Forward Guyana Movement frowns on ERC code of conduct

Aug 08, 2025 News

Presidential Candidate of FGM, Amanza Walton-Desir

Kaieteur News – The Forward Guyana Movement (FGM), led by Amanza Walton-Desir, has declined to sign the Ethnic Relations Commission’s (ERC) Code of Conduct ahead of the September 1 General and Regional Elections, citing concerns over its lack of enforceability, fairness, and transparency.

The party is now calling on the ERC to re-engage with all stakeholders and revise the Code to ensure greater inclusivity and public trust in the electoral process. Of the six political parties contesting the upcoming elections, only four—People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C), Alliance for Change (AFC), Assembly of Liberty and Prosperity (ALP), and We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), signed the Code during a ceremony held on Tuesday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC). The Code aims to promote peace, unity, and responsible campaigning throughout the election period. However, both A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), led by Aubrey Norton, and the Forward Guyana Movement did not attend or sign the agreement.

FGM in a statement issued on Thursday, explained that Walton-Desir had formally submitted a detailed response to the ERC outlining structural and procedural weaknesses in the draft Code. “While the ERC acknowledged receipt and indicated it would consider the recommendations, no further engagement or amendment followed,” the statement read.

Among the issues raised by FGM were the voluntary and non-binding nature of the Code despite mentions of sanctions, the absence of a transparent complaint and investigation process, “vague” and “undefined” terms that could be open to abuse, lack of accountability provisions for institutions such as GECOM, the Guyana Police Force, and state media, and no guarantees of equitable access and protection for smaller or emerging parties.

“Signing a document with no mechanisms for redress, no equal treatment, and no consequences for breaches would not serve the public interest. We cannot lend our credibility to a process that does not treat all parties fairly or guarantee the integrity of the elections,” Walton-Desir said

FGM reaffirmed its full commitment to peaceful campaigning, the rule of law, and national unity.

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Amanza Walton-Desir, code of conduct, ERC, Forward Guyana Movement, Guyana Election

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