Constitution of The Caribbean Academy of Science
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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 Members and Fellows. .The structure of the Academy shall consist of Chapters, a Council and an Executive Committee.
The Council will comprise the Executive Committee and the Chairperson or Chairperson designate, of each Chapter. With the exception of the Foreign Secretary who is a full member, Past Presidents shall be Ex-Officio Members of Council with no voting rights.
The Executive Committee will comprise the President, who shall be a Fellow, the Foreign Secretary, who is the Immediate Past President, a Secretary, a Treasurer and a Public Relations Officer. 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.
Chapters may be formed in regional or extra-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 elect Chapter Executive Committees [under the supervision and guidance of the Election Committee] and shall be subject to the rules and bye-laws of the Academy.
Chapters shall meet at least twice a year and the approved minutes of these meetings shall be forwarded to the Secretariat within three months of each meeting.
ARTICLE IV - MEMBERSHIP
The membership shall comprise the following categories Associate Member, Ordinary Member, Fellow, Honorary Member, Honorary Fellow and Institutional Member. Honorary Members, Honorary Fellows and Institutional Members shall have no voting rights.
IV. A - APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP
1. Application for all categories of membership shall be in writing to the Secretariat using the approved application form. Each nomination shall be signed by two (2) persons who are either Ordinary members or Fellows of CAS in good financial standing and must be accompanied by a curriculum vita of the nominee
2. The Secretariat shall forward the nominations to the Membership Committee which shall consider and make recommendations on the application to the Executive Committee
3. The Executive Committee shall decide on the recommendation: New membership applications shall be considered and decided upon within three (3) months.
4. In the event that membership is declined, an applicant may, through his\her nominees be afforded a single appeal. The application shall be reviewed by Council and that decision shall be final. The review process, including notification of the outcome should normally be completed within two (2) months.
IV. B - ORDINARY MEMBERS
Any citizen or resident of the Caribbean region who has:
a. Produced and published scientific work of a high standard OR
b. Contributed significantly to the advancement of science or technology
is eligible to be an Ordinary Member
IV. C - 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) Nomination and election of Associate Members to the Academy will conform to the same rules as those established for Ordinary Members.
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. D - FELLOWS
Any citizen or resident of the Caribbean region who has:
a. Produced and published scientific work of an exceptionally high standard OR
b. Contributed very significantly to the advancement of science or technology
c. Been an active member of CAS for a minimum of five (5) years
is eligible to become a Fellow
1 Nomination to Fellowship shall be as for other categories of membership except that the application shall be considered by the Fellowship Committee and the Fellowship Committee shall make its recommendations to Council.
2 Unsuccessful applicants are entitled to a single appeal using the mechanism set out
in Section IV A .4 except that Council shall establish an ad hoc committee to hear such an appeal.
3 There shall be a maximum of two (2) new Fellows selected in a calendar year.
4 New Fellows shall be selected in the month of August each year and be introduced to
membership at the next General Meeting of the Academy
IV. E - HONORARY MEMBERS
1. Any individual, whether resident in the Caribbean or not who has:
a. Produced and published scientific work of a high standard OR
b. Contributed significantly to the advancement of science or technology
shall be eligible for election as an Honorary Member.
IV. F - HONORARY FELLOWS
1. Any individual, whether resident in the Caribbean or not who has:
a. Produced and published scientific work of an exceptionally high standard OR
b. Contributed very significantly to the advancement of science or technology.
shall be eligible for election as an Honorary Fellow.
IV. G – INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERS
1. 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 Institutional Member and shall be entitled to send a representative to the Biennial General Meeting
2. Nomination and election of Institutional Members to the Academy will conform to the same rules as those established for Ordinary Members, however the institution or body will be required to submit its aims, objectives, constitution or by-laws
IV H – LIFE MEMBERS
Life membership of the Academy shall be open to an Ordinary member, Member and Fellow who;
i was a financial member for a minimum of five years and is below the age of thirty five and wishes to pay a single contribution equivalent to twenty five years of dues in place of paying the Annual subscriptions
ii was a financial member for a minimum of five years and is above the age of thirty five and wishes to pay a single contribution equivalent to twenty years of dues in place of paying the Annual subscriptions
iii. was a financial member for a minimum of five years and has reached the age of retirement and wishes to pay a single contribution equivalent to ten years of dues in place of paying the Annual subscriptions
ARTICLE V - ELECTION 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 (2) consecutive terms. A person who is Immediate Past President shall become the Foreign Secretary after which he\she shall not be re-elected to the Executive Committee before a period of one (1) term has elapsed.
The Treasurer shall make available to the membership a list of financial members eligible to participate in the elections.
The return date for nominations will be set by the Elections Committee and marked on all nomination ballots distributed. (This date must not extend beyond a day which is more than three (3) months after the vacancy occurs).
A voting member may nominate one (1) 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 form by any means of ICT or otherwise to the Election Committee by the return date.
A list of candidates for each vacant post (“the election ballot”) shall be complied by the Election Committee from the nominations returned as in Clause 4 above and distributed to all voting members.
A voting member will cast their vote by indicating their candidate of choice for each post from among the candidate listed on the election ballot and returning the said ballot to the Election Committee or by the use of ICT or otherwise.
Election ballots shall be opened and counted by the Chairperson of the Election Committee or his/her nominee and conveyed to the Biennial General Meeting by way of the Foreign Secretary and the results announced at the said Biennial General Meeting.
Where a vacant post in the Executive Committee exists or will exist within the first eighteen (18) months from the last election, the Chairperson of the Elections Committee will invite nominations from Ordinary Members and Fellows in good standing (“voting members”) for an e-mail ballot to fill the vacancy within three (3) months.
In the event that there is a single nominee, the nomination process shall be reopened until the conduct of elections at the General Meeting. The same applies to Chapter Elections.
In event of a vacancy occurring as in 8 above, the ballots shall be opened and counted by the Elections Committee. Where the vacancy occurs in the last six months of term of office the vacancy shall be filled by a simple majority vote of Council.
If there is no nomination for any Executive position, the incumbent will remain in office until an election is held within three (3) months or be filled by a simple majority of Council
ARTICLE VI - COMMITTEES
The Executive shall nominate and Council appoint Committees as deemed necessary to assist in the functioning of CAS
There shall be a Membership Committee selected by the 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 Fellows, not less than five (5), nominated by the Council and approved at the Biennial General Meeting. The President shall chair this Committee.
There shall be an Election Committee set up by Council comprising not less than three (3) 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 Biennial General Meetings and Special General Meetings.
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 annually in writing to the Council and to the Biennial General Meeting. Copies of all such documents shall be lodged at the CAS Official Office either as soft or hard copies.
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 annually in writing to the Council and to the Biennial General Meeting. Copies of all such documents shall be lodged at the CAS Official (Central) Office either as soft or hard copies.
The Foreign Secretary shall be concerned with institutional and international relations and shall work towards the promotion of good relations between CAS and other similar organisations regionally and internationally
The Public Relations Officer 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 General Meeting to be known as the Biennial General Meeting of CAS and shall give six (6) months’ notice of the Meeting. This Meeting shall be announced by a first circular at least six (6) 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 Biennial General Meeting of CAS shall normally rotate among member territories of the region
Special General Meetings of CAS may be called by The President, a simple majority of Council or by a resolution/petition of twenty (20) members in good financial standing. The Agenda at such Meetings shall be specific to the purpose of calling such a Meeting.
At General Meetings of CAS, twenty (20) percent of voting members shall constitute a quorum.
In the absence of a quorum, the meeting shall be adjourned to a date set by Council and at that meeting the members present shall constitute a quorum.
At Council and Committee Meetings of CAS a simple majority of the members shall be the quorum.
ARTICLE IX - DUES & FINANCING
1 The dues of Members shall be set by Council and approved at a General Meeting of members. There shall be a registration fee and an Annual Fee. Annual Fees become payable by the December 31st and shall be paid not later than March 31st of the following year. Dues may be collected at the Chapter level and a quantum of 50% transferred to the CAS Treasurer by 30th April.
2 Council may also authorize financial support to the Chapters based on the number of financial members in the Chapter. Each Chapter shall have the right to undertake fund raising activities in its territory.
3 The CAS Executive shall notify a Chapter, no less than three (3) months in advance, of its intention to commence fund raising in that territory. The Executive and the Chapter shall collaborate on such projects and the Chapter shall be entitled to ten percent (10%) of net funds raised.
4 If a Chapter wishes to raise funds outside of its territory, it will be required to do so with the consent and collaboration of the Central Executive. Central CAS shall be entitled to twenty percent (20%) of net funds raised.
5 Except as in clause 3 above, Funds raised by a Chapter within its territory are for the exclusive use of that Chapter
ARTICLE X - LEGAL RESIDENCE
CAS shall be legally resident in Trinidad and Tobago.
ARTICLE XI – USE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Any notice or other document required under the Act of Incorporation of CAS may be delivered personally or sent by prepaid post or cable or telex or telefax or by means of any form of Information and Communication Technology as may be decided upon by the Council from time to time.
Members of the Council of CAS, the Executive Committee, the Chapter Executive Committees or any authorized Committee of CAS may, participate in a meeting by means of such electronic or other telecommunication facilities as permit all persons participating in the meeting to hear each other. A participant in such a meeting by such means shall be deemed to have been present at that meeting.
ARTICLE XII – INDEMITY OF OFFICIALS
No person who holds Office as a member of the Council or an authorized Committee member or an official representative of CAS, shall be liable in any way for the consequences flowing from any act or omission performed bona fide in the execution of his/her duties as a member of Council.
ARTICLE XIII - AMENDMENTS
Any proposed amendment/s to the Constitution shall be provided to the Membership at least two (2) months before a vote is required. The text of the amendment/s will be circulated by the Chairperson of the Election Committee to all voting members of CAS who shall be asked to signify their approval or disapproval in an accompanying ballot.
The Constitution may be amended by 75% of the financial members voting “yes”. If the response is less than 75%, then it may be amended by 75% of the Membership in good standing at a General Meeting of not less than.20% of the membership.
ARTICLE XIV – WINDING UP
Upon the dissolution, CAS shall, after satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities, give or transfer any remaining property to such other non-profit company enjoying a similar exemption, as the members may, with the approval of the Board of Inland Revenue, determine.