All activities of Covered Officers should be guided by and adhere to these fiduciary standards. Covered Officers should not hesitate to use available resources whenever it is desirable to seek clarification. Covered Officers are encouraged to consult with the Fund’s chief legal officer or, if none, legal counsel to the Fund (“Legal Counsel”), or other appropriate resources, when in doubt about the best course of action in a particular situation. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST Covered Officers should handle ethically actual and apparent conflicts of interest. A “conflict of interest” occurs when an individual’s personal interests actually or potentially conflict or interfere with the interests of the Fund or its shareholders. A conflict of interest can arise when a Covered Officer takes actions or has interests that may make it difficult to perform his duties as a Fund officer objectively and effectively. Service to the Fund should never be subordinated to either a direct or indirect personal gain or advantage. Certain conflicts of interests arise out of the relationships between Covered Officers and the Fund that already are subject to conflict of interest provisions in the 1940 Act and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. For example, Covered Officers may not individually engage in certain transactions with the Fund (such as the purchase or sale of securities or other property) because of their status as “affiliated persons” of the Fund. The compliance programs and procedures of the Fund and the Adviser are designed to prevent, or to identify and correct, violations of these provisions. This Code does not, and is not intended to, repeat or replace those programs and procedures, and such conflicts fall outside of the parameters of this Code. Actual or apparent conflicts may arise from, or as a result of, the contractual relationship between the Fund and the Adviser (or other service provider, e.g., administrator) of which the Covered Officers are also officers or employees. It is recognized by the Board that the Covered Officers will, in the normal course of their duties, be involved in establishing policies and implementing decisions that will have different effects on the Adviser and the Fund. The Board recognizes that the participation of the Covered Officers in such activities is inherent in the contractual relationship between the Fund and the Adviser, and is consistent with the Board’s understanding of the performance by the Covered Officers of their duties as officers of the Fund. Nonetheless, each Covered Officer recognizes that, as an Officer of the Fund, he or she has a duty to act in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders. |