Constitution of The Caribbean Academy of Sciences
2007 Message
from the President
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ARTICLE I - NAME
The name of the Academy shall be The Caribbean Academy of
Sciences, hereafter called CAS.
ARTICLE II - OBJECTIVES
CAS shall be a non-profit, non-political, and non-governmental
body which shall not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity,
race, gender or religious persuasion and whose objectives shall
be:
- To provide a forum for the consideration of ideas and issues
related to science and technology.
- To serve as a source of advice to governments and
non-governmental organizations on scientific and technological
matters.
- To facilitate cooperation in scientific and technological
research with special reference to the Caribbean
region.
- To recognize outstanding performance or achievement in
science and technology.
- To undertake or facilitate the publication and collation of
the results of scientific research.
- To promote public awareness and appreciation of the
importance and potential of science and technology in the
Caribbean region.
- To promote ethical conduct in all matters relating to science
and technology.
- To maintain contact with similar bodies abroad.
- To do all such other things which the Council may deem
necessary to fulfil its objectives.
ARTICLE III - STRUCTURE
- The Academy shall consist of a Council, an Executive
Committee, Chapters and the Membership.
- The Executive Committee will comprise the President, who
shall be a Fellow, the Foreign Secretary, who is the Immediate
Past President, Secretary, Treasurer, Public Relations Officer
and the Chairpersons of each Chapter. If the Immediate Past
President declines to serve as Foreign Secretary, the position
will be filled in accordance with Article V. The candidate for
this post must be a Fellow.
- The Council will comprise the Executive Committee, one member
nominated by each Chapter and one Ordinary Member elected at the
General Meeting
- Chapters may be formed in regional territories by application
of Members to the Council. Council shall, from time to time,
determine what minimum number of Members shall comprise a Chapter
and accordingly shall have full power to merge, sub-divide,
dissolve and modify Chapters. Chapters shall be subject to the
rules and bye-laws of the Academy.
ARTICLE IV - MEMBERSHIP
The membership shall comprise the following categories: Ordinary
Member, Associate Member, Junior Member, Fellow, Honorary
Fellow and Honorary Member.
IV. 1 - ORDINARY MEMBERS
- Any citizen or resident of the Caribbean region who has
produced and published scientific work of a high standard is
eligible to be an Ordinary Member.
- Nomination to membership shall be in writing to the Secretary
at least four weeks before the General Meeting Each
nomination shall be signed by two persons who are either Ordinary
members or fellows of CAS in good financial standing and must be
accompanied by a curriculum vitae of the nominee.
- The Secretary shall forward the nominations to the Membership
Committee which shall forward recommendations to the
General Meeting.
- The General Meeting shall vote on the nominations.
Election to membership shall require a simple majority of the
members present.
IV. II -ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
- (a) Any citizen or resident of the Caribbean region who is
not otherwise qualified for Ordinary Membership but whose work is
deemed valuable to the purposes of CAS is eligible to be an
Associate Member.
(b) Any non-citizen or non-resident of the Caribbean region,
who has produced and published scientific work of a high standard
shall be eligible for election as an Associate Member.
(c) Any institution or body duly constituted in the Caribbean
region and whose work is deemed valuable to the purposes of the
Academy shall be eligible for election as an Associate Member and
shall be entitled to send a representative to the General
Meeting.
- Nomination and election of Associate Members to
the Academy will conform to the same rules as those established
for Ordinary Members. In the case of an application under IV. II
1(c) the institution or body will be required to submit its aims,
objectives and constitution.
- Associate Members shall have no voting rights.
IV. III - JUNIOR MEMBERS
- Any citizen or resident of the Caribbean region whose
activities are deserving of association with the work of CAS is
eligible to be a. Junior Member.
- Nomination and election of Junior Members to CAS will conform
to the same rules as those established for Ordinary
Members.
- Junior Members shall have no voting rights.
IV. IV - FELLOWS
- Any citizen or resident of the Caribbean region who has made
a significant contribution to the field of science and technology
is eligible to become a Fellow.
- Nomination to Fellowship shall be in writing to the Secretary
by September 30 of each calendar year. A nomination shall be
signed by two persons being either Ordinary Members or Fellows of
the Academy in good financial standing and must be accompanied by
a curriculum vitae.
- The Secretary shall forward the nominations by October 15, to
the Fellowship Committee.
- The Fellowship Committee shall consider the nominations
received and come to a decision which shall be final.
- The President will inform the relevant parties of the
decision of the Fellowship Committee and within one month of the
decision and will announce at the General Meeting the
names of new admission to Fellowship. The term of new Fellows
will commence at the General Meeting.
- No more than two Fellows may be admitted at any
General Meeting.
- Fellows shall have full voting rights.
IV. V -HONORARY FELLOWS
- Any person whose merit is internationally recognized and who
has made a significant contribution to the progress of science
and technology or to human welfare is eligible to be an Honorary
Fellow.
- Election of Honorary Fellows shall be determined by
Council.
- Honorary Fellows shall have no voting rights.
IV. VI -HONORARY MEMBERS
- Any citizen or resident of the Caribbean region who has produced and
published scientific work of a high standard is eligible to be an
Honorary Member.
- Election of Honorary Members shall be determined by
Council.
- Honorary Members shall have no voting rights.
ARTICLE V - ELECTION OF THE EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE
- Where a vacant post in the Executive Committee exists or will
exist in the current calendar year due to the expiration of term,
resignation, abandonment or removal from office or howsoever such
post may be vacated, the Chairperson of the Election Committee
will invite nominations from Ordinary Members and Fellows in good
financial standing ("voting members") at least four months prior
to the start of the next General Meeting.
- The return date for nominations will be set by the Election
Committee and marked on all nomination ballots distributed. This
date must not extend beyond a day which is less than two months
prior to the start of the next General Meeting.
- A voting member may nominate one person who is an Ordinary
Member or Fellow in good financial standing for each position for
which nominations are invited by having each such nomination
seconded by a voting member and returning the completed
nomination ballot to the Election Committee by the return
date.
- A list of candidates for each vacant post ("the election
ballot") shall be compiled by the Election Committee from the
nominations returned as in clause 3 above and distributed to all
voting members at least six weeks prior to the start of the
General Meeting.
- A voting member will cast their vote by indicating their
candidate of choice for each post from among the candidates
listed on the election ballot and returning the said ballot to
the Election Committee at least two weeks prior to the start of
the General Meeting.
- Election ballots shall be opened and counted by the
Chairperson of the Election Committee or his nominee at the
General Meeting and the results announced.
- 7. If there is no nomination for any Executive position, the
incumbent will remain in office and the election process repeated
in 6 months. In this case the ballot will be opened in the
presence of the Executive Committee.
- The Executive will be elected biennially. Any member of the
Executive shall not hold the same office for more than two
consecutive terms. A person who is Immediate Past President shall
not be re-elected to the Executive Committee before a period of
two terms.
ARTICLE VI - COMMITTEES
- The Executive shall appoint Committees as deemed necessary to
assist in the functioning of CAS.
- There shall be a Membership Committee comprising five members
elected by Council with the President or his nominee as Chair.
The term of office shall be at the discretion of Council.
- There shall be a Fellowship Committee comprising five Fellows
nominated by the President and five Ordinary Members elected at
the General Meeting. The President shall chair this
Committee. The term of office shall be at the discretion of the
Council.
- There shall be an Election Committee set up by Council
comprising three persons who may or may not be members of CAS.
Council will name the Chairperson and specify its term of
office.
ARTICLE VII - DUTIES OF MEMBERS AND POWERS OF COUNCIL AND
THE EXECUTIVE
- Council shall be the highest policy-making authority of CAS
and as such its responsibilities shall include, inter alia, (a)
Duties specified in relevant Articles above
- (b) Approving the Strategic and Work Plan
- (c) All such lawful things as may be conducive to fulfilling
the mission of CAS and promoting and carrying out its
objectives
- The Executive is charged with the responsibility of
implementing the decisions of the Council.
- The President shall preside at all meetings of CAS. In
his/her absence, the Immediate Past President shall
preside.
- The Secretary shall be the custodian of the records and
papers of CAS, shall keep a record of the proceedings of CAS and
make a report in writing on the year's activity.
- The Treasurer shall receive dues of the members, administer
all funds which must be lodged in an approved financial
institution, keep a record of the receipts and expenditure of CAS
and present a financial statement at the General Meeting
of CAS.
- The Foreign Secretary shall be concerned with international
relations and shall work towards the promotion of better
relations between CAS and other similar organizations regionally
and internationally.
- The PRO shall be concerned with
public relations and relations with the media and shall work
towards the promotion of better understanding between CAS and the
communities of the region.
ARTICLE VIII - MEETINGS
CAS shall hold a meeting to be known as the General
Meeting of CAS each year and shall give six months notice of the
Meeting. This Meeting shall be announced by a first circular at
least six months in advance. A final announcement of the meeting
shall be sent out at a suitable time prior to the meeting. The
programme and the place and date of the meeting shall be
determined by the Executive.
- The General Meeting of CAS shall normally rotate among
member territories of the region.
- Special Meetings of CAS may be called by The President or a
simple majority of Council.
- At General Meetings of CAS, twenty percent of voting members
shall constitute a quorum.
ARTICLE IX -DUES
The dues of Members shall be set by Council. There shall be a
registration fee and an Fee. Fees are payable by
April 2.
ARTICLE X - LEGAL RESIDENCE
CAS shall be legally resident in Trinidad and Tobago.
ARTICLE XI - AMENDMENTS
Any proposed amendment to the Constitution will be discussed at
the General Meeting. Thereafter, the text of the amendment
will be circulated by the Chairperson of the Election Committee
to all voting members of CAS who will be asked to signify their
approval of disapproval in an accompanying ballot.
The Constitution may be amended by 75% of the members voting
`yes'. If the response is less than 75%, then it may be mended by
75% of the Membership in good standing at a General
Meeting of not less than 20 members. |