St Kitts-Nevis: SKNLP to introduce code of ethics

The opposition in St Kitts and Nevis has announced that it is planning on introducing a code of ethics.

The St Kitts-Nevis Labour Party is looking to add it to their constitution during their annual conference in 2019.

“All of our candidates and parliamentarians will be bound,” said leader and former prime minister Denzil Douglas.

Speaking on his regular radio show, he said the oldest political institution in the federation is counting on members who have served the country selflessly and with integrity over several generations to lead by example in setting the moral standard for conduct in public life.

“Our discussions are in the fledgling stage right now as we are looking at various best practices around the Caribbean as well as across the Commonwealth and elsewhere,” he said.

Douglas’ pledge comes at a time when the SKNLP is heavily pressuring Prime Minister Timothy Harris over an alleged links to corruption that emerged during a High Court judgement in the United Kingdom.

The former PM said the party was “examining publications by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, which [has] set certain benchmarks for codes of conduct and leadership.

“We are presently in the processes of establishing a committee tasked with preparing a first draft of the code of ethics.

“The final draft will be presented for resolution at the next meeting of the SKNLP Conference.”

There has been no response to the plans from the Team Unity government.

Douglas reiterated the words of his party’s chairman, Terrance Drew, who said that “leaders must be held to the highest standard of accountability as politics without principle is one of the biggest threats to peace, progress and prosperity.”