Federation of Maltese Language Schools
Federazzjoni Ta’ L-Iskejjel tal-Malti
1) NAME
There shall be a body, to be known as The Federation of
Maltese Language Schools, Federazzjoni ta’ l-Iskejjel tal-Malti, having the aim
of adopting and promoting a suitable language policy and strategy and to verify
their performance and observance in every sector of Maltese life, for the
benefit and development of the national language and the identity of the
Maltese people.
2) OBJECTIVES
The Federation shall provide a united organisation of
Maltese schools for the development and promotion of Maltese language and
culture in
a. Members agree to share knowledge,
resources and activities for the benefit of all. It provides the opportunity
for a unified approach between inter-schools, state/territory, national and
international in the field of teaching of Maltese language and culture for the
benefit of all those who attend member schools.
b. Member schools agree to actively
support a unified program of teaching methodology and professional development
of teachers within the scope of the objectives of the Federation, and to uphold
the spirit and intent of cooperation, coordination and communication for the
benefit of all Federation members and their school community.
c. It coordinates and assists in the
activities of the member schools
d. It develops, motivates and enhances the
recognition and expression on the Maltese language.
e. It raises funds by subscription,
donations and grants from government and private sources to aid the activities
of the FMLS.
f.
It
establishes and maintains regular and frequent contacts with local, national
and international organisations which have functions similar to or
complementary to, those functions of the federation and establish exchanges of
views and resources with them.
3) MEMBERSHIP
a. FULL MEMBERS
All
schools/classes involved in the active teaching of the Maltese language in
b. DEFINITION OF A SCHOOL/CLASS
A Maltese
school-class is an educational entity which teaches the language and culture of
the
c. DELEGATES
Full members
of the federation shall nominate one delegate and a proxy (substitute) to
represent them on the Federation. The delegate shall be a person qualified to
teach Maltese and/or proficient and
competent in the Maltese language.
d. ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
Organisations/Persons other than the above whose
participation in the work of the Federation is considered by the executive
Committee to have advantages for the Federation may be offered associate member
status on such terms and conditions as the Executive Committee may determine,
but such person/s shall not have the right to vote or to hold office but may
attend the meetings.
4) MEMBERSHIP
REGISTER
The Executive
Committee shall establish and maintain a register containing the names,
addresses and other relevant details of all members and their delegates.
5)
MEMBERSHIP FEE
The annual
membership fee shall be determined by the Annual General Meeting and shall
apply until changed by any subsequent Annual General Meeting. Notice of
intention to propose change shall be placed on the agenda of the meeting at
which it is proposed to determine the matter.
6) EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE
a.
The
business of the FMLS shall be conducted by Executive Committee elected by and
from the nominated delegates. The Executive Committee shall have the authority
to manage, administer, supervise and direct the day to day duties of the FMLS
in accordance with this Constitution and the wishes of the members as
determined by decisions of annual and special general meetings.
b.
The
Executive Committee shall consist of the following officers:
i.
President
ii.
Vice
President
iii.
Secretary
iv.
Treasurer
v.
Immediate
Past President for the first year after retirement from the position of
President and provided he/she remains a financial member of FMLS. The immediate past president shall not have
the right to vote unless he/she is a delegate of the FMLS.
The Executive Committee shall elect a Public Officer who may
be a member of the Executive Committee. The Public Officer shall not have the
right to vote unless he/she is a delegate of the FMLS.
7) VACANCIES
Vacancies on the Executive Committee
shall be filled from the nominated delegates. Notice of vacancy shall be
notified to the members who will be invited to nominate for the vacancy. If
more than one nomination is received, the Committee shall conduct an election
among those delegates present at the meeting where the matter it to be decided.
8) SUB-COMMITTEES
The Federation may establish
sub-committees for any purpose. The President and Secretary shall be ex-officio members of all
sub-committees, but may appoint another Committee member to represent them
should this be desirable.
9.
OFFICERS
The officers of the Federation shall
have the following duties:
a. President
i.
Has
ultimate responsibility for carrying out the decisions of the Executive
Committee and for ensuring compliance with the Constitution:
ii.
Signs
or delegates the signature to the Vice President of all documents and
correspondence on behalf of the FMLS.
iii.
Presides
on Executive Committee, annual and special general meeting and official
meetings of the FMLS.
iv.
Represents
or delegates representation of the FMLS before other bodies.
v.
Acts
as chief spokesperson for the FMLS.
vi.
Carries
out other duties as determined by the Executive Committee.
b. Vice President
i.
Assists
the President in the above duties:
ii.
Substitutes
for the President as required:
iii.
Carries
out other duties as determined by the Executive Committee.
b. Secretary
i.
Establishes
and maintains the register of member;
ii.
Manages
correspondence and maintains general correspondence files;
iii.
Arranges
meetings and prepares the agenda of the Executive Committee, general and other
meetings, in consultation with the President.
iv.
Keeps
and circulates minutes of meetings;
v.
Carries
out other duties as determined by the Executive Committee;
c. TREASURER
i.
Establishes
and maintains financial records of the FMLS;
ii.
Presents
itemised income and expenditure statements to the Executive Committee on a
regular basis.
iii.
Establishes
and maintains such other accounts as are determined by the Executive Committee;
iv.
Carries
out other duties as determined by the Executive Committee;
10.
RESIGNATION OR REMOVAL FROM OFFICE
A delegate may at anytime resign or the body nominating
him/her can withdraw his/her nomination by giving two (2) weeks notice in
writing to the Executive Committee. A delegate who fails to attend three
consecutive meetings of the Executive Committee without an apology or without a
valid reason shall be deemed to have resigned and the body appointing he/her
shall be requested to replace its nomination.
A delegate may, in case of misconduct, be removed from office by a
two-thirds majority vote at a special general meeting called for this purpose.
11) MEETINGS
a. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS
A general meeting shall be held
annually. The date shall be determined and published not later than 6 weeks
prior to the AGM and a call for motions made. The motions duly seconded are to
be received by the Secretary, in writing within two (2) weeks from the date of
issue of the call for motions and a formal agenda to include all motions
received is issued three (3) weeks before the AGM.
The business of the Annual General
Meeting shall be:
i.
Consideration
of reports by the President, the Secretary and Treasurer and adoption,
modification or rejection of such reports and recommendations arising from
them;
ii.
Amendments
to the Constitution (if any);
iii.
Other
business submitted by the Executive Committee or by delegates of which notice
has been given in writing and which has been placed on the agenda;
iv.
Election
of Executive Committee; (every other year)
v.
Appointment
of an Auditor who shall not be a member of the Committee;
The quorum for
the Annual General Meeting shall consist of twenty (20) percent of the
financial delegates as of that date. However, if after 30 minutes from the time
the meeting was called there shall be still not a quorum, the meeting may
commence with the numbers of delegates present.
Decisions
shall be made by simple majority vote, except for amendments to the
Constitution, which shall require a two-thirds majority in favour.
b. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS
Special
general meetings may be held from time to time as determined by the Executive
Committee, and shall be called within two weeks of the receipt by the Secretary
of a petition signed by the majority of financial members calling for such a
meeting and stating the purpose of such a meeting and any motions which it is
proposing to place before the meeting.
Notification of the date, place, time and business of a special general
meeting shall be issued to the delegates not less than five (5) days before the
meeting. The quorum and voting procedures shall be as for the annual general
meetings, and no other business shall be transacted.
c. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETINGS
Executive Committee meetings shall be
held regularly, as required. The date, place, time and agenda of the meeting
shall be issued to members of the Executive Committee in time for the meeting.
The quorum of the Executive Committee
shall be half the number of members plus one. If after thirty minutes the
required quorum has not been reached, three members can form a quorum and
proceed with the meeting.
d. TIED VOTES
If at any
meeting of the FMLS there shall be an equality of votes for and against a
resolution, the matter shall be determined in the negative, and the chairperson
shall not exercise a casting vote.
12. ELECTIONS AND VOTING
a. Nominations for positions on the
Executive Committee shall be in writing.
b. A delegate may nominate another
delegate for any office. The nomination shall be seconded by the delegate and
signed by the nominee.
c. Whenever an election is required, a
returning officer and two scrutineers, who are not candidates, shall be
appointed by the Executive Committee to conduct the election.
d. All elections shall be by secret
ballot, and where an election is required, the method of voting and of counting
the ballot shall first be determined by the meeting at which the election takes
place.
e. Except as otherwise provided in this
Constitution, all decisions shall be taken by simple majority vote.
13. FINANCIAL PROCEDURES
a. BOOK-KEEPING
i.
Income
and expenditure shall be fully tabulated according to accepted book-keeping
standards;
ii.
The
Federation’s fiscal year shall be from July 1 in any year to June 30 in the
following year;
iii.
All
cheques and withdrawal vouchers shall be signed by the Treasurer and any other
member of the Executive Committee.
iv.
Maximum
provisions may be made by the Committee for petty cash and automatically
replenished;
v.
All
other payments shall be authorised by the Committee, either under general terms
of written instructions to the Treasurer specifying the types of routine
payments which shall be made, or by a specific resolution of the Committee.
b. LIMITATIONS
The
Federations shall undertake no major financial obligations for which it does
not provide or has not obtained adequate financial cover beforehand.
c. USE OF INCOME AND PROPERTY
The income and
property of the FMLS shall be applied solely towards the promotion of its
objectives. No portion of the income of the FMLS shall be paid, transferred or
distributed directly or indirectly to the members of the Federation, provided
that nothing shall prevent the payment in good faith or remuneration to any
officer or employee of the Federation or to any person other than a member, in
return for services rendered to the Federation.
14. OTHER PROVISIONS
a. DISCIPLINARY MEASURES
i.
In
the event of a member becoming un-financial, i.e., annual membership fees being
more than 12 months in arrears, the name of the member shall be removed from
the membership register, and its representation on the Federations will be
deemed as being withdrawn.
ii.
In
other cases the Executive Committee shall when necessary recommend to a general
meeting what disciplinary measures are to be taken. Any decisions by the
general meeting must be supported by 2/3 majority of members present and
voting.
iii.
The
Executive Committee shall seek the withdrawal of any delegate for proven
misconduct or when a delegate has abused his/her position for personal gain.
However in these cases the decision taken by the Executive Committee shall be supported
by at least 2/3 majority of the Executive Committee, present and voting at the
meeting. Provided that the delegate shall not form part of the quorum and shall
not participate in the meeting other than to justify his/her position.
iv.
Any
member found in breach of this constitution shall be notified of the breach and
shall be requested to justify its action. No member shall be removed from the
membership register unless such a decision taken at a general meeting is
supported by 2/3 majority of members present and voting, and the member
informed of the decision in writing within seven (7) days.
b. APPEALS
A member/delegate against whom action
has been taken under clauses 14 (ii), (iii) or (iv) above shall have the right to appeal to a general meeting of the
Federation. This may be either the annual general meeting or a special general
meeting called to consider the appeal.
A member wishing to appeal against a
disciplinary measure against him/her must give written notice of intention to
appeal within thirty (30) days of the date of the notice of the action being
taken.
At the general meeting considering the
appeal, the President or an Executive Committee member appointed for the
purpose by the Executive Committee shall make a statement setting out the
reasons for the disciplinary measure. The person/body against whom/which the
action has been taken shall make a statement setting out an explanation and
giving reasons why the decision of the Federation should set aside or varied.
A motion to reverse or vary the
Federation’s decision may then be put to the meeting without further debate,
and if carried by 2/3 majority vote of those present and voting, the appeal of
the member/delegate shall be considered to have succeeded.
15.
ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION
Any member may
propose additions, deletions or amendments to the constitution by submitting a
request in writing to the Executive Committee. The proposed alteration/s shall
be submitted to the Annual or Special General Meeting for consideration. If the
amendment is approved by a two thirds 2/3 majority it shall take immediate
effect.
16.
AFFILIATIONS
The Federation
may affiliate with any other organisation on such terms and conditions as may
be mutually arrived at, and approved by a 2/3 majority of the committee at the
annual general meeting.
17.
DISSOLUTION
The FMLS may
be dissolved or wound up by a resolution passed by a 3/4 majority at a special
general meeting called for the purpose. Any funds or other property remaining
after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities of the Federation and the
costs, charges and expenses of that winding up shall be distributed-
a.
To
another Federation incorporated under the Act; or
b.
For
charitable purposes as the case requires shall be determined by resolution of
the members when authorizing and directing the Executive Committee under
section 33(3) of the Act to prepare a distribution plan for the distribution of
the surplus property of the Federation.
18. INSPECTION OF RECORDS
An affiliated member may at any reasonable time inspect
without charge the books documents, records and securities of Federation.
TRANSITION CLAUSE
a. On formation of the federation
the full members shall be
1. Maltese Community Council of Vic- Maltese
Language Classes
2.
3.
4.
5.
6. Skola Maltija – Mackay (QLD);
7. Skola Maltija – Sydney (NSW);
8. Skola Maltija –
9.
10.
Associate
member:
1. Maltese Correspondence School ACT
b. For the purpose of the first
executive meeting the returning officer shall be H.E. Francis Tabone , Malta
High Cimmissioner
c. For the
purpose of the first General Election provisions of Article 11a of this
constitution shall be suspended.