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New Code of Conduct
Only four foreign trips per year for ministers
President Chandrika Kumaratunga has issued a stringent code of conduct for her ministers and deputy ministers, ranging from the prohibiting of recruiting relatives as personal assistants to deploying security personnel and restricting foreign trips.

According to the set of regulations issued by the President, a minister will not be allowed to employ additional police officers or private security personnel other than the number decided on by the Inspector General of Police. A separate code of conduct for security personnel is to be issued later. The number of foreign trips for ministers have been restricted to four per year with instructions they should be limited to official trips while the number of persons taken on such trips should also be limited.

The new code of conduct also decrees that all senior appointments and transfers in ministries, departments, corporations and statutory bodies be only done in consultation with the President. Regarding the recruitment of personal staff ministers will only be allowed to recruit young persons with suitable qualifications but not relatives. Accordingly a spouse, child, brother or sister or relative cannot be considered for such appointments.

The ministers are urged to avoid all unnecessary expenditure in refurbishing their offices and states that only government buildings should be used to house ministry offices and that no private offices should be rented out, unless they are absolutely necessary. The usage of official vehicles to a minister is to be limited to two vehicles with two more vehicles for security personnel.

Reminding her Cabinet members that there has been several allegations of misconduct against some government ministers in the recent past, the President has cautioned her ministers that their conduct should not leave room for similar indictments. The letter further entreats all ministers to conduct themselves in an exemplary manner in both their private and public lives.

In her letter President Kumaratunga advises all her ministers to commit themselves to work individually and collectively to implement the action plan agreed upon by the constituent parties of the UPFA. Political sources said it was the JVP which was keen that such restrictions should be imposed.

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