Constitution of Society of Floating Solutions (Singapore)

NAME

1.1 This Society shall be known as the “Society of Floating Solutions (Singapore)”, hereinafter referred to as the “Society”.

PLACE OF BUSINESS

2.1 Its place of business shall be at “The Society of Floating Solutions (Singapore), 7 TEMASEK BOULEVARD #12-07 SUNTEC TOWER ONE Singapore 038987 .” or such other address as may subsequently be decided upon by the Committee and approved by the Registrar of Societies. The Society shall carry out its activities only in places and premises which have the prior written approval from the relevant authorities, where necessary.

MISSION & OBJECTIVES

3.1 The Society’s mission is to educate the importance, promote the implementation and recognise contributions as well as to advance floating solutions for the well-being of mankind and national development of Singapore. The society endeavours to facilitate the application of scientific principles and proven offshore technologies to the design, engineering and construction of floating space solutions to enhance the quality of human life, address issues of land scarcity, harvest offshore renewable energy, increase food and water production, overcome the problem of rising sea level due to global warming in ways that are eco-friendly and sustainable.

3.2 The Society’s objectives are:

to create a platform for engineers, architects, industrialists, entrepreneurs, environmentalist, maritime experts, regulators and others concerned with and interested in the analysis, design, construction, research and other aspects of floating structures and
to provide a forum to its members, guests and others, for discussions, education, collaboration, raising awareness and other mutually beneficial activities.

In furtherance of the above objectives, the Society may organise seminars, lectures, courses, exhibitions, conferences, visits and publications.

MEMBERSHIP QUALIFICATION AND RIGHTS

4.1 Membership of the Society is open to anyone allowable under the laws of the Republic of Singapore and admittance will under the sole discretion of the Committee.

Persons who are below 18 years of age shall not be accepted as members without the written consent of their parent or guardian.

4.2 Only members who are above 21 years of age shall have the right to vote and to hold office in the Society.

APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP

5.1 A person wishing to join the Society should submit his particulars to the Secretary on a prescribed form.

5.2 The Committee will decide on the application for membership.

ENTRANCE FEES, SUBSCRIPTIONS AND OTHER DUES

6.1 The entrance fees and subscriptions together with its payment methodology shall be determined by the General Meeting on recommendation from the Committee from time to time.

6.2 Waiver of entrance fee, the annual subscription or any other fees is only allowed with the approval of the committee.

6.3 Annual subscriptions are payable in advance within the first month of the financial year. If a member falls into arrears with his subscription or other dues, he shall be informed immediately by the Treasurer. If he fails to settle his arrears within six (6) weeks of their becoming due, the President may order that his name be posted on the Society’s notice board and that he be denied the privileges of membership until he settles his account. If he fails to settle his arrears for more than three (3) months, he will automatically cease to be a member and the Committee may take legal action against him provided that they are satisfied that he has received due notice of his debts.

6.4 Any additional fund required for special purposes may only be raised from members with the consent of the committee.

6.5 The income and property of the Society when or howsoever derived shall be applied towards the promotion of the objects of the Society as set forth in this Constitution and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly by way of dividend or bonus or otherwise howsoever by way of profit to the persons who at any time are or have been members of the Society or to any of them or to any person claiming through any of them.

SUPREME AUTHORITY AND GENERAL MEETINGS

7.1 The supreme authority of the Society is vested in a General Meeting of the members presided over by the President. ¶

7.2 An Annual General Meeting shall be held within 3 months from the close of its financial year.

7.3 At other times, an Extraordinary General Meeting must be called by the President on the request in writing of not less than 25% of the total voting membership or thirty (30) voting members, whichever is the lesser, and may be called at anytime by order of the Committee. The notice in writing shall be given to the Secretary setting forth the business that is to be transacted. The Extraordinary General Meeting shall be convened within two (2) months from receiving this request to convene the Extraordinary General Meeting.

7.4 If the Committee does not within two (2) months after the date of the receipt of the written request proceed to convene an Extraordinary General Meeting, the members who requested for the Extraordinary General Meeting shall convene the Extraordinary General Meeting by giving ten (10) days’ notice to voting members setting forth the business to be transacted and simultaneously posting the agenda on the Society’s notice board.

7.5 At least two (2) weeks’ notice shall be given of an Annual General Meeting and at least ten (10) days’ notice of an Extraordinary General Meeting. Notice of meeting stating the date, time and place of meeting shall be sent by the Secretary to all voting members. The particulars of the agenda shall be posted on the Society’s notice board four (4) days in advance of the meeting.

7.6 Unless otherwise stated in this Constitution, voting by proxy shall not be allowed at all General Meetings.

7.7 The following points will be considered at the Annual General Meeting:

The previous financial year’s accounts and annual report of the Committee.
Where applicable, the election of office‑bearers and Honorary Auditors for the following term.

Any member who wishes to place an item on the agenda of a General Meeting may do so provided he gives notice to the Secretary one (1) week before the meeting is due to be held.

7.8 At least 25% of the total voting membership or thirty (30) voting members, whichever is the lesser, present at a General Meeting shall form a quorum.

7.9 In the event of there being no quorum at the commencement of a General Meeting, the meeting shall be adjourned for half an hour and should the number then present be insufficient to form a quorum, those present shall be considered a quorum, but they shall have no power to amend any part of the existing Constitution.

MANAGEMENT AND COMMITTEE

8.1 The administration of the Society shall be entrusted to a Committee consisting of the following to be elected at alternate Annual General Meeting:

A President

Four (4) Vice‑Presidents

A Secretary

A Treasurer

Ten (10) Ordinary Committee Members

8.2 Names for the above offices shall be proposed and seconded at the Annual General Meeting and election will follow on a simple majority vote of the members. All office-bearers, except the Treasurer may be re‑elected to the same or related post for a consecutive term of office. The term of office of the Committee is two (2) years.

8.3 Election will be either by show of hands or, subject to the agreement of the majority of the voting members present, by a secret ballot. In the event of a tie, a re-vote shall be taken and if it still results in a tie, a lot shall be drawn to determine who shall be the successful candidate unless the contesting candidate(s) withdrew in favour of one of themselves.

8.4 A Committee Meeting shall be held at least once every six (6) months after giving seven (7) days’ notice to Committee Members. The President may call a Committee Meeting at any time by giving five (5) days’ notice. If less than one third of the Committee Members are present for the Committee Meeting, the minutes of the meeting shall need to be rectified by at least two-thirds of the Committee not inclusive of attendees.

8.5 Any member of the Committee absenting himself from three (3) meetings consecutively without satisfactory explanations shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the Committee and a successor may be co-opted by the Committee to serve until the next Annual General Meeting. Any changes in the Committee shall be notified to the Registrar of Societies within two (2) weeks of the change.

8.6 The duty of the Committee is to organise and supervise the daily activities of the Society. The Committee may not act contrary to the expressed wishes of the General Meeting without prior reference to it and shall always remain subordinate to the General Meetings.

DUTIES OF OFFICE‑BEARERS

9.1 The President shall chair all General and Committee meetings. He shall also represent the Society in its dealings with outside persons.

9.2 The Vice‑President(s) shall assist the President and the Committee shall choose one of the Vice‑Presidents to deputise for him in his absence. In the event either The Secretary or Treasurer is unable to perform his or her duties the Committee shall choose one of the Vice‑President to take on that role until a replacement is found by next Annual General Meeting or a successor may be co-opted by the Committee among members of the Committee.

9.3 The Secretary shall keep all records, except financial, of the Society and shall be responsible for their correctness. He will keep minutes of all General and Committee meetings. He shall maintain an up‑to‑date Register of Members at all times.

9.4 The Treasurer shall keep all funds and collect and disburse all moneys on behalf of the Society and shall keep an account of all monetary transactions and shall be responsible for their correctness. Cheques, etc. and any financial instruments for withdrawals from the bank will be signed by the Treasurer or Vice‑President(s) and either the President or the Secretary.

9.5 Ordinary Committee Members shall assist in the general administration of the Society and perform duties assigned by the Committee from time to time.

AUDIT AND FINANCIAL YEAR

Two voting members, not being members of the Committee, shall be appointed as Auditors at each Annual General Meeting for a term of two (2) years and shall not be eligible for reappointment.

10.1 They:

Will be required to audit each year’s accounts and present a report upon them to the Annual General Meeting.
May be required by the President to audit the Society’s accounts for any period within their tenure of office at any date and make a report to the Committee.

10.2 The financial year shall be from 1st January till 31st December.

TRUSTEES

11.1 If the Society at any time acquires any immovable property, such property shall be vested in trustees subject to a declaration of trust.

11.2 The trustees of the Society shall:

Not be more than four (4) and not less than two (2) in number.
Be elected by a General Meeting of members.
Not effect any sale or mortgage of property without the prior approval of the General Meeting of members.

11.3 The office of the trustee shall be vacated:

If the trustee dies or becomes a lunatic or of unsound mind.
If he is absent from the Republic of Singapore for a period of more than one (1) year.
If he is guilty of misconduct of such a kind as to render it undesirable that he continues as a trustee.
If he submits notice of resignation from his trusteeship.

11.4 Notice of any proposal to remove a trustee from his trusteeship or to appoint a new trustee to fill a vacancy must be given by posting it on the notice board in the Society’s premises at least two (2) weeks before the General Meeting at which the proposal is to be discussed. The result of such General Meeting shall then be notified to the Registrar of Societies.

11.5 The address of each immovable property, name of each trustee and any subsequent change must be notified to the Registrar of Societies.

VISITORS AND GUESTS

12.1 Visitors and guests may be admitted into the premises of the Society but they shall not be admitted into the privileges of the Society unless allowed so by the Committee. All visitors and guests shall abide by the Society’s rules and regulations.

PROHIBITIONS#

13.1 Gambling of any kind, excluding the promotion or conduct of a private lottery which has been permitted under the Private Lotteries Act Cap 250, is forbidden on the Society’s premises. The introduction of materials for gambling or drug taking and of bad characters into the premises is prohibited.

13.2 The funds of the Society shall not be used to pay the fines of members who have been convicted in court of law.

13.3 The Society shall not engage in any trade union activity as defined in any written law relating to trade unions for the time being in force in Singapore.

13.4 The Society shall not indulge in any political activity or allow its funds and/or premises to be used for political purposes.

13.5 The Society shall not hold any lottery, whether confined to its members or not, in the name of the Society or its office‑bearers, Committee or members unless with the prior approval of the relevant authorities.

13.6 The Society shall not raise funds from the public for whatever purposes without the prior approval in writing of the Assistant Director Operations, Licensing Division, Singapore Police Force and other relevant authorities.

AMENDMENTS TO CONSTITUTION

14.1 The Society shall not amend its Constitution without the prior approval in writing of the Registrar of Societies. No alteration or addition/deletion to this Constitution shall be passed except at a General Meeting and with the consent of two-thirds (2/3) of the voting members present at the General Meeting.

INTERPRETATION

15.1 In the event of any question or matter pertaining to day-to-day administration which is not expressly provided for in this Constitution, the Committee shall have power to use their own discretion. The decision of the Committee shall be final unless it is reversed at a General Meeting of members.

DISPUTES

16.1 In the event of any dispute arising amongst members, they shall attempt to resolve the matter at an Extraordinary General Meeting in accordance with this Constitution. Should the members fail to resolve the matter, they may bring the matter to a court of law in Singapore for settlement.

DISSOLUTION

17.1 The Society shall not be dissolved, except with the consent of not less than three-fifths (³/₅) of the total voting membership of the Society for the time being resident in Singapore expressed, either in person or by proxy, at a General Meeting convened for the purpose.

17.2 In the event of the Society being dissolved as provided above, all debts and liabilities legally incurred on behalf of the Society shall be fully discharged, and the remaining funds will be disposed of in such manner as the General Meeting of members may determine or donated to an approved charity or charities in Singapore.

17.3 A Certificate of Dissolution shall be given within seven (7) days of the dissolution to the Registrar of Societies.

– END –

¶ Compulsory for all societies.

society of floating solutions (singapore)