MEDIA RELEASE - April 11th, 2025
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STATEMENT ON THE COUNCIL'S DELIBERATION
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At its weekly meeting of the Council for Responsible Political Behaviour, several issues and concerns were raised. It was noted that whilst some politicians have publicly stated that they would be approaching the Council to lodge complaints of possible breaches of the Code of Ethical Political Conduct, no such reports actually came to the Council. What did come to the Council was a report of the vandalizing of a billboard of one candidate. Clause 6, under the section titled Prohibited Conduct of the Code speaks specifically to this
concern wherein the Code pleads with all participants to:
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6. Not deface, or induce anyone to unlawfully remove or destroy, or deface the billboards, placards, posters or any other election materials of a Party or Candidate.
With regard to this specific report, there was no evidence as to who may be responsible and to this end the Council calls on all Parties, Candidates and supporters to adhere to this clause.
But in deliberating on the above issue, another clause within the Code, namely Clause 3 in Section 4: The Campaign is worthy of note and that clause simply asks that
3. All private and public property rights are respected.
To this end, the Council reminds those involved in erecting banners and billboards or even the pasting of flyers etc to seek the permission of property owners, particularly so of private property owners before so doing.
Another issue which was brought to the attention of the Council was the allegation that A.I. was being used to generate campaign material. The Council noted that while it would be hard-pressed to determine whether campaign materials/statements were authentic or A.I. generated, the fact remains that A.I. is but a tool which may be used to make false of defamatory claims. The Code speaks to this subject in clauses 3-5 of Prohibited Conduct. These clauses are as follows:
3. Not make false or defamatory allegations in print or speech in connection with an election in respect of a Party, its Candidates, representatives or members.
4. Not use language or act in a way that may a) 7 Provoke violence; or b) Intimidate Candidates, members of Parties, representatives or supporters of Parties or Candidates, or voters; or c) Invite, encourage or foster hatred, resentment or any form of violence.
5. Not seek to assassinate the character of or make defamatory comments about any individual, family, professional group or section of the community.
To this end, the Council will evaluate all reports in accordance with the above clauses.
As we move towards the last two weeks of campaigning for the April 28th 2025 elections, the Council acknowledges that thus far the campaign has been good, respectable and peaceful. We note that the principles and values articulated in the Code are being adopted in the main. We note small lapses, and we acknowledge that these may be due to ignorance of the Code. In is in this regard that the Council, with the assistance of its Founding Organizations, have been engaged in further publicising the Code in the hope that it reaches as many citizens as possible. It is hoped that with greater awareness of the Code, citizens can join with the Council in monitoring the 2025 campaign. To this end, we again call on all members of the public to collaborate with the Council by submitting reports, not only of possible breaches to the Code, but also of instances where the Code is being upheld, either through a message to WhatsApp 793 4505 or via email to info@politicalethicstt.org.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the Council,
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Leela Ramdeen,
Secretary
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