As the Local Government Election campaign rolls along, the Council for Responsible Political Behavior continues to receive complaints against politicians regarding possible breaches of the Code of Conduct.

The Council for Responsible Political Behaviour met on Wednesday August 2, 2023 and considered several complaints as possible breaches of the Code of Ethical Political Conduct. The Council hereunder presents those complaints which have been deemed to be in breach of the Code.

1. A complaint was received anonymously which focussed on the presentation by Mr. Jack Warner at a UNC meeting held on Monday July 24 2023, whereupon it was claimed that Mr. Warner breached the Code in regard to several issues amongst which were: a. Mr. Warner referred to Mr. Stuart Young using pejorative names b. Mr. Warner referenced Mr. Young’s Ex-wife and her daughter in his speech and they are not involved in the campaign c. Mr. Warner on repeated occasions referred to Mr. Marvin Gonzales in the female gender, though apologising every time he used the female pronoun. All of which sought to assassinate the character of Mr. Young and Mr. Gonzales, and with regard to the references to Mr. Young’s family members they are not part of the campaign. After a review of Mr Warner’s presentation, the Council finds that the Code speaks to these issues under the Prohibited Conduct section: 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. 5. Not seek to assassinate the character of or make defamatory comments about any individual, family, professional group or section of the community. 17. Not criticize aspects of the private lives of Candidates, their families, not connected with the public activities of the leaders or Candidates of other Parties Effectively on these grounds Mr. Warner did breach the Code.

2. A complaint was received about Mr. Anil Roberts’presentation at a UNC meeting in Sangre Grande. In the case of Mr. Roberts, his attack on Ms. Penelope Beckles-Robinson was very disrespectful to women in general, and then he went on to make statements about other female PNM officials which cannot be substantiated. The Council reviewed Mr. Roberts’ speech and did find that Mr. Roberts’ presentation went against the clause in the Commitment Section of the Code which reads: 2. Maintain the highest moral principles and ethical standards with respect to their conduct during the campaign Clauses 3 and 5 of the Prohibited Conduct section as outlined above is also applicable herein and thus is deemed to be a breach of the Code.

3. A complaint was sent in by the UNC with regard to Dr. Keith Rowley’s presentation at a PNM meeting in Tunapuna on July 13, 2023, when Dr. Rowley used “gratuitous ethnic innuendo” suggesting that Indians in general, and Kamla Persad-Bissessar in particular are “alcoholics and drunkards” telling the audience “Kamla Persad-Bissessar drink your rum and go back to bed”. The video of the meeting was supplied. The Council has reviewed the entire speech and has found that the language used by Dr. Rowley was again insensitive and inappropriate and could be deemed to be derogatory. Prohibited Section clauses 3 and 4 are thus applicable herein.

4. A complaint was made by the PNM that the UNC fabricated a story and is using it on its platforms that an inheritance tax is to be introduced by the PNM. The PNM has denied that this was ever a consideration. The Council is unable to determine the accuracy of this claim on either side, but notes that under the Prohibited Conduct section of the Code there is a clause which speaks to negative campaigning and advertising, namely: 14. Not indulge in negative campaigning or advertising or any action which would bring the political process into disrepute. The Commitment section of the Code also calls on all parties to focus on known policies and programmes. To be sure Clause 8 of this section states as follows: 8. Confine their criticism of other Political Parties to policies and programmes, past record and work. The Council thus calls on all parties to uphold this aspect of the Code.

5. From the newspapers, there has been a call, by the PNM, to consider the actions of PEP political leader on attempting “to force a confrontation with a PNM candidate while campaigning on Saturday July 29, 2023”. The Council was limited to the information in the newspaper article, which included a response from Mr. Phillip Alexander. Mr. Alexander, in the article admitted to knocking on the door but denied banging. Acknowledging the dispute over the exact actions however, the Code speaks to the issue of a campaign that is free from fear. Clause 4(b) of the Prohibited Conduct section of the Code directs that there is agreement to: 4. Not use language or act in a way that may – b) Intimidate Candidates, members of Parties, representatives or supporters of Parties or Candidates, or voters; The Council thus calls upon ALL candidates to refrain from any action which can serve to intimidate others.

6. There were five (5) reports to the Council about the words used by UNC leader, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, on Monday July 31, 2023, when she said “So when the criminals invade your home, draw your licensed firearm and light them up. Empty the whole clip”. The complaint was that Persad-Bissessar was invoking violence. The society is aware that one policy advocated by the UNC is “Stand Your Ground” and to this end the speaker was elaborating and defending the proposed policy. While policy elaboration is in keeping with the Code, in the context of a society besieged with crime and violence, the language used on political platforms should be tempered to reduce societal violence. The language therefore is what is contentious here and from the Council’s perspective, the language used is inappropriate and insensitive and breaches Section 2 on Prohibited Conduct where Clause 4 states: 4. Not use language or act in a way that may – a) 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. To this end, the Council reminds all of the second clause in the Commitment section of the Code, namely: 2. Maintain the highest moral principles and ethical standards with respect to their conduct during the campaign

The Council acknowledges that apart from the items listed above, the Council also received several other complaints from members of the public, including one Mr. Hutton who penned several complaints. Notwithstanding the source, all complaints received have been deliberated upon. Several of the complaints received did not fall within the remit of the Council and thus could not go forward, while there were other complaints which we could not verify, since no supporting details and information were supplied, save and except the complaint itself. Accordingly, in all such instances, the Council could not have made a determination and hence they are not included in our reporting to the population at large.