THE Mayor and City Council (M&CC) is inviting citizens to submit proposals to aid in the formulation and implementation of a Code of Ethics and a Code of Conduct that will guide the agency’s functionaries.Town Clerk Royston King said that the Code of Ethics deals with principles and expectations that are necessary in the decision-making process and describes the minimum requirements for conduct, some of which are already enshrined in the Council’s Standing Orders.

The Code of Conduct directly outlines the rules, norms and responsibilities of proper practice. Mayor Patricia Chase-Green recommended in this regard that assistance be sought through existing documents such as the Code used by Parliament. The Council will therefore rely on its internal information, but will also seek assistance from other documents and research material.

The information set out in the two codes will determine issues such as councillors’ manner of dress and behavioural procedures, among other considerations.

It is believed that citizens should be allowed to express their views on what they believe are areas that are in need of upgrading. The codes in the initial stage are for councillors, but the Town Clerk has also asked that the same mechanism be formulated to govern the agency’s officer corps.

King said, “We believe it is pivotal to have the views of citizens expressed. After all they are the ones we are providing this service to and it might as well be extremely beneficial to hear what they have to say or what they want to see done better.”
WRITTEN SUGGESTIONS
Citizens are therefore invited to drop off their written suggestions relating to the two codes at the Town Clerk’s office where a suggestion box has been provided.

In the meantime, the Municipality’s Legal Affairs Committee will be drafting the Code of Ethics, which will be the first to be completed. Following the committee’s work the contents will be presented to the Council for perusal and debate before its passage.