Importance of Ethic in Government

When we often hear the term government ethics used in the media, politicians or political commentators – it isn’t always clear as what exactly is meant by this term. A useful way to approach the discussion is to begin by examining the word “ethics.” Generally speaking, ethics refers to the study of right and wrong behaviors. In our daily lives we are constantly faced with important questions about what to do. Should I keep my promise or should I not? Should I report a lost wallet, or simply keep the money inside? Should I give to the panhandler or keep my change? Ethics, as a field of study, attempts to find principles and rules for answering such questions.
Government ethics refers to a particular professional code of conduct for those who work in and for government. Government ethics, therefore, involves rules and guidelines about right and wrong behaviors for a host of different groups, including elected leaders such as the Prime Minister and Cabinet Ministers), elected representatives (such as Members of Parliament), political staff, and public servants.
These groups are faced with a variety of difficult and very unique ethical questions. Should a public official be able to hire his/her own company to work for the government? Should elected representatives be allowed to accept expensive gifts from lobby groups? How should public servants treat their co-workers and subordinates? Government ethics identifies what are correct behaviors in each of these situations and establishes rules of conduct for public officials to follow.
So, why should we care about government ethics? One reason often cited is the importance of government ethics to democratic participation. Example: As a democratic nation, Cayman’s political system only functions properly if its citizens are actively engaged in the democratic process. If, however, Caymanians came to believe that politicians and government were in generalunethical or corrupt, we might develop a lack of interest towards

References: Ethics in the workplace, Tools and Tactics for organizational Transformation by Craig E. Johnson http://www.waterencyclopedia.com/En-Ge/Ethics-and-Professionalism.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethics