FOUR political parties contesting the upcoming General and Regional Elections, on Tuesday, signed the Ethnic Relations Commission’s (ERC) code of conduct for the elections.
The code of conduct is meant to be a pledge by political parties contesting the polls to conduct its campaign and head to the elections with commitments to avoid hate speech, divisive rhetoric and put national interest first.

Chairman of the ERC, Shaikh Moeen-ul-Hack while delivering brief remarks at the signing ceremony, stated that the signing is not merely a ceremonial act but is a deeply meaningful declaration for a national commitment to peace, order and respect for the democratic process.

He went on to add that the code of conduct is an extension of the ERC’s mandate and its primary function is to ensure that the rule of law is upheld.
Many of the clauses contained within it, he said, are detailed in various legislations here such as the Representation of the People Act (RoPA), the Discrimination Prevention Act and the Cybercrime Act.

“I wish to remind that this supports our calls for adherence to the respective laws… as such, this code is not symbolic, it is binding in spirit and principle. It affirms that all political parties must conduct themselves in accordance with the laws of Guyana,” the Chairman said.

He went on to note that it means that all parties must actively appeal to their supporters that respect for the legal framework is non-negotiable, as it is the bedrock on which credible elections and trust in governance rests.

Hack said, “Leaders must understand and communicate to their followers that no electoral system is perfect, we’re all human, imperfections exist even in the most developed democracies, [and] that reality must not be exploited to sow discord but rather be met with political maturity and restraint.”

It was against this backdrop that the commission called on all political leaders to set the tone, demonstrate tolerance and respect for all and diffuse tensions before they escalate.
Signing the code of conduct were Zulfikar Mustapha on behalf of the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C); Hana Dmitriyev on behalf of We Invest in Nationhood (WIN); Khemraj Ramjattan on behalf of the Alliance For Change (AFC); and Eon Thomas for the Assembly for Liberty and Prosperity (ALP).

Notably absent from the code of conduct signing were the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), the main opposition party, and the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM), both of which are contesting the upcoming polls.