Rules of FCA

FCA Singapore Constitution

• 1. NAME

  1.1 The name of the Association shall be the "Foreign Correspondents Association (Singapore)"

• 2. OBJECTS

  2.1 The objectives of the Association are to aid foreign correspondents based in Singapore in covering and publishing the news and to promote social and professional activities for its members.

• 3. APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP

  3.1 An applicant wishing to join the Association should submit his particulars to the Honorary Secretary on a prescribed form.

  3.2 Admission of members shall be at the discretion of the Executive Committee, whose decision shall be final. The Committee is not obliged to give any reason for its decision.

• 4. TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP

  4.1 Any member found guilty of conduct prejudicial to the Association may, at the discretion of the Executive committee, be expelled. Such members shall have the right of appeal to the Executive Committee within 30 calendar days and shall be given a chance to be heard at a General Meeting. The decision of the members at a General Meeting shall be final.

  4.2 Members who are 60 days in arrears of settling their dues or other obligations shall be deemed to have renounced their membership. They remain liable for any sums outstanding provided they have been served with a registered letter reminding them to pay.

• 5. CATEGORIES OF MEMBERSHIP

  5.1 There shall be three categories of membership in the Association, namely, Ordinary Members, Associate Members and Honorary Members.

  5.2 Residents of Singapore are eligible for all categories for which they qualify but non-residents are eligible only as Associate Members. Associate Members who are non-residents are not eligible for reciprocal membership of foreign correspondent associations in their country of residence.

  5.3 Only Ordinary Members shall be entitled to attend Annual General Meetings and Extraordinary General Meetings, to vote and to hold office. Associate Members may be invited to attend the Annual General Meetings and Extraordinary General Meetings by a vote of Ordinary Members at an appropriate time in the proceedings. But the Associate Members shall have no right to vote.

  5.4 ORDINARY MEMBERSHIP in the Association is open to persons based in Singapore whose principal occupation is as correspondent, writer, editor, producer, photographer or other editorial positions in an international news organization headquartered outside of Singapore.

  5.5 ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP shall be open to the following categories:

  • full-time journalists for news organizations headquartered in Singapore
  • full-time journalists based outside of Singapore
  • former journalists whose primary residence is Singapore
  • retired journalists whose primary residence is Singapore
  • non-editorial employees of qualified news outlets
  • non-fiction authors
  • journalism instructors at the college level
  • diplomats
  • information and public relations officers of governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations or corporations
  • such other persons as the Committee may approve.

  5.6 Honorary Members will be distinguished persons upon whom the Association thinks fit to confer Honorary Membership

• 6. ENTRANCE FEE & ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS

  6.1 Entrance fees and annual subscriptions, as well as special assessments, may be determined from time to time by the Committee. When this happens, Ordinary Members will be informed in writing. Unless one quarter of the Ordinary Members lodges written objections with the Honorary Secretary within 30 calendar days, the proposal or proposals shall be deemed to have been passed. If one quarter or more of the Ordinary Members objects, an Extraordinary General Meeting shall be called, at which a majority vote shall be sufficient to pass the proposal or an amended proposal. The President shall have the casting vote if there is a tie.

• 7. GENERAL MEETING

  7.1 The supreme authority of the Association is vested in a general meeting of the members presided over by the President. At least one-quarter of the Ordinary Members of the Association shall form a quorum. If within half an hour from the time appointed for the Meeting a quorum is not present, those present shall be considered a quorum but shall have no power to alter, amend or make additions to any of the existing rules.

  7.2 An Annual General Meeting will be held not more than six months after the end of each financial year. At other times an Extraordinary General Meeting must be called by the President on the request in writing of ten or more Ordinary members, and may also be called at any time by order of the Committee.

  7.3 At least 14 calendar days notice will be given in writing of an Annual General Meeting and at least ten calendar days written notice shall be given of any Extraordinary General Meeting, and particulars of the Agenda shall be included in the notice.

  7.4 The following points shall be included in the Agenda for consideration at the Annual General Meeting:

  1. The previous financial year's accounts and the report of the Committee.
  2. The election of office bearers.
  3. The election of two Honorary Auditors for the following year.
  4. Any other business

  7.5 Any Ordinary Member who wishes to place an item on the Agenda of a General Meeting may do so provided she/he gives notice in writing to the Honorary Secretary seven calendar days before the meeting is due to be held.

  7.6 The accidental failure of any notice to reach any member, either at all or in insufficient time, shall not invalidate any proceedings of any meeting.

  7.7 At the Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting in each year, the members may vote such sum as they consider advisable to a Benevolent and Charitable Fund. This fund shall be applied in such manner as the Committee for the time being shall think fit.

  7.8 At the Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting in each year, members may vote such sums as they consider advisable to a Building Fund for the eventual purpose of securing and maintaining premises for the Association. This fund shall be applied in such manner as the Committee for the time being shall think fit. But any acquisition of immovable property must be approved by a General Meeting.

  7.9 Voting at General Meetings shall take place by a show of hands unless otherwise decided by the General Meeting. All matters, except amendments to the Constitution, shall be decided by a simple majority. In the event of a tie, the President or Chairperson shall have the casting vote.

• 8. PROXY FORM

  8.1 Any Ordinary Member may appoint another Ordinary Member as proxy to vote and elect on his/her behalf at a General Meeting. An instrument appointing a proxy must be in writing and signed by the appointer and must be deposited with the President before the meeting starts. The proxy may vote and elect as he/she feels fit if not instructed otherwise in writing by the appointer. No member shall hold more than three proxies.

  8.2 Ordinary Members more than 60 days in arrears of dues or other obligations at the time of an Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting may not vote.

• 9. ALTERATION OF RULES

  9.1 No alteration shall be made to the rules of the Association except at a General Meeting with a two-thirds majority of the Ordinary Members present at such meeting. Not less than 14 calendar days notice of such meeting shall be given, and details of the proposed alteration shall be conveyed to members before the meeting. No alterations shall come into force without prior sanction of the Registrar of Societies.

• 10. POWERS AND DUTIES OF COMMITTEE

  10.1 Management of the Association shall be invested in the Executive Committee, which shall serve from one Annual General Meeting until the next Annual General Meeting elects new committee members.

  10.2 The Annual General Meeting shall elect from among its Ordinary Members a Committee consisting of a President, a Vice-President, an Honorary Secretary, an Honorary Treasurer and four Ordinary Committee Members. It shall also appoint two Associate Members into the Committee.

  10.3 Nominations shall be proposed and seconded by Ordinary Members and officers and the other members of the Committee shall be elected by a show of hands unless any two Ordinary Members call for a secret ballot where there is a contested post.

  10.4 In the absence from Singapore of any officer, or their incapacity or inability to perform his/her duties, the rank of the officers shall be as aforementioned so that, for instance, in the absence of the President, the Vice-President shall assume his/her powers, and so on

  10.5 All office-bearers except the Honorary Treasurer may be re-elected for a consecutive term to the same position

  10.6 The Committee may from time to time fill up any casual or other vacancy on its body.

  10.7 The Committee shall meet at such time and place as it shall decide and at least half the Committee Members shall form a quorum. Proxy votes are not allowed in Committee meetings. All matters shall be decided by a simple majority. The President shall have a casting vote if there is a tie.

  10.8 Ordinary Members of the Committee may vote, under exceptional circumstances, to ask the Associate Members of the Committee to leave the meeting.

  10.9 The Committee may from time to time make such by-laws, regulations and arrangements consistent with these rules, as it may deem expedient, and it may also appoint subcommittees for special purposes and delegate to such Committees the functions and powers relating thereto, subject to the approval of the Committee.

• 11. PLACE OF BUSINESS

  11.1 The Association's place of business shall be at "1 Scotts Road #24-10 Shaw Centre Singapore 228208", or such other address as may subsequently be decided upon by the Committee and approved by the Registrar of Societies.

  12. ACCOUNTS

  12.1 The Banking Account or Accounts of the Association shall be operated on the signature of the Secretary, Treasurer or the President of the Association.

  12.2 The financial year shall commence on 1st March of each calendar year and end on the last day of February of the following calendar year.

• 13. DISSOLUTION

  13.1 The Association shall not be dissolved except with the consent of not less than 3/5 of the Ordinary Members of the Association for the time being resident in Singapore expressed either in person or by proxy at a General Meeting convened for the purpose.

  13.2 In the event of the Association 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 among the Ordinary Members.

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

• 14. PROHIBITIONS

  14.1 The Association shall not attempt to restrict or in any other manner interfere with trade or prices or engage in any Trade Union activity as defined in the Trade Union Ordinance 1940.

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