NAME
1. The name of the association shall be The Hong Kong Business Association, Vietnam (HKBAV) referred to hereinafter as “the Association” or “HKBAV”.
ADDRESS
2. The address of the Association shall be Room 322, New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, and Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
The Association may also set up a branch office in Hanoi .
OBJECTS
3. The Objects of the Association are:
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To facilitate and increase two-way investment, business and trade flows between Vietnam and Hong Kong. |
b) |
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To raise the profile of Vietnam in the Hong Kong business community and the profile of Hong Kong in the Vietnamese business community. |
c) |
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To complement the bilateral activities carried out by missions and/or business organizations of Hong Kong. |
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To support Hong Kong in accordance with the provisions in these by-laws and any HKBAV Contracts and to provide assistance to business issues in Hong Kong and Vietnam. |
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To facilitate the creation of strategic alliances between small and medium size companies of Vietnam and Hong Kong. |
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To organize and to provide social functions to Members and non-Members of the Association, and to promote fellowship among the Members. |
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To undertake all activities to achieve the above stated objects, in conformity with these by-laws, the HKBAV rules, and the HKBAV decisions. |
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MEMBERSHIP
4. Membership of the Association shall be open to all individuals in the employ of Hong Kong Companies or who have some other material connection with Hong Kong and who subscribe to the objects of the Association as set out in Article 3 above and are willing to abide by the terms of this Constitution.
CATEGORIES OF MEMBERSHIP
5. There shall be the following categories of membership of the Association:
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Ordinary
Membership
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Individual Member - persons who qualify for membership pursuant to Article 4 and who are elected to membership under Article 6 below |
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Corporate Member – companies, maximum of three nominated persons, who qualify for the membership pursuant to Article 4 and who are elected membership under Article 6 below |
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Associate
Membership – persons/company who choose to associate themselves with the Association. |
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Honorary Members – persons who have special contribution to the Association. |
APPLICATIONS
6. Candidates for Membership of the Association may apply for membership by sending a completed application form to the Chairperson, the Vice Chairperson or Membership Secretary. All applications shall then be considered by the General Committee whose decision shall be final.
MEMBERSHIP FEES
7. The Annual General Meeting provided for in Article 14 below shall decide in every Financial Year the maximum subscription which may be levied by the General Committee. The Financial Year shall be defined as the first day of the month after the license for HKBAV is granted to the end of the next 12 months. The General Committee shall prior to such Financial Year decide the subscription within the limits laid down by the Annual General Meeting and the subscriptions so decided shall be notified to the members.
8. Annual subscriptions shall be due immediately on admission and annually at the beginning of each Financial Year. For New Members admitted, annual subscriptions may be paid by remaining quarters in the Financial Year on pro-rata basis.
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RIGHTS OF MEMBERS
9. The rights of the members are:
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Ordinary Membership shall have the following rights:
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to nominate any candidate to the General Committee and to elect and to be elected to the General Committee; |
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at General Meetings, to propose and vote on motions and to recall office-bearers; |
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Associate Members and Honorary Members shall not have the right to nominate, to elect and to be elected to the General Committee without the majority approval of the General Committee. |
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Ordinary Members, Associate Members, and Honorary Members shall have the following rights:
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to participate in the activities organized by the Association; |
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to receive free of charge one copy of all Association circulars. |
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No Members shall, by reason of membership of the HKBAV, be liable for any debt or obligation of the HKBAV in the absence of an express promise to accept such liabilities. |
OBLIGATIONS OF MEMBERS
10. Members shall fulfill the following obligations:
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To abide by the Constitution and resolutions passed by General Meetings of the Association; |
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To pay all prescribed fees when due; |
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To abjure all commercial activity in their capacity as members of the Association. |
at no time the HKBAV shall, by reason of accepting membership of any legal entity, be liable for any debt or obligation of such entity in the absence of an express written promise to accept such liabilities by the General Committee.
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RESIGNATION, EXPULSION AND TERMINATION OF MEMBERS
11. All members shall be subject to the following terms and conditions:
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Any Member desiring to resign from membership of the HKBAV must deliver written notice of its resignation to the main office address of the HKBAV. Every resignation notice shall be deemed to take effect on the date stated in the notice, or if none, on the date that such notice is received by the HKBAV. |
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The General Committee my, by notice in writing, invite any Member to resign its membership of the HKBAV if such Member has breached these by-laws or the HKBAV rules, or if, in the opinion of the General Committee, such Member has conducted in an unbecoming manner or allowing such Member to remain as a Member would bring discredit to HKBAV. If the General Committee has not received the resignation of a Member invited to resign or has not withdrawn its invitation for the Member to resign within 14 days after the date for the invitation to resign, the General Committee may recommend the expulsion of that Member from HKBAV at a General Committee Meeting. A resolution to expel a Member passed by two-third majority of the General Committee Members shall be final and binding on the Member. |
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Membership will be automatically terminated on the date that a Member dies, resigns, ceases to be eligible as a Member, is expelled under the Article 11(b) above, is over fifty (50) days in arrears of payment of any fees due to HKBAV or is declared by a count of competent jurisdiction to be legally or mentally incompetent. |
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Each Member shall on termination of its membership of HKBAV for whatever reason forfeit all right to and claim upon HKBAV and its property and funds and shall not be entitled to any refund of fees paid to HKBAV. |
DISCIPLINE
12. Any Members who
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acts contrary to the Constitution of the Association, |
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or takes any action in the Association's name without the prior approval of the General Committee ; or |
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commits a criminal offence which is serious in the opinion of the General Committee may be disciplined by the General Committee. Such discipline shall be determined by the General Committee but may involve a written reprimand, suspension or dismissal from the Association. |
13. Any Member whose annual subscription remains unpaid after a period of three months from the date of demand shall have his name brought to the attention of the General Committee at its next meeting. Any Member who then fails to pay without providing valid reasons acceptable to the General Committee, shall, after due warning has been given by the General Committee, cease to be a Member of the Association.
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GENERAL MEETING
14. The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held each year after 1st October and not later than 31st December, unless circumstances beyond the control of the General Committee arise to prevent such meeting. Ordinary Members shall be notified in writing by the Secretary at least 14 days before the date of the meeting. Ten Ordinary Members shall form a quorum, at any General Meeting. If a quorum cannot be formed at the first convocation, the meeting shall be adjourned and reconvened within 28 days, and Ordinary Members shall again be given 14 days notice in writing of such meeting. At the second convocation, any number of Ordinary members present at the meeting shall form a quorum.
15. Upon the written request signed by a majority of the members of the General Committee, or any 20 Ordinary Members, the Chairperson shall call an Extraordinary General Meeting within one month of receiving such request. The request for calling an extraordinary general meeting must be strictly confined to the objects stated in the request. The procedure for notifying Ordinary Members and the composition of a quorum shall be the same as those for the Annual General Meeting.
16. Elections:
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Ordinary Members may nominate any other Ordinary Members to the General Committee. Nominations shall be made by Nomination Form which should be submitted to General Committee at least 2 weeks prior to the election. The number of nominations will not be limited. A list of candidate will be distributed to all Ordinary Members at least one week prior to the Election. |
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At the Annual General Meeting, Ordinary Members shall elect from among themselves by ballot a committee up to thirty (30) Ordinary Members who will then be the members of the General Committee for the following twelve months. Election of General Committee Members shall take place by secret ballot of Ordinary Members of HKBAV present in person or by proxy at the Election, each of whom shall vote in accordance with the voting procedures laid down by the General Committee. Each Ordinary Member may only vote maximum thirty (30) candidates to the General Committee. |
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The thirty (30) candidates obtaining the thirty (30) highest votes on a single ballot shall be the General Committee Members. The office of Chairperson shall be elected by all Ordinary Members of HKBAV and should obtain at least 25% of all votes. If the candidate of Chairperson with the highest vote does not exceed 25% of all votes, the 3 candidate obtaining the highest 3 votes will be elected by all Members again in a second round. The elected General Committee members shall elect and dismiss, by majority vote, the Vice-Chairpersons, Treasurer, General Secretary among the General Committee members. The remaining members shall be without portfolio and who will be assigned duties from time to time by the Chairperson. |
17. The General Committee Chairperson shall also be the HKBAV Chairperson and shall hold office for a term of one (1) calendar year equal to the term as a General Committee member and shall call and chair all General Committee Meetings (or, in his/her absence, another General Committee Member nominated by him/her shall chair General Committee Meetings).
18. A General Meeting shall have the following functions and powers:
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to raise any matter relating to the policy and the management of the Association; |
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to recall office bearers or elect others in their place; |
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to vote on amendments to the Constitution;
in addition, an Annual General Meeting shall
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elect the General Committee for the coming year; |
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receive and vote on the reports submitted by the outgoing Chairperson and Treasurer. |
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vote on resolutions or other business raised by any voting Member present. |
At all General Meetings of the Association, motions shall be carried by a simple majority of the Ordinary Members present save that amendments to the Constitution shall require a two thirds majority of Ordinary Members present.
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THE GENERAL COMMITTEE
19. The General Committee shall observe the followings.
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The General Committee shall meet as often as necessary, and at least four times a year; at least 7 days notice of meetings shall be given to each committee member by the Secretary. |
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If the Chairperson fails to call sufficient General Committee Meetings, then any three General Committee Members may, by notice in writing to all General Committee Members, call a General Committee Meeting. |
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The General Committee may invite up to two Ordinary Members from time to time to the General Committee Member meetings. The Ordinary Members shall not vote in the General Committee meetings. |
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At meetings of the General Committee, five members shall form a quorum. |
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All decisions of the General Committee shall be taken by a majority of members present; in the event of the voting being equal, the Chairperson of the meeting shall have a casting vote. |
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In the event of vacancy occurring on the General Committee, the remaining members shall have the power to fill the vacancy from among Ordinary Members of the Association until the next Annual General Meeting. |
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DUTIES OF THE GENERAL COMMITTEE
20. The duties of the General Committee shall be as follows:
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to carry out resolutions passed by General Meetings; |
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to authorize payments by the Treasurer from the funds of the Association; |
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to recommend amendments to the Constitution of the Association; |
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to draw up, implement and participate in all activities, lectures, visits, tours and exhibitions carried out by the Association or in which the Association cooperates with other organizations; |
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to authorize publications by the Association; |
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to organize social activities and encourage fellowship among Members and their wives. |
The General Committee may delegate any of these duties to any sub- committee of Ordinary Members.
21. The General Committee shall also have the following powers:
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to administer the assets of the Association; |
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to make, enforce, amend and repeal such bye- laws and regulations as may be necessary for the conduct of the Association or any committee or sub-committee thereof and for the conduct of the Association's meetings; |
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to appoint a Member or Members of the Association or an editorial board to prepare the publication of the Association's bulletin (if any) or other records of the proceedings of the Association; |
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to appoint a substitute to act during the temporary absence of any Committee Members; |
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to appoint any committee or sub-committee consisting of members of its own body together with such other persons as it may think fit and to delegate any of its powers to such committee or sub-committee and prescribe the functions, duties and powers thereof and revoke any such delegation and determine all or any such functions, duties and powers. |
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To appoint up to two Honorary Members to service on the Committee. |
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THE CHAIRPERSON
22. The duties of the Chairperson of the Association shall be as follows:
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to preside, when present, at all meetings of the Association; |
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to sign all papers in the name of the Association, except on such matters as he shall delegate to other members of the General Committee; |
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to present an annual report on the Association's work for to the Annual General Meeting; |
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to supervise the work of the General Committee. |
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Upon his retirement the Chairperson shall become a member of the next Committee ex-officio for a period of twelve months. |
THE VICE - CHAIRPERSONS
23. The Vice-Chairpersons of the Association shall carry out the duties of the Chairperson in the absence of the latter and such other duties as the General Committee may allocate to him.
THE GENERAL SECRETARY
24. The duties of the General Secretary of the Association shall be as follows:
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to call all General Meetings and Annual General Meetings of the Association and Committee Meetings as provided for herein. |
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to take minutes of all meetings of Committee Meetings and all General Meetings and Annual General Meetings and to distribute the same as directed by the General Committee; |
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to handle all publicity as necessary; |
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such other duties as the General Committee may allocate to him. |
THE TREASURER
25. The duties of the Treasurer of the Association shall be as follows:
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to collect all subscriptions and other moneys due to the Association and deposit these into an account in the name of the Association at a bank to be named by the General Committee; |
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to make all payments on behalf of the Association duly authorized by the General Committee; |
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to submit a financial report of the past year and an statement of accounts at the Annual General Meeting. |
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AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
26. Any alterations, amendments or additions this Constitution shall be subject to the approval of the Ordinary Members at a General Meeting. A copy of the proposed amendment shall be sent to all Ordinary Members at least 14 days prior to such meeting. A two-thirds majority of those present and eligible to vote shall be necessary to ratify such alterations, amendments or additions.
PUBLICATIONS
27. The Society shall publish a bulletin and such other publication as the General Committee deems fit (if any), but subject always to the laws of Vietnam.
ACCOUNTS
28. The accounts of the Association shall be kept by the Treasurer who shall prepare an annual statement of accounts and balance sheet to 31st December in each year which shall be submitted to the Annual General Meeting of the Association.
29. Unless otherwise determined by the General Committee, all cheques and other financial documents shall be signed on behalf of the Association by any two of the following persons, the Chairperson, the Vice-Chairpersons, or the Treasurer, or by any one of them together with such other person as may the General Committee approve.
USE OF FUNDS
30. The Funds of the Association shall be used in the furtherance of the objects of the Association as laid down in Article 3.
DISSOLUTION
31. The Association shall not be dissolved except by resolution passed with a two-thirds majority of the Voting Membership. In the event of such dissolution, all debts and liabilities legally incurred on behalf of the Association shall be discharged, and the remaining assets donated to a charity organization to be nominated by the General Committee.
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