Constitution

CONSTITUTION OF THE OBSTETRICAL AND GYNAECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF SINGAPORE

I. Name

The society shall be known as “The Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society of Singapore” (hereinafter referred to as “The Society”).
STATUS – The Society shall be an autonomous body.
PATRON – A prominent Singaporean nominated by the Council and approved at its Annual General Meeting.

II. OBJECTIVES

The objectives of Society shall be:

to promote and maintain a high standards in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Singapore;
to foster a sense of professional ethics;
to encourage study and research into problems related to and connected with the health of women, the foetus and new-born child;
to hold meetings for scientific discussions and practical demonstrations that are consistent with the objectives of the Society;
to publish papers and other literature related to Obstetrics and Gynaecology and allied subjects;
to promote co-operation with organizations relevant to the Society, the Government and Institutions of highter learning in the Republic; and
to be affiliated with international organisations concerned with Obstetrics and Gynaecology as long as such affiliation is consistent with the objectives of the Society.

III. MEMBERS

There shall be six categories of members:

Life Membership

The Council may bestow life membership upon any member of the Society who, in the opinion of the Council has made significant contributions to the Society. Such life member shall enjoy the status of an ordinary member without payment of any sum of money.
The Council may bestow life membership upon any member of the Society who has been in continuous membership of at least 10 years, on payment of a sum equivalent of 12 years annual subscription at ordinary rate. Such life member shall enjoy the status of an ordinary member.

Honorary Member

The Council may invite as Honorary Members any person who, in the opinion of the Council, is a reputed dignitary in Obstetrics and Gynaecology and or who has shown interest and has assisted in furthering the cause of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Singapore.
The Council may invite as Honorary Members doctors, scientists and such other persons who have, in the opinion of the Council, materially contributed to the advancement of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Singapore but who are not obstetricians and gynaecologist themselves.
The Council may invite as Honorary Members, any person who, in the opinion of the Council has rendered valuable services to the Society.
Honorary Members shall not be required to pay any entrance fee or subscription fees and shall have no voice in the affairs or the management of the Society.
The total number of Honorary Members at any one time shall not exceed ten.
The Council, prior to granting Honorary Membership, shall first propose the name at the Annual General Meeting and upon the said meeting accepting the proposal, the said Honorary Membership may be bestowed.

Ordinary Member
The following categories of persons shall constitute Ordinary Members of the Society:-

Persons who hold recognised specialist diploma or degree in Obstetrics and Gynaecology;
Persons who do not come within the above category but who nevertheless hold a medical degree registrable in Singapore.

Associate Member

The Council, in its discretion, may admit as associate members, person who are not medically qualified, but whose occupation or interest is concerned with the art or science of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

Overseas Member

Any member who intends to be absent from Singapore shall upon notice in writing to the Secretary, be placed upon the list of overseas members and thereafter shall continue as such. Overseas members will enjoy the same privileges and liabilities as Ordinary Members of the Society.

Visiting Member

The Council shall have powers to elect persons reputed in the field of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, but who are not Citizens of or resident in Singaproe. Such membership shall not extend for mare than a period of 12 months at any one time.

Proposal of Candidates for Membership

Every candidate for membership shall be proposed by one member and seconded by another.
An application for membership shall be made in writing in the prescribed form and shall be signed by the candidate, proposer and seconder and submitted through the Honorary Secreatary, to the Council.

Voting

Ordinary members must have completed at least one year of membership before they are eligible to vote and hold office.

IV. SUBSCRIPTION
An entrance fee of S$50/- or such sum as the Council may from time of time determine, shall be payable by a candidate who has been elected a member. This fee should ordinarily accompany the application forms.

Annual Subscription

The annual subscription for ordinary members shall be S$150/- or such sum as the general body at its Annual General Meeting may from time to time determine.
The annual subscription for associate members shall be S$50/- or such sum as the general body at its Annual General Meeting may from time to time determine.
The annual subscription for overseas members shall be S$15/- or such sum as the general body at its Annual General Meeting may from time to time determine.
The names of all members whose current subscriptions have been in arrears for a period of more than two years shall be forthwith removed from the membership register of the Society.

V. COUNCIL OF OFFICE BEARERS
The Society shall be managed by a body called the Council of the Society and shall consist of;-

President
Vice-President;
Honorary Secretary;
Honorary Treasurer; and
Five Council Members.

The Honorary Treasurer shall hold office for only two consecutive years and shall not be eligible for re-election unless a year has elapsed after having been in office for the last two preceding year.

The outgoing President will remain in the Council as an ex-officio.

Members of the Council shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting and their tenure of office shall be one year.

VI. DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE COUNCIL

A. Duties of the Council

The Council shall meet a least once monthly at a fixed date,
The Council may convene a meeting at any time provided the members of the Council are given notice of the meeting of not less than 3 days.
At least one-half of the members of the Council shall form a quorum at a meeting of the Council which meeting shall be chaired by the President and in his absence, the Vice-President.
The Council shall sponsor, delegate and appoint representatives to international conference, congresses and meetings for which purpose, the Council may negotiate with foundation for sponsorship.
The Council may co-opt into the Council, not more than three ordinary members who, in their opinion, may be useful in the management of the Society.
The Council may at any time, in any form or manner, and for any amount, raise or borrow, for the purpose of the Society, any sums of money in such manner as they think fit.
The Council may appoint any individual member of sub-committee as may be deemed necessary for the management of the Society and may depute or refer to him or them such powers and duties as that Council may determine.
The Council may in its discretion, issue statements to the press or grant interviews, on matters pertaining to the Society. No individual member of the Society, shall except with the approval of the Council, release statements or grant interviews on behalf of the Society.
The Council shall be responsible to convene Annual General Meetings and/or Extraordinary General Meeting as the circumstances deem necessary and in compliance with the other provisions of this Constitution.
The Council has power to authorise the expenditure of a sum not exceeding S$1,000/- per month from the Society’s funds for the Society’s purposes.

B. Duties of Officers

The President
1. The President shall chair all general meetings of the Society and all meetings of the Council.
2. The President shall have a casting vote in addition to his own vote as a member.
3. The President shall, in his discretion, be an ex-officio member in all sub-committees.
The Vice-President
1. The Vice-President shall in the absence of the President assume the powers, duties and responsibilities of the President.
The Honorary Secretary
1. The Honorary Secretary shall be responsible for the general administration of the Society.
2. The Honorary Secretary shall inform all members of the Society in writing, the date of the Annual General Meeting at least four weeks prior to the date of the said meetings.
3. The Secretary shall send to all members of the Society, at least ten days before the date of the Annual General Meeting:-
  1. a report of the activities of the Society during the preceding year;
  2. an audited stated of accounts for the preceding year;
  3. the agenda for the Annual General Meeting.
The Honorary Treasurer
1. The Honorary Treasurer shall keep all funds and collect and disburse all monies on behalf of the Society and shall keep an account of all monetary transactions and shall be responsible for their correctness. He is authorised to expend up to S$100/- per month for petty expenses on behalf of the Society. He will not keep more than S$300/- in the form of cash and money in excess of this will be deposited in a bank to be named by the Council. Cheques etc. for withdrawals from the bank will be signed by the (President, Vice President or Secretary) in addition to the Treasurer.
2. The Honorary Treasurer shall be responsible for the preparation of the annual audited statement of accounts.
Council Members
The Council members shall ordinarily attend all meetings and failure to attend three meetings consecutively shall, in the absence of a reasonable cause, be disqualified from the Council and any vacancy thus arising shall be filled by the Council.
Sub-Committees
There shall be the following standing sub-committees which shall be nominated by the Council:-
1. Editorial Board of the Proceedings of the Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society
  The Board shall consist of:-
  1. the Editor, who shall also be the Chairman of the Board;
  2. the Assistant Editor;
  3. the Honorary Secretary of the Board; and
  4. five other members, one of whom shall be a member of the Council.
2. Postgraduate Committee
  1. This Committee shall consist of three members who shall not hold office for a period exceeding three years. The council may, in its discretion, request any member of this Committee to remain in office for a further period.
  2. The Chairman of the Committee shall be nominated by the Council.
3. Liaison Officer
  1. Liaison with international bodies. The Council shall appoint a Liasion Officer to liasie with international bodies connected with Obstetrics and Gynaecology for a period of three years.
  2. The Chairman of each sub-section shall be nominated by the Council for a period of three years.
  3. The Chairman of each sub-section shall have the power to form his/her own Committee. The said Committees shall not hold office for more than a period of three years.
  4. The Council may, at its discretion, appoint the Chairman of this Committee to remain in office for a further period of three years.

VII. AUDIT

Two persons not members of the Council will be elected as Honorary Auditors at each Annual General Meeting and will hold office for one year only and may not be re-elected. They will be required to audit each year’s account and present a report upon them to the Annual General Meeting. They 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 Council.

VIII. MEETINGS OF THE SOCIETY

The Society shall meet as often as the Council in its discretion, determines.

Annual General Meetings
The Annual General Meetings of the Society shall be held at least once a year in March to transact the following business:-

to receive and, if approved, to adopt a statement of the audited accounts of the preceding year;
to receive and, if approved, to adopt the Annual Report of the Society;
To elect office-bearers for the ensuing year with the provisions;-
1. Nominations for the post of President of the Society must be submitted to the council in advance in order to be circulated to all members not less than ten days before the Annual General Meeting. In the event there is no nominations or nominees present at the Annual General Meeting, nomination will be invited from the floor at the Annual General Meeting.
2. New members to the Society would be eligible to vote in the election of office-bearers only after they have completed at least one year of membership.
To appoint an auditor or auditors and a legal adviser for the ensuring year;
To deal with any matter which has been placed on the agenda.

Extraordinary General Meetings

A special meeting may be convened at any time by the Council within 21days from the receipt of a requisition in writing signed by not less than 30 members specifying the object of the proposed meeting.
The Honorary Secretary shall inform all members ten days prior to the Extraordinary General Meeting the date and the business of the proposed meeting.

Quorum

At an Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting, one-quarter of the total ordinary membership shall form a quorum, provided that, if within half an hour from the time appointed for a general meeting, a quorum is not present, the meeting shall thereafter be postponed for a period of 10 minutes at the expiry of which period the said meeting shall be reconvened, to transact the business for which the meeting was originally called. The reconvened meeting shall proceed to transact the business on the agenda notwithstanding the fact that there is no quorum. A general meeting at which the required quorum is not present shall have no power to alter, amend or make additions to the Constitution.

IX. CONGRESS TRUST FUND

The Congress Trust fund created by the Trust Deed made on the 13th day of August 1971 shall be managed in accordance with the provisions contained in the said Trust Deed.

X. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION

Any amendments to the Constitution shall be affected only by a two-third majority of those present at a General Meeting of the Society.

The proposed amendment should be submitted to members at least ten days before the General Meeting.

No amendments to the Constitution shall be enforced or applied without the prior approval of the Registrar of Societies.

XI. PROHIBITIONS

Gambling of any kind such as the playing of “pai-kow” or “mahjong”, whether for stakes or not, are forbidden on the Society’s premises. The introductions of materials for gambling or opium smoking and of bad characters into the premises is prohibited.

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

The Society shall not attempt to restrict or in any other manner interface with trade or prices or engage in any Trade Union activity as defined in any written law relating to Trade Union for the time being in force in Singapore.

The Society shall not hold any lottery, whether confined to its members or not, in the name of Society or its office- bearers, Council or members.

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

XII. DISSOLUTION

The Society shall not be dissolved except with the consent of two-thirds of the ordinary members of the time being resident in Singapore at a general meeting of Society.

A proposal of the dissolution of the Society shall be made to the Honorary Secretary three months prior to the date of intended action.

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 divided equally amongst the members.

Notice of dissolution shall be given within 7 days of the dissolution to the Registrar of Societies.

XIII. GENERAL

The property of the Society shall vest in the Council and no person shall take away or permit to be taken away or shall injure or destroy any property of the Society under any pretence whatsoever.

If a member offends against the above rule, he shall make good the cost of any replacement and/or repairs of such property.

The Society shall not liable for any loans or debts or expenditure incurred in the personal capacity and without the approval of the Council by any member of the Society.

All members of the Society shall be jointly and severally responsible for the liabilities of the Society.

The Council shall be the sole authority for the interpretation of this Constitution and regulation and by-laws made from time to time by the Council, subject to the approval of the General Body at a convenient time,

i.e. Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary Meeting.

The decision of the Council upon any question of interpretation or upon any matters affecting the Society and not provided for by its rules or by regulations shall be binding of the members.