Constitution of the Marine Economic Revitalisation Society
I. Name and Registered Address
II. Objectives
The objectives of the Society shall be:
III. Membership
ii. Full Members, who fulfil the following requirements, will be accepted to the register and given a Certificate granting permission to use the initials MMERS (Member of the Marine Economic Revitalisation Society) after their names, provided membership is continuous and current:
a. have had not less than 10 years full time experience in the profession as the General Committee may determine, and have attained a status considered by the General Committee as being suitable to the relevant grade of membership;
OR
b. have worked in Hong Kong in the profession for a minimum of 3 years, have been a member of the Society for a minimum of 3 months, and who have served on the General Committee or its sub-committees for at least 3 months;
AND
c. have been proposed and seconded in writing by full members to have Membership conferred by a majority decision of the General Committee.
iii.Entrance Members, who fulfil the following requirements will be accepted to the register, provided membership is continuous and current:
a. have acquired a qualification in marine related discipline or marine studies recognised by the relevant official professional Society of the country in which that qualification is validated. The qualification must be recognised by the General Committee as at a suitable technical level of fishing, seafaring, or marine work.
OR
b. have completed accredited education in marine activity or marine studies and have obtained an academic qualification in marine studies which is recognised by the General Committee and at the level of certificate or higher.
OR
c. in the case of Associate Members, have completed three years of full-time practice in fishing seafaring or marine economic development recognised by the General Committee AND have been registered as Associate Members of the Society for at least three consecutive months immediately prior to application for Entrance Membership.
iv.Associate Members, who are employed or otherwise actively engaged in fishing seafaring or marine related work as approved by the General Committee, and who are not yet eligible for full membership. Associate members will not be eligible to vote or stand for office. Associate members are granted permission to use the initials AMERSoc (Associate of the Marine Economic Revitalisation Society) after their names, provided membership is continuous and current.
v.Institutional Members, which are fishing seafaring groups, societies, associations, corporate bodies or organisations which maintain or are interested in fishing seafaring or marine services. Each such institution may appoint one of its staff members as a representative to attend Society meetings. Such representatives will not be eligible to vote or stand for office.
vi.Student Members, who are currently enrolled in certificate programmes for marine related disciplines or fishing seafaring assistants, diploma programmes in marine activity or other programmes in marine activity or related studies. Student members will not be eligible to vote or stand for office.
vii.Corresponding Members, shall be any persons who having at one time been eligible for personal members, are no longer residents in Hong Kong or otherwise not actively engaged in fishing seafaring or marine related work as approved by the General Committee. Such persons shall be entitled to be the same rights and privileges as personal members, except that they may not vote, be elected to the General Committee or hold office.
IV. General Committee
V. Meetings
VI. Finance
ii.Initial subscriptions shall be due immediately membership has been accepted and thereafter on the 1st January each year. The payment of subscriptions will be monitored. A late payment fee will be charged at a rate and at a time decided by the General Committee. New members joining after June 30th in any year shall be charged half of the regular subscription.
iii.If any member shall fail to pay his or her subscription after final notice has been sent, the General Committee shall delete his or her name from the Register of members.
2.
i.The Treasurer shall receive all monies due to the Society, shall make such payments as the General Committee directs, and shall keep the accounts of all receipts, payments, assets and liabilities as directed by the General Committee.
ii.A petty cash account not exceeding the amount decided by the General Committee from time to time shall be maintained by the Treasurer to meet sundry expenses necessary and incidental to the Society’s business.
iii.All cheques shall be signed by one of the following, the President, the Secretary, or the Treasurer on behalf of the Society.
iv.The funds of the Society shall be used only to meet the expenses of the Society, and to undertake those activities which shall be deemed by the General Committee to contribute towards the objectives of the Society.
v.The Officers and General Committee members shall be indemnified by the Society from all losses and expenses incurred in the course of their Society duties, other than those due to their own respective wilful default or negligence.
ii.The Honorary Auditor shall have the right of access at all reasonable times to the books and accounts of the Society, and shall be entitled to require from the General Committee and Officers of the Society such information and explanation as may be necessary for the performance of the duties of an auditor.
iii.The annual account of income and expenditure shall be certified by the Honorary Auditor, stating whether the balance sheet is properly drawn up so as to exhibit a true statement of the Society’s financial affairs, to be presented to the General Committee each year.
VII. Amendments to the Constitution
VIII. Dissolution
This Constitution is effective from 22 April, 2024.
I. Name and Registered Address
- The name of the organisation shall be the Marine Economic Revitalisation Society (the Society or “MERSoc”).
- The registered address of the Society shall be currently 216 Victoria Road, Pokfulam, HONG KONG. The General Committee may change this provided the Registrar of Societies has approved the change.
II. Objectives
The objectives of the Society shall be:
- To encourage the development of policies promoting the provision of economic revitalisation of marine activities in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area. This shall include the provision of guidelines, support, and standards for such services and economic activity.
- To provide for fisher and seafarer community support, training work, a focal point as well as a network of formal and informal communication within Hong Kong, mainland China and other countries.
- To unite and promote the interests of all persons engaged in marine development, seafaring, fishing boat, fish farm, marine economic development and sustainable development in Hong Kong, and to ensure the effective representation of the interests of members.
- To encourage professional education and training for fishermen, fisherwomen, marine engineers, marine biologists, pilots, helmsman and seafarers work in Hong Kong.
III. Membership
- Membership shall consist of:
ii. Full Members, who fulfil the following requirements, will be accepted to the register and given a Certificate granting permission to use the initials MMERS (Member of the Marine Economic Revitalisation Society) after their names, provided membership is continuous and current:
a. have had not less than 10 years full time experience in the profession as the General Committee may determine, and have attained a status considered by the General Committee as being suitable to the relevant grade of membership;
OR
b. have worked in Hong Kong in the profession for a minimum of 3 years, have been a member of the Society for a minimum of 3 months, and who have served on the General Committee or its sub-committees for at least 3 months;
AND
c. have been proposed and seconded in writing by full members to have Membership conferred by a majority decision of the General Committee.
iii.Entrance Members, who fulfil the following requirements will be accepted to the register, provided membership is continuous and current:
a. have acquired a qualification in marine related discipline or marine studies recognised by the relevant official professional Society of the country in which that qualification is validated. The qualification must be recognised by the General Committee as at a suitable technical level of fishing, seafaring, or marine work.
OR
b. have completed accredited education in marine activity or marine studies and have obtained an academic qualification in marine studies which is recognised by the General Committee and at the level of certificate or higher.
OR
c. in the case of Associate Members, have completed three years of full-time practice in fishing seafaring or marine economic development recognised by the General Committee AND have been registered as Associate Members of the Society for at least three consecutive months immediately prior to application for Entrance Membership.
iv.Associate Members, who are employed or otherwise actively engaged in fishing seafaring or marine related work as approved by the General Committee, and who are not yet eligible for full membership. Associate members will not be eligible to vote or stand for office. Associate members are granted permission to use the initials AMERSoc (Associate of the Marine Economic Revitalisation Society) after their names, provided membership is continuous and current.
v.Institutional Members, which are fishing seafaring groups, societies, associations, corporate bodies or organisations which maintain or are interested in fishing seafaring or marine services. Each such institution may appoint one of its staff members as a representative to attend Society meetings. Such representatives will not be eligible to vote or stand for office.
vi.Student Members, who are currently enrolled in certificate programmes for marine related disciplines or fishing seafaring assistants, diploma programmes in marine activity or other programmes in marine activity or related studies. Student members will not be eligible to vote or stand for office.
vii.Corresponding Members, shall be any persons who having at one time been eligible for personal members, are no longer residents in Hong Kong or otherwise not actively engaged in fishing seafaring or marine related work as approved by the General Committee. Such persons shall be entitled to be the same rights and privileges as personal members, except that they may not vote, be elected to the General Committee or hold office.
- Election of Members
The General Committee shall have the power to elect members to the Register in accordance with the conditions laid down in Article III. - Register of Members
The Register of membership (the “Register”) shall be established in accordance with the categories of membership in Article III. The Register shall be kept by the Treasurer.
IV. General Committee
- The General Committee shall be the governing and executive body of the Society and shall consist of the Officers of the Society (the “Officers”) and up to ten other members elected at Annual General Meetings.
- The Officers of the Society shall be a President, Secretary, Treasurer and such other Officers as the General Committee may deem to be necessary from time to time.
- The General Committee may co-opt other members to fill vacancies arising during the General Committee’s term of office. Co-opted members must be full or entrance members of the Society.
- General Committee members shall be elected for five calendar years. One members shall retire at each Annual General Meeting but shall be eligible for re-election.
- Nominations for the General Committee, duly proposed and seconded, by full members, shall be in the hands of the Secretary two weeks before the Annual General Meeting. If insufficient nominations are received to fill all the vacancies, the outgoing General Committee shall put forward its own nominees to the meeting.
- If the number of nominations received exceeds the number of vacancies, election shall be by written ballot at the Annual General Meeting. If the number of nominations equals the number of vacancies, election shall be on a show of hands.
- If an equal number of votes are cast for two or more candidates, their names shall be submitted to a second ballot in which votes should be cast for one candidate only. In the event of a tie between two or more candidates at a second ballot, or in the election for the President, the election shall be decided by lot.
- The General Committee shall appoint a President, Secretary and Treasurer at the first meeting of the new General Committee, which shall be within one month of the date of the Annual General Meeting.
- If the President resigns or becomes incapacitated, the Secretary shall assume the Presidency for the remainder of the term. The General Committee shall then elect a new Secretary from among its members, and may complete the membership of the General Committee by co-opting another full or entrance member.
- If the Treasurer resigns or becomes incapacitated, the General Committee must within two weeks elect another of its members to assume the office of Treasurer.
- The Society may, by resolution at an Extraordinary General Meeting, remove any Officer or General Committee member before the expiration of his or her term of office and elect another full or entrance member in his or her stead.
- A quorum at all General Committee meetings shall be five.
- The General Committee may appoint Committees of normally not less than two members each. Such Committees may be ad hoc committees or standing committees. Committee chairpersons shall be members of the General Committee. Committee members need not be full members of the Society. The General Committee shall fill vacancies on Committees as necessary, but the filling of a vacancy on the General Committee shall not necessarily imply the filling of those vacancies formerly occupied by the General Committee member who has been replaced on any Committee.
- Minutes of General Committee meetings shall be kept by the Secretary.
- The General Committee shall be empowered to employ professional advisors and secretarial or clerical help, at the cost of the Society.
V. Meetings
- The Annual General Meeting shall take place each year.
- Written notice of the Annual General Meeting together with a copy of the audited statement of accounts shall be distributed by, the Secretary to members of the Society. At least fourteen days’ written notice shall be given, such notice to specify the date, time and place of meeting and the business to be transacted.
- The business of the Annual General Meeting shall include the presentation of the General Committee’s annual report and the audited accounts of income and expenditure for the previous financial year, as well as the election of the President, General Committee and Honorary Auditor for the year following.
- The President, or another Officer shall normally preside at the Annual General Meeting. If no Officers are present, the full members may choose one among themselves to be President for that meeting.
- A quorum at an Annual General Meeting shall be 5 voting members. If a quorum cannot be formed within half an hour of the advertised starting time, then the Annual General Meeting shall be adjourned for not longer than one month, all members to be given at least fourteen days’ written notice of the date, time and place of the adjourned meeting. Should a quorum not be formed within half an hour of the advertised starting time, the meeting shall be held no matter how many members are present. Any decisions of an adjourned meeting at which less than twenty-five voting members are present shall be subject to confirmation by the affirmative vote of the majority of the full members in a postal ballot.
- Full members shall have one vote. Votes may only be made personally, except that full members who, in the case of illness or other sufficient cause, cannot attend the meeting, may apply not less than seven days in advance of the meeting to the General Committee for permission to vote by proxy. The General Committee shall accept or reject any such application as it sees fit.
- The President of the meeting shall have the right to vote, and if the number of votes for and against any motion be equal, he or she shall have an additional casting vote.
- At the Annual General Meeting, a motion put to the vote (except motions for the election of Officers and General Committee) shall be decided on by a show of hands, by full members only unless a ballot is demanded by at least three full members. If a ballot is duly demanded, it shall be taken in such manner as the President directs. A declaration by the President that a motion has been carried or lest and an entry to the effect in the minutes of the proceedings shall be conclusive evidence of the fact.
- An Extraordinary General Meeting may be convened by the General Committee at any time for any specific purpose, or upon the request in writing to the Secretary of at least twenty-five full members. Such requests must state the reason for which the Extraordinary General Meeting is required. On receipt of a valid request in accordance with the foregoing conditions, the Secretary shall convene an Extraordinary General Meeting by giving no less than fourteen days notice to all members unless the matters to be dealt with by the Extraordinary General Meeting are of such urgency as to require the requisite fourteen calendar days to be waived.
- The procedure at Annual General Meetings shall apply to the Extraordinary General Meeting.
- Seven days’ written notice of General Committee meetings shall be given to all General Committee members.
- The notice, time, date, place and procedure for all ordinary meetings of the Society of a professional character, e.g. seminars, workshops, etc. shall be determined by the General Committee.
- Overseas visitors may attend ordinary meetings by invitation of the Society. Local non-members may not attend without the approval of the General Committee.
- No formal resolution of the Society shall be proposed or allowed at an ordinary meeting.
VI. Finance
ii.Initial subscriptions shall be due immediately membership has been accepted and thereafter on the 1st January each year. The payment of subscriptions will be monitored. A late payment fee will be charged at a rate and at a time decided by the General Committee. New members joining after June 30th in any year shall be charged half of the regular subscription.
iii.If any member shall fail to pay his or her subscription after final notice has been sent, the General Committee shall delete his or her name from the Register of members.
2.
i.The Treasurer shall receive all monies due to the Society, shall make such payments as the General Committee directs, and shall keep the accounts of all receipts, payments, assets and liabilities as directed by the General Committee.
ii.A petty cash account not exceeding the amount decided by the General Committee from time to time shall be maintained by the Treasurer to meet sundry expenses necessary and incidental to the Society’s business.
iii.All cheques shall be signed by one of the following, the President, the Secretary, or the Treasurer on behalf of the Society.
iv.The funds of the Society shall be used only to meet the expenses of the Society, and to undertake those activities which shall be deemed by the General Committee to contribute towards the objectives of the Society.
v.The Officers and General Committee members shall be indemnified by the Society from all losses and expenses incurred in the course of their Society duties, other than those due to their own respective wilful default or negligence.
ii.The Honorary Auditor shall have the right of access at all reasonable times to the books and accounts of the Society, and shall be entitled to require from the General Committee and Officers of the Society such information and explanation as may be necessary for the performance of the duties of an auditor.
iii.The annual account of income and expenditure shall be certified by the Honorary Auditor, stating whether the balance sheet is properly drawn up so as to exhibit a true statement of the Society’s financial affairs, to be presented to the General Committee each year.
VII. Amendments to the Constitution
- Substantial amendments to the Constitution shall be made only at an Annual General Meeting or at an Extraordinary General Meeting. Minor amendments may be made after circulation of proposals for a deadline agreed by General Committee.
- Any proposed amendments to the Constitution shall be made in writing properly proposed and seconded by full members to the Honorary Secretary. Details of proposals and a notice of the meeting shall be circulated to members at least fourteen days before the meeting.
- Amendments to the Constitution must be approved by a two-thirds majority of voting members present at the General Meeting and are subject to the approval of the Registrar of Societies under Societies Ordinance and Societies Rules, Chapter 151 of the Laws of Hong Kong.
VIII. Dissolution
- The Society may only be dissolved or merged with another organisation on the resolution of an Extraordinary General Meeting convened in accordance with Article V (I) confirmed by a two-thirds majority of the total membership in a postal ballot. The General Committee shall appoint the Honorary Auditor and two of their own members to act as scrutineers of the ballot.
- In the event of a decision to dissolve or merge the Society in accordance with the above, a further and final Extraordinary General Meeting shall be called to confirm the disposal of any remaining assets of the Society, after all liabilities have been met. For this purpose an audited statement of account shall be prepared and circulated to all members at least one week before the final General Meeting.
This Constitution is effective from 22 April, 2024.