1. NAME
The
Association shall be called the Pacific Eye-Care Society (PacEYES)
2. AIMS OF THE ASSOCIATION
(a)
To promote and represent the
practice of Ophthalmology in the Pacific Region.
(b) To promote
ethical principles of Ophthalmology applicable to Pacific Island
countries.
(c) To
advance the science and art of Ophthalmology in the Pacific Region.
(d) To
provide a forum for Pacific
Islands eye-care
providers to discuss and comment on matters affecting their practice.
(e) To
promote activities that provide for mutual assistance, exchange of information,
continuing education, peer review and research in Ophthalmology.
(f) To aid
the selection and education of medical practitioners in the specialty of
Ophthalmology.
(g) To
develop a close association with the Royal Australian and New Zealand College
of Ophthalmologists.
(h) To
develop relationships with other ophthalmological colleges, associations and
societies.
(i) To
undertake any work which may appear to the Association to be in accordance with
the above aims and to do such things as are incidental or conducive to the
attainment of the above aims.
3. MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the Association shall
compromise the following:
(a)
Full Members: Full Membership shall be
open to eye-care providers who reside and practise in Pacific Island
nations (see Appendix 1) and who
i) Hold an acceptable
qualification in Ophthalmology or the equivalent thereof; and
ii) Are engaged in the
practice of Ophthalmology.
Full Members have voting rights, are eligible for
election to the Executive and pay fees.
(b)
Associate Members: Associate Membership shall
be open to:
(i) Eye-care providers in
the Pacific Islands who have retired from clinical
practice; or
(ii) Eye-care providers who
do not meet the criteria for Full or Corresponding Membership or for Associate
Membership under subsections (i) or (ii) above and whose link with the
Association is deemed appropriate.
Associate Members do not vote, do not hold office and
do not pay fees. The exception is
Associate Members under (b) (ii) who are eligible to vote for the trainee
representative on the Executive; and the elected Trainee Representative on the
Executive who is eligible to vote in the same manner as other members of the
Executive.
(c)
Honorary Members: Honorary Membership shall
be for people who have contributed significantly to the progress of
Ophthalmology in the Pacific
Islands.
Honorary Members do not vote, do not hold office and
do not pay fees.
(d)
Corresponding Members: Corresponding Membership
shall be for eye health professionals who are permanently resident outside the Pacific Islands and have an interest in
Ophthalmology in the Pacific region.
Corresponding Members do not vote and do not hold
office. Corresponding Members pay a
suitable fee to cover distribution of information.
(e) Life
Members: Life Membership shall be for eye health professionals who have
contributed significantly to the Association and who are approved by the
Executive to become life members.
Life Members pay no fees but are eligible to hold
office and to vote.
4 ELECTION TO MEMBERSHIP
(a)
All nominations for membership
shall be made to the Executive Committee.
Any two members may submit names to the Honorary Secretary for
consideration by the Executive Committee for any category of membership.
(b) Election
shall be by a majority vote of members of the Executive Committee.
5 CESSATION
OF MEMBERSHIP
(a)
Any member may resign their
membership by giving the Honorary Secretary notice in writing to that effect
not less than three months before the expiration of the Association’s current
financial year and such resignation shall take effect as from the end of the
said financial year.
(b)
If any member shall, in the
opinion of the Executive Committee,
- be guilty of conduct contrary to the interests of the Association;
or
- have ceased to take an interest in the aims of the Association; or
- have been disobedient to the Association’s rules; or
- be guilty of an unprofessional act or public misdemeanour
then, provided that member is given not less than 4 weeks prior
written notice of the alleged infringement or conduct and is also given an
adequate opportunity of being heard by the Executive Committee, it shall be in
the power of the Executive Committee, but subject to the right of appeal in
sub-clause (iii) hereof, to:
(i) Suspend that member for
any period not exceeding twelve calendar months during which period that member
shall not be entitled to any of the rights or privileges of the Association;
and / or
(ii) Call upon that member to
resign their membership and, if that member after being called upon shall
refuse or fail to forward their written resignation within 6 weeks of such
notice being posted to them by registered mail to their last known address as
shown on the Association records, their membership shall be deemed to have
lapsed at the expiration of the said 6 weeks.
(iii) Any member in respect
of whom the Executive Committee has so resolved to suspend or to call upon to
resign shall have the right within 6 weeks of being notified of such resolution
to give notice appealing against this resolution to the next Annual General
Meeting of the Association.
(iv) If, at the next Annual
General Meeting, a majority of those present shall vote for a resolution that
such a member be censured, the Executive Committee shall cause a copy of such
resolution to be forwarded to him / her.
If at such a meeting a majority of those present shall vote for suspension
of such member for any period not exceeding twelve calendar months or for the
expulsion of such member, then such member shall be deemed thereby to be
suspended or expelled from the Association as the case may be.
6. SUBSCRIPTIONS
(a)
The annual subscription for all
categories of membership shall be determined from time to time by the Executive
Committee and approved at the Annual General Meeting. Subscriptions shall be due on the 1st
day of the Association’s financial year and are payable from the time of
approval of membership.
(b)
A candidate who is accepted for
Membership under categories (a) or (d)
of Section 3 shall not be entitled to any of the privileges of the Association
until the subscription has been paid.
(c)
Members in categories 3 (a) or
(d) whose subscription remains unpaid for two years shall automatically cease
to be members of the Association. Such
members may seek re-nomination by making formal application to the Honorary
Secretary and may be required to pay all or some of their subscription arrears
before being approved for membership.
(d)
The Executive Committee may at
its discretion remit, reduce or suspend liability to pay a subscription in any
particular case or cases. The Honorary
Treasurer is to be informed in writing of any such concessions.
7. GOVERNANCE
(a)
The governing body of the
Association shall be the Executive Committee.
(b)
Meetings of the Executive
Committee will take place either ‘face-to-face’ or by telecommunication or
electronic means, or by any combination of these, at times to be determined by
the Committee, apart from those meetings which will be held in conjunction with
the meetings of the Association as detailed in Section 11.
8. THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
(a) There
will be an Executive Committee which will be comprised of:
(i) Elected Members: Eight
members will be elected for a term of 2 years by a ballot of all members with
voting rights, and will be eligible for re-election for a further 2 terms. All those standing for election must be
current paid up Full Members or Life Members of the Association.
(ii) Immediate Past President:
The Immediate Past President shall also be a member of the Executive,
but only for the year following his / her ceasing to be President.
The ballot shall either be held at the Annual General Meeting or by
other suitable means determined by the Executive.
Full and Life Members who have served 3 terms (6 years) as an
Elected Member of the Executive may stand for election again after an interval
of 2 years.
Notwithstanding the above, the number of elected members from a
single Pacific Island nation shall be no greater than 3.
(b) If, in
the opinion of the Executive Committee, there is a need for a representative of
a group not catered for by the electoral process, then the Committee shall have
the responsibility to co-opt members to fill that deficiency to ensure the
interests of all members of the Association are represented.
(c) Casual
vacancies on the Executive Committee will be filled by co-option, with the
Executive seeking to ensure that the interests of the members of the
Association represented by the resigning Executive member continue to be
represented.
(d) The
Office Bearers of the Association shall be: -
The
President;
The
Immediate Past-President;
The Vice-President;
The
Honorary Secretary; and
The
Honorary Treasurer
(e) The
positions of President, Vice-President, Honorary Secretary and
Honorary Treasurer will be elected every two years by the Executive Committee
with the President and Vice-President being entitled to hold
these positions for a maximum of four years.
(f) Five
Executive Committee members shall form a quorum.
(g) Meetings
of the Executive Committee will take place either ‘face-to-face’ or by
telecommunication or electronic means at times to be determined by the
Committee, apart from those meetings which will be held in conjunction with the
meetings of the Association as detailed below in Section 11.
(h) The
Executive may commission sub-committees and / or working parties as it sees fit
to further the aims of the Association.
9. POWERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The Executive Committee shall be responsible for control of the
affairs of the Association and has the power to –
(a)
Conduct the business of the
Association.
(b)
Appoint and dissolve
sub-committees as required and to appoint their co-ordinators.
(c)
Nominate or appoint a Member
directly or indirectly to any Government or Statutory body for an initial
period of three years with the right to re-appoint for a defined period only. Such appointments are to be for a maximum
continuous period not exceeding six years.
(d)
Co-opt additional Members to
assist in their deliberations or for special functions, as under Sections 8
(b).
(e)
Fill casual vacancies, as under
Section 8 (c)
(f)
Advise other bodies on any
matters in which its functions impinge upon the standards or practice of Ophthalmology
in Pacific region.
(g)
Remit, reduce or suspend a
subscription in any particular case at its own discretion, the Honorary
Treasurer being informed in writing of such concessions.
(h) Propose
subscriptions at a level to be confirmed by the Annual General Meeting
(i) Manage
and dispose of its funds and assets.
10. SUB-COMMITTEES
(a)
Sub- Committees or working
groups may be appointed by the Executive Committee from time to time for
specific tasks as under Section 9 (b).
(b)
The President shall be a member
of all such sub-Committees or working groups, ex-officio.
(c)
The co-ordinator of each
sub-Committee or working group shall record the business it conducts and shall
present a report to the Executive Committee Meetings of the Association.
(d)
Sub-Committees and working
groups shall have power to co-opt anyone who will assist their deliberations
without reference to the Executive Committee.
The names of those co-opted shall appear on the Report(s) to the
Executive Committee.
11. MEETINGS
(a)
Annual General Meeting: This will be held annually at a time and place to be determined by
the Executive and, when possible, will be held in conjunction with a meeting of
Pacific Islands’ Eye Care Providers. Notice of the Meeting will be sent to all
members a minimum of two months before the meeting date.
The Business at the Annual General Meeting will include:
(i)
The report of the Executive
Committee
(ii)
The statement of Income and
Expenditure and the Balance Sheet for the financial year
(iii)
Consideration of the Executive
Committee’s proposed subscription level.
(iv)
The confirmation of the
Election of Officers.
(v)
Consideration of Notices which
have been duly notified under Section 12.
(vi)
Other business which the
meeting wishes to consider.
(b)
General Meeting: This will be held after due notice at a time to be agreed by the
members of the Executive to consider
specific general or constitutional matters.
(c)
Special Meeting: This will be called when a
remit is supported, in writing, by ten percent of the full membership, or by
the majority of the Executive Committee.
(d)
The quorum for a meeting
described in (a), (b) or (c) above shall be the members at the meeting,
provided that the number of members is at least 25% of the financial full
members of the Association at that time.
(e) Any
meeting of the Association may be held face-to-face or by telecommunication or
electronic means or by any combination of these, with the method(s) to be
decided by the Executive
(f) The
Chairperson of the meeting shall be the President of the Association. In the absence of the President, the Chair
will be taken by the nominated deputy of the President, who will be the Vice-President
or a member of the Executive Committee, or, in the absence of such a nominee,
by a member elected by the members present at the meeting.
(g) All
Members entitled to vote shall have one vote by show of hands, by proxy, in
writing or by telecommunication or electronic means. Associate Members who are Surgical Trainees
shall have one vote through their elected representative on the Executive
Committee or nominated substitute. The
Chairperson of the meeting shall have the casting vote in the event of an equality
of voting.
12. NOTICES
(a)
Nominations for the Executive
Committee will close two months before the Annual General Meeting with the
ballot result finalised two weeks before the Annual General Meeting.
(b)
Ordinary notices of motion must
be in the hands of the Secretary two weeks before the relevant Annual General
or General meeting to be placed on the agenda for that meeting.
(c)
Emergency remits will only be
considered after their presentation is approved by a ballot taken at the
meeting at which they are to be presented.
(d)
Notices will be sent to the
Members’ last notified address and will be deemed to have been received within
10 working days.
13. FINANCES
(a)
Subscription levels will be
proposed by the Executive Committee for confirmation by the Annual General
Meeting.
(b)
The membership may decide to
set different subscription levels according to the membership status.
(c)
The Association will deposit
such subscriptions to the credit of the Association into trading or savings or
investment accounts approved by the Executive Committee and ratified by the
members at the Annual General Meeting.
(d)
The Executive Committee may
invest some of the Association funds elsewhere according to reputable
independent advice.
(e)
The Treasurer will keep books
of accounting according to accepted accounting practice and will submit audited
statements to the Annual General Meeting of the Association for approval.
(f)
No part of the funds may be
used for the private use or benefit of any member of the Association.
14. AUDITOR
There shall be an Auditor (who shall not be a member of the
Executive Committee) who shall be elected annually by the Executive. Such Auditor shall audit the accounts and
have the power to call for the production of all books, papers, accounts and
documents relating to the affairs of the Association at any time.
15. POWER TO BORROW,
ACQUIRE PROPERTY AND EMPLOY SERVANTS OR AGENTS
The Association shall have the power to:
(a)
Raise or borrow money in such a
manner and upon such security (if any) as the Executive Committee of the
Association shall think fit and in particular upon the security of any mortgage
or mortgages, charge or charges of all or any part of the Association’s
property, assets and rights (both present and future) and generally with such
rights and upon such terms and conditions in all respects as the Executive
Committee of the Association shall see fit and to purchase, redeem or pay off
any such securities and re-issue same.
(b)
Give guarantees, bonds and
indemnities and to make, draw, accept, endorse, discount, execute and issue
promissory notes, bills of exchange, drafts, debentures and all or any
negotiable or transferable instruments.
(c)
Acquire by purchase, take on
lease or otherwise lands and buildings and all other property real and personal
which the Executive Committee of the Association may from time to time think
proper; or dispose of such property or any part thereof and to erect on any
such land any building and to alter, add to and maintain any building erected
upon such land.
(d)
Sell, improve, maintain,
manage, exchange, lease, mortgage, dispose of, turn to account or otherwise
deal with all or any part of the property assets and rights of the Association.
(e)
Enter into any amalgamation,
affiliation, fusion or alliance with or co-operate or make any arrangement for
the amalgamation or co-operation in whole or in part with any other body having
aims altogether or in part similar to any of those of the Association provided
that the Association shall not enter any amalgamation or fusion with a body as
aforesaid unless such body prohibits the payment or transfer directly or
indirectly of its income or property or any part thereof by way of dividend,
bonus or otherwise howsoever by way of profit to the members thereof.
(f)
Provide suitable premises for
meetings and carrying on the work of and for the purpose of carrying into
effect the aims of the Association and to employ and dismiss servants and
agents.
(g)
Establish bursaries or
scholarships for educational purposes and to furnish and award competitive
prizes for essays or papers relating to the aims of the Association.
(h)
Print and publish any
newspapers, periodicals, books, leaflets, radio scripts or films and other
descriptive or educational material that the Association may think desirable
for the promotion of its aims.
16. COMMON
SEAL
The Secretary shall have custody
of the Common Seal of the Association and such seal shall not be affixed to any
instrument except by the authority of a resolution of the Executive Committee
and in the presence of a member of the Executive Committee and that of the
Secretary or other person as the Executive Committee may appoint for that
purpose; and that members of the Executive Committee and the Secretary or other
person as aforesaid shall sign every instrument to which the seal of the
Association is so fixed in their presence.
17. ALTERATION OF CONSTITUTION
(a)
The Constitution may be
altered, added to, rescinded or otherwise amended by a resolution passed by a
two thirds majority of those members, proxies and written votes present at a
duly notified Annual, General or Special meeting called in accordance with
Section 11.
(b)
Every such remit shall set
forth the purpose of the proposed alteration, addition, rescission or other
amendment and will be sent to the Honorary Secretary four weeks before the
meeting at which it is to be considered.
(c)
Duplicate copies of every such
alteration, addition, rescission or other amendment shall forthwith be
delivered to the Registrar of Incorporated Societies (or the appropriate
equivalent) in accordance with the requirements of the relevant statute in the
country in which the Association may be registered.
(d) Providing
always and notwithstanding anything contained herein there shall be no
alteration to the Constitution which would enable the income or other funds of
the Association to be used for, or be available for the private pecuniary
profit of any Member or which would occasion the income of the Association to
lose any tax exempt status.
18. WINDING UP
(a)
The Association may be wound up
by a majority of its members at a properly constituted Annual, General or
Special meeting.
(b) Residual
funds after payment of the Association’s liabilities and expenses shall be
applied to the furtherance of the Association’s aims or to a charity approved
by those present at the meeting identified under 18 (a).
APPENDIX 1
PACIFIC ISLAND NATIONS
Eye health professionals based in the following Pacific Island
Nations are eligible to apply to become Full or Associate Members:
|
American Samoa
|
Papua New Guinea
|
|
Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CMI)
|
Palau
|
|
Cook Islands
|
Samoa
|
|
Federated States of
Micronesia
|
Society Islands
|
|
Fiji
|
Solomon Islands
|
|
Guam
|
Tahiti
|
|
Kiribati
|
Tokelau
|
|
Marshall Islands
|
Tonga
|
|
Nauru
|
Tuvalu
|
|
New Caledonia
|
Vanuatu
|
|
Niue
|
Wallis & Futuna
|
|
Norfolk Island
|
|
APPENDIX 2
SETTING UP THE ASSOCIATION
An Interim
Executive Committee and Office Bearers will be appointed at the Pacific Eye
Care Society’s Meeting in Vanuatu to set in place the processes required for
the Association to begin to fulfil its requirements. These will include, but are not restricted to,
the following:
(i) Consider in which
country(ies) it may be appropriate to register the Association;
(ii) Establish the
Association’s bank account(s);
(iii) Decide the dates for
the Association’s financial year;
(iv) Formulate an interim
budget and set interim membership fees;
(v) Appoint an interim
Auditor, if required;
(vi) Decide on membership
applications;
(vii) Consider options for
secretariat support;
(viii) Consider possible
mechanisms for the dissemination of information to members;
(ix) Hold the elections for
the Executive Committee;
(x) Propose any changes to this Constitution as may be
considered necessary as a consequence of the activities involved in the setting
up of the Association;
(xi) Any other activities
as may be considered necessary for the setting up of the Association.
