of Parliament and public office holders at Government expense to ensure fulfillment of their official duties should not be used for political activities. Government
property should not generally be used for constituency work or party activities.
