THE JAMAICA CHESS FEDERATION CONSTITUTION (1992)

 

Adopted at the Special General Meeting of December 19th, 1992.

 

 

ARTICLE 1             INTERPRETATION

 

                                "J.C.F." means Jamaica Chess Federation.

 

                                "Council" means National Executive Council of the J.C.F.

 

                                "Student" means a person who is below the age of 25 and is pursuing a course of studies at an educational institution.

 

                                "Member" means a person who is an ordinary member of the J.C.F. as defined in Article 5 below.

 

 

ARTICLE 2             NAME

 

                                The name of the Association shall be the "JAMAICA CHESS FEDERATION".

 

 

ARTICLE 3             HEADQUARTERS

 

                                The principal office of the J.C.F. shall be situated at any place in the Island of Jamaica as its Council shall from time to time direct.

 

 

ARTICLE 4             OBJECTS:

 

                                The objects for which the J.C.F. is formed are:

 

                                (a)   To promote the playing of Chess throughout the Island of Jamaica

 

                                (b)   To encourage the formation of Chess Clubs and other Chess Associations in Jamaica

 

                                (c)   To promote the teaching of Chess in Jamaica

 

                                (d)   To organize Chess Tournaments, contests, seminars, workshops and training sessions

 

                                (e)   To be affiliated with F.I.D.E. and other International chess organizations

 

                                (f)    To be affiliated with other members of organizations of F.I.D.E.

 

                                (g)   To do all such things as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of all or any of the above-named objects.

 

 

ARTICLE 5             MEMBERSHIP

 

                                There shall be three classes of membership:

 

                                (i)    Ordinary

                                (ii)   Associate

                                (iii)  Honorary

 

 

                                (a)   Any person may apply in the manner prescribed in the Bye‑laws of the J.C.F. for ordinary membership.

 

                                (b)   Any person who is not an ordinary member but who is a member of any club or organization affiliated to the J.C.F. or who has played in any tournament rated by the J.C.F. shall be acceptable in the manner prescribed in the Bye-laws of the J.C.F. as an associate member.

                                (c)   An ordinary member's membership shall become associate membership if

 

                                        (i)    his/her membership fee being due is not paid;

 

                                        (ii)   the ordinary member resigns in writing;

 

                                        (iii)  the council, for good cause, so determines.

 

                                (d)   Notwithstanding the preceding paragraphs (a), (b) and (c), the Council of the J.C.F. may confer Honorary Membership on any person whom it deems to be worthy of such honour.

 

                                (e)   There shall be issued to every ordinary member on his acceptance as such a Membership Card or such other identification as prescribed by the Bye‑laws of the J.C.F.

 

                                (f)    All ordinary members shall pay an annual membership fee as prescribed from time to time by the Council in the Bye-laws.

                               

 

ARTICLE 6             CLUBS

 

                                (a)   Any group of four ordinary members of the J.C.F. may apply in the manner prescribed by the Bye‑laws of the J.C.F. for affiliation as a Club.

 

                                (b)   There shall be issued to every Affiliated Club a Certificate of Affiliation in the prescribed form.

 

                                (c)   A Club shall cease to be affiliated to the J.C.F. if

 

(i)       its affiliation fee being due  is not paid; or

 

(ii)     its membership falls below four; or

 

(iii)    it notifies the J.C.F. in writing that it is  surrendering its affiliation; or

 

                                        (iv)   the Council, for good cause, so determines.

 

 

ARTICLE 7             OFFICERS

 

                                The Officers of the J.C.F. shall be

                               

                                (a)   The President,

 

                                (b)   Three Vice‑Presidents representing each of the three counties of Jamaica,

 

                                (c)   The Treasurer,

 

                                (d)   The Secretary.

 

                                The Officers of the J.C.F. shall hold office for two years and shall demit office at the next Annual General Meeting held in an odd-numbered year and shall be eligible for re‑election.

 

ARTICLE 8             MANAGEMENT

 

                                (a)   The management of the affairs of the J.C.F. shall be vested in a National Executive Council.

 

                                (b)   The Council shall consist of fourteen ordinary members, namely:

 

                                        (i)    The six Officers of the J.C.F.

 

                                        (ii)   Eight ordinary members responsible for the following eight functions.

 

                                                Ratings                                                  FIDE Matters

                                                Tournaments                                       Publications

                                                Public Relations & Publicity              Intercollegiate, Junior & Schools

                                                Women’s Chess                                 Fund Raising

 

 

                                (c)   The members of the Council shall hold office for two years and shall demit office at the next Annual General Meeting held in an odd-numbered year and shall be eligible for re‑election.

 

                                (d)   The Council shall appoint such Committees as are necessary to carry out the objects of the J.C.F. and make delegate to them such of its powers and duties as it thinks fit.

 

                                (e)   The Council shall make such Bye‑laws and/or Regulations and prescribe such forms as it deems necessary to carry out the objects of the J.C.F., in particular, in relation to the following matters:

 

(i)             its own Procedure;

 

(ii)           its Committees and their Procedure;

 

(iii)          Membership and affiliation of Clubs;

 

(iv)          Tournaments;

 

(v)            Rating and Selection Policy;

 

(vi)          Award of Titles;

 

(vii)         Nomination of Candidates for election;

 

                                        (viii)     Fees.

 

 

ARTICLE 9             EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

 

                                The Council may appoint an Executive Director who shall be charged with the day to day operations of the J.C.F. for such period and on such terms as it thinks fit.

 

 

ARTICLE 10          VACATION OF OFFICE

 

                                An elected member of the Council shall demit office before the expiry of his or her term as defined in Article 7 and Article 8(c) in the following circumstances.

 

                                (a)   His or her death occurs during the term of office.

 

                                (b)   He or she tenders his or her resignation in writing from the Council or from the J.C.F.

 

                                (c)   He or she fails to attend four consecutive meetings of the Council without the written permission of the Council.

 

                                (d)   The Council, for good cause, passes a resolution by a three-fourths majority requiring the termination of the member.

 

ARTICLE 11          FILLING OF VACANCIES

 

                                The Council, in consultation with the Nomination Committee, shall select a suitable member to fill any vacancy in its membership occasioned by the operation of Article 10. Any such member selected to fill a vacancy shall hold office until the next Annual General Meeting, at which time the post shall be filled by election.

 

 

ARTICLE 12          NOMINATION COMMITTEE

 

                                (a)   There shall be a Nomination Committee comprising of three ordinary members: a Chairman and two other members elected at an Annual General Meeting of the J.C.F. held in each even-numbered year.

 

                                (b)   The members of the Nomination Committee shall demit office at the next Annual General Meeting after their election held in an even-numbered year and shall be eligible for re-election.

 

                                (c)   The duty of the Nomination Committee is to interview every candidate for election to the position of Officer or member of the Council, to satisfy itself as to the suitability of the candidate for the position and if so satisfied, to place the name of the candidate on the list of persons eligible for election in the notice of the Annual General Meeting at which the election is to take place.

 

                                (d)   Any ordinary member shall be eligible for election to the Nomination Committee and he or she shall not be disqualified from being so elected if such a member is already elected or is a candidate for election to the Council of the J.C.F.

 

 

ARTICLE 13          ADVISORY BOARD

 

                                (a)   There shall be an Advisory Board consisting of all past officers of the J.C.F. who indicate to the Council their willingness to serve the Federation in an advisory capacity.

 

                                (b)   The Advisory Board shall elect its own Chairman and shall meet and consider any matters pertaining to the J.C.F. referred to them by the Council.

 

                                (c)   The Advisory Board shall where requested by the Council perform the role of arbitrators in any dispute or unresolved issue on which the Council is deadlocked or on which the Council deems it requires expert advice.

 

                                (d)   The Advisory Board shall bring to the attention of the Council any matter relating to the observance of the Constitution and Bye-laws of the J.C.F.

 

                                (e)   The quorum at all meetings of the Advisory Board shall be three.

 

ARTICLE 14          GENERAL MEETINGS

 

                                (A)   The Annual General Meeting of the J.C.F. shall be held no later than the 30th day of June of every year.

 

                                        (a)   Ordinary business of the Annual General Meeting shall be:

 

(i)       Confirmation of the minutes of the previous meeting;

 

(ii)     Report of the President;

 

(iii)    Adoption of the Financial Statements for the preceding year;

 

(iv)    In the case of an Annual General Meeting held in an odd-numbered year, elections of Officers and the Members of Council;

 

(v)    In the case of an Annual General Meeting held in an even-numbered year, elections of the Chairman and other members of the Nomination Committee.

 

                                        (b)   The Annual General Meeting may consider any matter of which at least 30 days written notice thereof had been given to the Council.

 

                                (B)   Any other General Meeting of the J.C.F. is a Special General Meeting. A Special General Meeting of the J.C.F. may be summoned ‑

 

(a)     by the President; or

 

(b)     by the Council; or

 

                                        (c)   by the Secretary, PROVIDED THAT a written requisition stating the matter to be dealt with by the Meeting and signed by at least 20 ordinary members has been served on the Council at least 30 days before the date of the proposed Meeting.

 

                                (C)  In the case of the Annual General Meeting at least 14 days written notice and in case of a Special General Meeting at least 7 days written notice specifying the purpose of the meeting shall be given to every member of the J.C.F.

 

                                (D)  The President of the J.C.F. shall preside at all General Meetings; in his absence, one of the Vice‑Presidents may preside and in their absence, the meeting may elect a Chairman.

 

                                (E)   The quorum of the meeting shall be 20 ordinary members; if a quorum is not present when the meeting is called to order, the meeting shall be adjourned for a period of 7 days for the same place and time when it may proceed to transact its business, although the requisite quorum is not present.

 

                                (F)   Every ordinary member shall have one vote at the General Meeting.

 

(G)    The Notice of the Annual General Meeting in an odd-numbered year shall contain a list of persons declared by the Nomination Committee to be eligible for election.

 

ARTICLE 15          AMENDMENT

 

                This Constitution may be amended by a 75% majority of the votes cast at a General Meeting PROVIDED THAT not less than 50% of the ordinary membership of the J.C.F. be in attendance at the Meeting or be represented by proxy.

 

 

ARTICLE 16          INDEMNITY

 

                                Members of the Council shall be indemnified out of the Funds and/or property of the J.C.F. from and against all actions, costs, charges, losses, damages and expenses whatsoever which they or any of them shall or any incur, sustain or suffer by reason of anything done or omitted in or about the execution of their duties, except such as they incur, sustain or suffer by reason of or through their own neglect or default.

 

 

ARTICLE 17          NOTICES

 

                                Any Notice which is required to be served pursuant to this Constitution or any Bye‑law, Rules or Regulation made thereunder shall be delivered to the member to be served or, in the case of a Club, to the member authorized to accept Notices on behalf of the Club PROVIDED THAT such a Notice shall be deemed to be properly served it if is sent by prepaid post to the last address for service registered by the member/Club at least 7 days before the period for proper Notice commences.

 

 

ARTICLE 18          LIQUIDATION

 

                                In the event of the winding‑up of the J.C.F., its assets shall be transferred to an organization with objects as close as possible to the objects of the J.C.F.