The Advocates Network (AN) is urging the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) to adhere to the standards of the Integrity Commission Code of Conduct that it has signed.

The observation has come in the wake of recent controversial comments made by its leader and the embattled former chair of its Human Rights Commission.

In a statement issued today, the Advocates Network (AN) said: “The AN had hoped that having signed the Integrity Commission’s Code of Conduct (COC), the PNP would be cognisant of the need to exercise the utmost discretion whenever speaking in the public domain. That the signing signalled a commitment by the Party to uphold standards of integrity and good governance and the admission that the purpose of the COC is to ensure the highest standard of conduct among the political directorate.

“The two latest acts of indiscretion violate the stated purpose and intent of the COC and are counterproductive to the appropriate behaviour the Code seeks to elicit and the public demands from their political representatives,” AN wrote.

It added that Buchanan’s resignation should set a precedent for future violations of the COC, where offenders resign if they breach the agreement.

Former chair of the People’s National Party (PNP) Human Rights Commission, Isat Buchanan, was forced to apologise and resign from the party organisation, after he made disparaging comments directed at the director of public prosecution (DPP).

Additionally, PNP President Mark Golding was recently forced to withdraw a controversial statement made at an East Rural St Andrew constituency conference on July 23, where his comments were interpreted as encouraging supporters to commit electoral fraud in a general election.

While the advocacy group has acknowledged that Buchanan did the right thing by resigning, it says that both incidents are indications that the PNP is not upholding the Integrity Commission’s Code of Conduct.

Gov’t urged to fast-track code of conduct for Parliamentarians

Golding had previously announced that he and members of the Opposition had already signed, or in the process of signing, the code of conduct and that they intended to adhere to the stipulations. While he has not resigned from his post, the Opposition leader apologised and retracted his statement.

In the meantime, the advocacy group is calling on the Government and all other political leaders to both sign the COC and publicly express their commitment to upholding the standard of the document.

The advocates also sought to remind the Government of its unfulfilled promise to establish a joint select committee to discuss and finalise the code of conduct for Parliamentarians.

“It is our belief that this will move towards entrenching integrity in the conduct of parliamentarians, holding them accountable to the public,” the AN said.

Members of the Government have not yet signed the Integrity Commission’s Code of Conduct.