Name

 

1. The name of the Society shall be SINGAPORE SOCIETY OF HAEMATOLOGY.

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Place of Business

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2. Its place of business shall be at “1 Outram Road, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore 169608” or such other address as may subsequently be decided upon by the Committee and approved by the Registrar of Societies.

 

Objectives

 

3. The objectives of the Society shall be:

 

(a) to advance knowledge in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases of the blood and blood forming organs.

 

(b) to promote interest in and advance knowledge and practice of transfusion medicine.

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(c) to promote research and specialty training in Singapore in blood diseases, malignant disorders of the blood forming organs and transfusion medicine.

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(d) to organise regular scientific discussions and practical demonstrations on subjects related to the prevention, recognition and treatment of blood diseases.

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(e) to acquire, print and publish books, journals, periodicals or other literary or scientific works necessary for the promotion of these objectives.

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(f) to contribute actively in medical and health education at all levels.

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(g) to collaborate with other local and international medical and haematological groups on basic and clinical research into blood diseases and blood transfusions.

 

Membership

 

4. Members shall be of three kinds (a) Honorary Members, (b) Ordinary Members and (c) Associate Members.

 

(a) Honorary Membership

 

Distinguished persons who have rendered notable service to the Society or to the advancement of haematology locally and abroad may on the recommendation of the Executive Committee be elected Honorary Members by a simple majority at a General Meeting. They shall enjoy all the privileges of Ordinary Members, except the right to elect and be elected.

 

(b) Ordinary Membership

 

Ordinary members shall be:

(i) haematologists by accreditation, service appointments, membership of other haematology societies or are recognised to be so by publications and other academic activities or doctors actively practising a branch of medicine closely related to haematology.

(ii) scientists who are actively practising haematology or a branch of medicine closely related to haematology.

 

(c) Associate Membership

 

Associate Members shall be other persons not eligible for ordinary membership. They shall enjoy all privileges except to hold office or vote for office bearers.

 

5. Application for Ordinary and Associate Memberships shall be made in writing to the Honorary Secretary. Such applications shall be submitted for approval by the Executive Committee.

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6. The Hon. Secretary shall keep a register of all members of the Society.

 

Privileges of Members

 

7. To attend all meetings and activities of the Society.

 

8. (a) To receive any publications, communications or proceedings of the Society.

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(b) To present papers at any Scientific Meetings organised by the Society.

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9. Only Ordinary Members of the Society, who are members with at least 6 months of good standing, shall be entitled to vote and hold office.

 

Subscription

 

10. Ordinary Members shall pay an annual subscription of a sum to be determined from time to time by the Executive Committee and approved by the Annual General Meeting. The fee shall be payable within (3) months from the Annual General Meeting.

 

11. Associate Members shall pay a subscription of a sum to be determined from time to time by the Executive Committee and approved by the Annual General Meeting. The fee shall be payable within (3) months from the Annual General Meeting.

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12. Members who has not paid membership fees for six (6) months will have membership inactivated. Members with arrears of two (2) years or more will cease to be a member.

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13. Honorary Members shall pay no subscription.

 

Donations

 

14. The Society may receive donations from any person, groups of persons and benevolent organisations for the purpose of research, education and training in haematology. The Society may also receive donations for administrative purposes. Donations for research and training purposes shall be kept in a separate account from that of administration.

 

Expenditure

 

15. (a) The Executive Committee has the power to authorise expenditure for administrative purposes. Cheques will be signed by two of the following three Executive Committee members, the Honorary Treasurer and the President or the President-Elect.

 

(b) The income and property of the Society whencesoever derived shall be applied solely towards the promotion of the objects of the Society as set forth in this constitution.

 

Executive Committee

 

16. The Executive Committee of the Society shall consist of:

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The President

The President-Elect

The Honorary Secretary

The Honorary Treasurer

Six (6) Committee Members

 

17. The duties of the office-bearers are as follows:

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(a) The President shall act as chairman at all general and committee meetings.

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(b) The President-Elect shall be in the chain of succession to the office of President and shall assist and deputise for the President in the latter’s absence.

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(c) The Hon. Secretary shall keep all records, except financial of the Society and shall be responsible for their correctness. He will keep minutes of all general and committee meetings. He shall maintain an up-to-date register of all members.

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(d) The Hon. Treasurer shall collect and disburse all moneys on behalf of the Society and shall keep any account of all monetary transactions. He shall be responsible for their correctness. He shall not hold office for more than two consecutive terms.

 

(e) The Committee Members shall assist the Executive Committee in the general administration of the Society.

 

18. Office bearers of the Executive Committee, except President, shall be elected by a simple majority vote of ordinary members at Alternate Annual General Meeting. They shall hold office for a period of two years and shall remain until their successors have been appointed. Vacancies occurring during the year shall be filled by a simple majority vote of the Executive Committee.

 

19. The office of President shall be succeeded by the out-going President-Elect. In the event the President-Elect resigns before the AGM or decides not to take up the office of President, the office of President shall be elected by a simple majority vote of ordinary members, together with the other office bearers in accordance with article 18.

 

20. All office-bearers, except the Honorary Treasurer, are eligible for re-election to the same or related post for a consecutive term of office.

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21. In the intervals between the Annual General Meetings the Executive Committee shall exercise management and discretion of the business and conduct of the affairs of the Society. The Executive Committee shall meet at least four times a year.

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22. The quorum at meetings of the Executive Committee shall be four.

 

Subcommittees

 

23. (a) Subcommittees shall be formed from time to time at the discretion of the Executive Committee.

 

(b) All subcommittees and their source of funding must receive the prior approval of the Executive Committee.

 

Meetings

 

24. Scientific Meetings

 

A minimum of three scientific meetings shall be held in any one calendar year. Ordinary members shall attend at least one scientific meeting of a year. The Executive Committee shall have powers to invite non-members to attend scientific meetings of the Society.

 

25. General Meetings

 

(a) At all meetings of the Society, the President (or in his absence the President-Elect) shall be the Chairman. In the absence of the President, and the President-Elect, the members present shall appoint an Acting Chairman.

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(b) Minutes shall be kept of all Annual General meetings of the Society.

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(c) Supreme authority of the Society is vested in a general meeting of members.

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(d) The Annual General Meeting of the Society shall be held in April of each year. At least two weeks written notice will be given of an annual general meeting.

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(e) The quorum for an AGM shall be at least thirty members or one third of the total Ordinary Membership of the Society whichever is less. In the event of there being no quorum, the meeting shall be adjourned for half an hour and should the number then present be insufficient to form a quorum, those present shall be considered a quorum but they shall have no power to alter, amend or make additions to any of the existing rules.

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(f) The business at each Annual General Meeting shall include:

(i) Annual Report on the Activities of the Society.

(ii) Presentation of the Balance Sheet and the Income and Expenditure of the Society of the last financial year.

(iii) Election of the Executive Committee.

(iv)Appointment of two auditors or a firm of public auditors or accountants.

(v) Appointment of an honorary legal advisor.

(vi) Other business.

 

26. Extraordinary General Meeting

 

(a) The Executive Committee may summon an Extraordinary General Meeting at any time on the written request signed by at least seven or one-third of the ordinary members whichever is more desiring to submit any specified resolution of such a meeting. At least ten calendar days’ notice of this extraordinary meeting shall be given and of the business to be transacted.

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(b) The Executive Committee may call such extraordinary meetings of the Society as they may decide.

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Prohibitions

 

27. (a) Gambling of any kind and the playing of paikow or mahjong, whether for stakes or not, is forbidden on the Society’s premises. The introduction of materials for gambling or drug taking and of bad characters into the premises is prohibited.

 

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

 

(c) The Society shall not engage in Trade Union activity as defined in any written law relating to trade unions for the time being in force in Singapore.

 

(d) The Society shall not attempt to restrict or interfere with trade or make directly or indirectly any recommendation to, or any arrangement with its members which has the purpose or is likely to have the effect of fixing or controlling the price or any discount, allowance or rebate relating to any goods or services to be supplied by them.

 

(e) The Society shall not hold any lottery, whether confined to its members or not, in the name of the Society or its office-bearers, Executive Committee or members.

 

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

 

(g) The Society shall not raise funds from the public for whatever purpose without the prior approval in writing of the Registrar of Societies and other relevant authorities.

 

Amendments to Rules

 

28. (a) Amendments to these articles must be proposed and seconded. They must be presented in writing to the Executive Committee at least 30 calendar days in advance of the annual general meeting. For such amendments to become effective they must be passed by a majority of two-thirds of the ordinary members present at the meeting.

 

(b) Amended rules shall not come into force without the prior sanction of the Registrar of Societies.

 

Audit and Financial Year

 

29. (a) Two persons not members of the Executive Committee will be elected as Hon. Auditors at each annual general meeting. Alternatively, a firm of public auditors or accountants will be appointed. In any case, they will hold office for one year only and may not be re-elected. They will be required to audit each year’s accounts 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 Committee.

 

(b) The financial year shall be from 1st January to 31st December.

 

Interpretation

 

30. In the event of any question or matter arising out of any point which is not expressly provided in the rules, the Executive Committee shall have power to use their own discretion.

 

Dissolution

 

31. (a) The Society shall not be dissolved, except with the consent of not less than seventy five per cent of the ordinary members of the Society for the time being resident in Singapore expressed either in person or by proxy at a General Meeting convened for the purpose.

 

(b) 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 shall be donated to any institutions of public character approved by the General Meeting.

 

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