PPP/Civic, opposition parties still at odds on model Stabroek News January 3, 2001 The representatives of the PPP/Civic and the opposition parliamentary parties on the all-party parliamentary committee continue to disagree in their discussions on post-January 17, governance options. At their meeting on December 29, the two sides were split again with the PPP/Civic favouring the code of conduct adopted by the Conservative Party of the United Kingdom and the three opposition parties the code of conduct adopted by the political parties in India. At its meeting on December 31, at the Office of the President, the committee discussed the code of conduct for political parties adopted by South Africa, which is enforceable in law. According to a release issued after that meeting, the latest disagreement was over whether or not the relevant provisions of the Guidelines for the Conduct of Political Parties used by the Elections Commission of India should be converted into a legislative draft for possible submission to the leaders. The release said that the PNC, the Alliance for Guyana (AFG) and The United Force supported efforts to have the Indian protocols converted into legal provisions. However, it said that the PPP/Civic representative objected "claiming that it flew in the face of what were acceptable norms in (the) inter-party committee where attempts were made to reach consensus. "The representative pointed out that the ruling party has compromised by giving up two years of its five-year term in office and as a result of the decision of the Elections Commission to postpone elections to March 19, it while remaining in office, would voluntarily impose certain limitations on itself." The all-party committee was set up to explore various options for post-January 17 governance in an effort to bridge the gap in the stance by the PPP/Civic and the PNC's position that the government should demit office and an interim administration of five officials should run the country between January 18 and when the elections are held on March 19. The officials would be supervised by an oversight body comprised of representatives from agreed civil society organisations. The PPP/Civic has rejected this proposal, pointing out that according to Article 92 of the constitution, only a government elected after a free and transparent election could run the country. Commenting on the latest stalemate, PNC General Secretary, Oscar Clarke, said that while the PNC maintained its initial position, it was prepared to discuss the Indian proposals "as a worst case scenario". The PPP/Civic was willing to adopt the guidelines adopted by the Conservative Party of the United Kingdom, which were issued by the Cabinet Office for the 1997 United Kingdom general elections. The guidelines cover among other things the political activities of civil servants, information access and information activities during general elections, the use of government property and major public and senior civil service appointments. Under the guidelines, senior and middle level civil servants are debarred from national political activity. They are also required to resign from the service if they intend to stand for election. Lower level civil servants, defined as "politically free" are allowed to participate in political activity including canvassing for a candidate at the elections and writing to the press and speaking in public on matters of national political controversy. Under the guidelines related to the use of government property, government ministers and parliamentary candidates are prohibited from visiting government establishments during the election campaign for electioneering purposes. The guidelines also require candidates from all the political parties to be treated in an evenhanded way with respect to the use of public sector and related properties. They also require civil servants seconded to training and enterprise councils, which are private companies and have close association with government, to avoid compromising their political impartiality. The bodies to which they are seconded are required to take this into account when making press announcements or devising programmes. With regard to information activities the guidelines note "during an election campaign, the government retains its responsibility to govern and ministers remain in charge of their departments. While essential business must continue, by custom, ministers should observe discretion as regards the initiation of any new action of continuing or long-term nature." They note too that information material produced with complete impartiality, which ordinarily might be accepted as objective might excite criticism during an election campaign when feelings are running high. As a result, information from government departments must provide factual explanation of government policy, statements and decisions and must be particularly careful in avoiding becoming involved in a partisan way in election issues. They prohibit the issue of statements related to the future intentions of the government and recommend that they be handled by the party organisation to which the minister belongs. However, where a press conference to make clear government policy is being held by the minister, his department must provide him with guidance and the facilities to do so. The guidelines require the departments to postpone new advertising campaigns and running campaigns as field work involving interviews with the public or sections of it. Clarke noted that the objective of the all-party parliamentary committee's work was to find the middle ground between the initial positions of the PPP/Civic and the PNC. He said that there would be no solution if the government was not prepared to compromise as the public must not get the impression that it was "business as usual after January 17". Follow the goings-on in Guyana in Guyana Today