SKNLP, CCM, PAM sign on to NGOs Code of Conduct

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - THREE of the five political parties in the Federation have signed on to the Code of Conduct for Elections recommended by a number of local Non-Government Organisations(NGOs).
 
The St. Kitts Christian Council, Nevis Christian Council, St. Kitts Evangelical Association,  Nevis Evangelical Association, St. Kitts-Nevis Chamber of Industry & Commerce, and the St. Kitts & Nevis Bar Association all wrote and outlined several guidelines for the Election Cycle. 
 
Among the NGOs recommendations are: Electoral Regulations should be observed and not circumvented; Candidates must avoid defamation of character of their opponents, their families and supporters; Emphasis should be on issues rather than personalities; No abusive attacks or innuendos should be directed to campaigners or their family members for
reason of their race, social origins and background, education, gender, religion, or any other reason.
 
Dr. Terrance Drew, Leader of the St. Kitts Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) confirmed that his political organisation has signed on to the Code of Conduct, with a photo recently circulating showing same.
 
When asked about the Code of Conduct, Dr. Drew told reporters that his part had signed on, adding that it was not done for political expediency.
 
He believes that if the parties and officials are to be taken seriously in the Federation, then all persons must sign on to the Code of Conduct whether they are in public office or not, and that parties must be governed by the ethics. 
 
“We might not be in the situation where we are today. One of things that I would have said is that what we saw that came out for us to sign on to is that we are not averse to those things - we actually promote those things,” Drew emphasised. 
 
He is optimistic that people and political parties would promote such codes as an area that needs to be upheld as a country “in order that we do not enter a situation like the one we are in”.
 
“We are in a bad situation,” Drew added. 
 
The Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) also indicated that it had signed onto the Code of Conduct, with Leader Mark Brantley confirming the action at a recently held media conference. 
 
“Yes, both CCM and PAM have signed on to the Code of Conduct…I want to commend the NGOs for what I think is a comprehensive statement that they put out,” Brantley disclosed. 
 
No official date has been formally announced for the General Elections, but all parties have been in full campaign mode.