Debated in Parliament on 7 Apr 2020.
Assoc Prof Walter Theseira asked the Minister for Home Affairs whether the Registrar of Societies will assist societies with AGMs or other governance meetings scheduled during the Covid-19 outbreak to (i) waive or modify any requirements in the society's constitution to meet in person to elect officers or determine the society's affairs (ii) waive, modify or delay audit and reporting requirements for societies unable to meet in person to approve their financial and annual statements and (iii) provide guidance on how they can continue to govern their affairs in accordance with applicable regulations during this time.
The Government has announced legislation that will allow entities, including societies, to adopt prescribed alternative arrangements so that meetings can be conducted in a manner compliant with the safe distancing measures announced on 24 March 2020. These prescribed alternative measures can be adopted notwithstanding the requirements in the entities’ constitution. They include allowing a meeting to be held by video-conferencing or other electronic means, or to be postponed, or for the quorum of a meeting to be reduced.
In view of the COVID-19 situation, the Registry of Societies (ROS) will allow societies to adopt such alternative arrangements. ROS will advise societies on the details soon.
Assoc Prof Walter Theseira.
Thank you, Speaker. I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the reply. This is about the measures that will be introduced in the Bill that will be read later today. That is correct, right? So, I just want to have the assurance from the Ministry that they will issue easy-to-understand guidelines for societies on this, because most societies are very small, they do not have legal staff and are not able to interpret the Bill as passed. So, they really do need very clear guidelines on what they can and cannot do to avoid any misunderstandings.
Yes, the Member is correct. It is in the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Bill that will be tabled today. We note the feedback; thank you very much.
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