CONGRESS OF THE PEOPLE

Media Release Tuesday, 04 September 2012

Service to the Public Demands the Highest Standards of Conduct By Those Who Hold the Highest Public Offices
Recently a senior Cabinet Minister publicly confirmed that he is exploring the purchase of controlling interest in one or possibly two newspapers with national circulation as a personal commercial transaction. The National Executive of the Congress of the People, at its meeting last night, considered this development and its implications for the establishment of good governance that was promised by the Peoples Partnership to the population in its Manifesto (now official government policy) and concluded follows: The holding of the highest public offices imposes on the holders a duty to the country to conduct themselves according to the highest standards of ethical and political conduct in the public interest. In that context, current governance practice, according to the Code of Ethics established by government, requires that persons holding Ministerial office divest themselves of personal economic interests. Ministers are required to put their own commercial or business interests in the care and conduct of others while they hold office. The creation of blind trusts, the use of Powers of Attorney and similar instruments are used to allow the Minister to devote the total of his time, energy and efforts to the fulfilment of his public duties to the state and people of Trinidad and Tobago. The Peoples Partnerships Declaration of Values as part of the Fyzabad Accord of April 2010 also commits member parties and individual members to these high standards of public service. In particular, the PP committed all members to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest. This must include private interests. The Ministers admission to the pursuit of private purely commercial interests in the proposed purchase is contrary to the very values of the Peoples Partnership. In the past, Ministers of government have upheld this standard of putting the public interest first by using various means to divest themselves of private business interests while in office. Professionals, once appointed as Ministers, are required to withdraw from their private practice.

Quite recently, the serving Minister of Health had to exercise the choice of putting his Ministerial duty above his devotion to his patients in his medical practice. The terms and conditions of employment of Public Servants, who implement the policies set by Ministers, require them to inform their Permanent Secretaries of any possible conflict of interest with their public duties if they engage in private enterprise. Such lofty standards of public duty cannot be imposed on those who hold lower public offices and are not upheld and practiced by those who voluntarily offer themselves to serve in the highest offices of the land. Our society has long ago applied such standards of devotion to duty on those who hold responsible positions in business whether as officers of companies or partners in business partnerships. Our governance requires that the holders of public office be exemplars in steadfastly applying such norms of devotion to public duty and the best practice of good governance so that our society may be further uplifted as we chart the course of nation-building over the next 50 years of our development. It is the adherence to such standards of service and leadership that form the foundation of New Politics and lies at the core of the Prime Ministers direction to all to Ministers to Serve the people. Such standards are applicable to all. This is not just a matter of law and legality, but a matter of the upholding of the highest standards. The Congress of the People demands that all Ministers choose between personal commercial interests and the public interest. We expect all to avoid potential conflicts of interest and act according to the highest standards of conduct expected of public officials.

.. Hon. Prakash Ramadhar Political Leader, COP