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CONSTITUTION OF

Geotechnical Society of Singapore

(Updated : April 2021)

 

NAME

This Society shall be known as the “Geotechnical Society of Singapore”, hereinafter referred to as the “Society”.

 

PLACE OF BUSINESS

Its place of business shall be at “22 Sin Ming Lane, #03-85 Midview City, Singapore 573969” or such other address as may subsequently be decided upon by the Committee and approved by the Registrar of Societies. The Society shall carry out its activities only in places and premises which have the prior written approval from the relevant authorities, where necessary.

 

OBJECTS

Its objects are:

 

  1. To be recognised as the key source of geotechnical engineering information and knowledge for the greater engineering community, associated key stakeholders, and the general public​

  2. To actively organise value-added activities for members for professional development and career advancement

  3. To develop collaborative relationships with other local/regional/international organisations (education, practice, research) to advance the standing, prestige, and value of the profession

  4. In furtherance of the above objects, the Society may hold regular discussions among members, conduct seminars and talks, publish newsletters and organise local and international conferences.

 

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MEMBERSHIP QUALIFICATION AND RIGHTS

  1. Membership is open to any person or corporation who has an interest in the area of geotechnical engineering.  A Corporate Member may send one representative to represent itself  in the Society. The representative shall be entitled to the rights and privileges of an Ordinary Member

  2. Only members who are above 18 years of age shall have the right to vote and to hold office in the Society.

  3. An Honorary Member is an honorary life-long membership of the Society. An Honorary Member shall enjoy the same privileges of an Ordinary Member, but shall have no rights to vote and hold office in the Society.

 

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APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP

  1. A person wishing to join the Society should submit his particulars to the Secretary on a prescribed form.

  2. The Committee will decide on the application for membership.

  3. A copy of the Constitution shall be furnished to every approved member upon payment of the membership fee.

  4. An Honorary Member shall be nominated through the Committee and decided by the General Meeting. The criteria for the Honorary Membership shall be determined by the General Meeting.  An Honorary Member shall be elected by at least two-third of the members attending  the General Meeting voting in favour.

 

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ENTRANCE FEES, SUBSCRIPTIONS AND OTHER DUES

  1. There shall be no entrance fee payable for all members.

  2. The annual subscriptions shall be determined by the General Meeting on  recommendation from the Committee from time to time. Honorary Members shall not be required to pay the annual subscription. Annual subscriptions are payable in advance within the first month of the year. If a member falls into arrears with his subscription or other dues, he shall be informed immediately by the Treasurer. If he falls into arrears for more than three (3) months, he will automatically cease to be a member and the Committee may take legal action against him provided that they are satisfied that he has received due notice of his debts.

  3. Any additional fund required for special purposes may only be raised from members with   the consent of the general meeting of the members.

 

 

SUPREME AUTHORITY AND GENERAL MEETINGS

  1. The supreme authority of the Society is vested in a General Meeting of the members.

  2. An Annual General Meeting shall be held no later than three months after the close of the financial year.

  3. At other times, an Extraordinary General Meeting must be called by the President on the request in writing of not less than 25% of the total voting membership or thirty (30) voting members, whichever is the lesser, or may be called at anytime by order of the Committee. The notice in writing shall be given to the Secretary setting forth the business that is to be transacted. The Extraordinary General Meeting shall be convened within two (2) months from receiving this request to convene the Extraordinary General Meeting.

  4. If the Committee does not within two (2) months after the date of the receipt of the written request proceed to convene an Extraordinary General Meeting, the members who requested for the Extraordinary General Meeting shall convene the Extraordinary General Meeting by giving ten (10) days' notice to voting members setting forth the business to be transacted and simultaneously posting the agenda on the Society's notice board or website.

  5. At least two (2) weeks' notice shall be given of an Annual General Meeting and at least ten (10) days' notice of an Extraordinary General Meeting. Notice of meeting stating the date, time and place of meeting shall be sent by the Secretary to all voting members. The particulars of the agenda shall be posted on the Society's notice board or website four (4) days in advance of the meeting.

  6. Unless otherwise stated in this Constitution, voting by proxy is not allowed at all General Meetings.

  7. The following points will be considered at the Annual General Meeting : The previous financial year's accounts and annual report of the Committee. Where applicable, the election of office-bearers and Honorary Auditors for the following term.

  8. Any member who wishes to place an item on the agenda of a General Meeting may do so provided he gives notice to the Secretary one (1) week before the meeting is due to be held.

  9. At least 25% of the total voting membership or thirty (30) voting members, whichever is the lesser, present at a General Meeting shall form a quorum. Proxies shall not be constituted as part of the quorum.

  10. In the event of there being no quorum at the commencement of a General Meeting, 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 amend any of the existing Constitution.

 

 

MANAGEMENT AND COMMITTEE

The administration of the Society shall be entrusted to a Committee consisting of eleven (11) elected GeoSS Committee Members and up to four (4) co-opted Committee Members (without voting right).

 

The following Committee Members are to be elected at alternate Annual General Meeting:

 

Office-Bearers:

       A President

                        A Vice-President

                        A Secretary

                        A Treasurer

                        7 Ordinary Committee members

 

The co-opted Committee Members comprises of:

  • Immediate Past President of GeoSS

  • Current SYGeoSS Chairman

  • Up to 2 members nominated by the President and appointed by the elected Committee Members

 

Applicants for elected GeoSS Committee Members shall submit the nomination form to the GeoSS Secretariat 3 weeks before AGM. If the number of nominees received for respective committee position exceeds the allocated seat, election will follow on a simple majority vote of eligible members present at the AGM.

 

The term of office of the Committee is two years. Committee members must have at least 5 years relevant experience in geotechnical engineering research or practice.

           

All Office-Bearers may not be re-elected to the same post for a consecutive term of office. The elected President and Vice-President shall have served as elected GeoSS Committee Members for at least one term in the past.

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Election will be either by show of hands or, subject to the agreement of the majority of the voting members present, by a secret ballot. In the event of a tie, the Chairman of the meeting shall have a casting vote.

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A Committee Meeting shall be held at least once every twelve (12) months after giving seven (7) days' notice to Committee Members. The President may call a Committee Meeting at any time by giving five (5) days' notice. At least half (½) of the Committee Members must be present for its proceedings to be valid.

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Any member of the Committee absenting himself from three (3) meetings consecutively without satisfactory explanations shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the Committee and a successor may be co-opted by the Committee to serve until the next Annual General Meeting. Up to 2 committee members may be co-opted by the Committee to serve until the next Annual General Meeting if the total membership of the Committee falls to 9 or below. Any changes in the Committee shall be notified to the Registrar of Societies within two (2) weeks of the change.

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The duty of the Committee is to organise and supervise the daily activities of the Society. The Committee may not act contrary to the expressed wishes of the General Meeting without prior reference to it and shall always remain subordinate to the General Meetings.

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The Committee has power to authorise the expenditure of a sum not exceeding $ 5,000 per month from the Society's funds for the Society's purposes.

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Student and Youth Wing of Geotechnical Society of Singapore (SYGeoSS) shall be formed to help connect with young geotechnical engineers and involve in activities to promote geotechnical engineering among the young engineers. The SYGeoSS will work closely with the GeoSS committee for promotional and training activities and will report directly to the main committee

 

The administration of SYGeoSS shall be entrusted to a Committee consisting of nine (9) elected SYGeoSS Committee Members and up to two (2) co-opted Committee Members without voting right.

 

          The following Committee Members are to be elected at alternate Annual General:

                                    A Chairman

                                    A Vice-Chairman

                                    A Secretary

                                    A Treasurer

                                    5 Committee members

 

          The SYGeoSS Committee Members may appoint up to two (2) co-opted Committee Members.

 

 

DUTIES OF OFFICE-BEARERS

  1. The President shall chair all General and Committee meetings. He shall also represent the Society in its dealings with outside persons.

  2. The Vice-President shall assist the President and deputise for him in his absence.

  3. The 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 Members at all times.

  4. The Treasurer shall keep all funds and collect and disburse all moneys on behalf of the Society and shall keep an account of all monetary transactions and shall be responsible for their correctness. He is authorised to expend up to $ 1000 per month for petty expenses on behalf of the Society. He will not keep more than $ 2000 in the form of cash and money in excess of this will be deposited in a bank to be named by the Committee. Cheques, etc. for withdrawals from the bank will be signed by the Treasurer and either the President or the Vice-President or the Secretary.

  5. Ordinary Committee Members shall assist in the general administration of the Society and perform duties assigned by the Committee from time to time.

 

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AUDIT AND FINANCIAL YEAR

  1. Two (2) voting members, not being members of the Committee, shall be elected as Honorary Auditors at each Annual General Meeting and will hold office for a term of two years only and shall not be re-elected for a consecutive term.

  2. They will be required to audit each year's accounts and present a report upon them to the Annual General Meeting.

  3. 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.

  4. The financial year shall be from 1st October of current year to 30th September of the following year.

 

TRUSTEES

  1. If the Society at any time acquires any immovable property, such property shall be vested in trustees subject to a declaration of trust.

  2. The trustees of the Society shall:

 Not be more than four (4) and not less than two (2) in number.

Be elected by a General Meeting of members.

Not effect any sale or mortgage of property without the prior approval of the General Meeting of members.

 

3.  The office of the trustee shall be vacated:

  • If the trustee dies or becomes a lunatic or of unsound mind.

  • If he is absent from the Republic of Singapore for a period of more than one (1) year.

  • If he is guilty of misconduct of such a kind as to render it undesirable that he continues as a trustee.

  • If he submits notice of resignation from his trusteeship.

 

4. Notice of any proposal to remove a trustee from his trusteeship or to appoint a new trustee to fill a vacancy must be given by posting it on the Society’s notice board or website at least two (2) weeks before the General Meeting at which the proposal is to be discussed. The result of such General Meeting shall then be notified to the Registrar of Societies.

 

5. The address of each immovable property, name of each trustee and any subsequent change must be notified to the Registrar of Societies.

 

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VISITORS AND GUESTS

Visitors and guests may be admitted into the premises of the Society but they shall not be admitted to the privileges of the Society nor shall they be admitted into the premises more than six (6) times in a calendar year. These visits are to be confined to not more than once in fourteen (14) days.

 

Visitors and guests may be admitted into the premises of the Society but they shall not be admitted into the privileges of the Society. All visitors and guests shall abide by the Society’s rules and regulations.

 

 

PROHIBITIONS

  1. Gambling of any kind, excluding the promotion or conduct of a private lottery which has been permitted under the Private Lotteries Act Cap 250, 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.

  2. The funds of the Society shall not be used to pay the fines of members who have been convicted in court of law.

  3. The Society shall not engage in any trade union activity as defined in any written law relating to trade unions for the time being in force in Singapore.

  4. The Society shall not attempt to restrict or interfere with trade or make directly or indirectly any recommendation to, 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 service which adversely affect consumer interests.

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

  6. The Society shall not hold any lottery, whether confined to its members or not, in the name of the Society or its office-bearers, Committee or members unless with the prior approval of the relevant authorities.

  7. The Society shall not raise funds from the public for whatever purposes without the prior approval in writing of the Head, Licensing Division, Singapore Police Force and other relevant authorities.

 

 

AMENDMENTS TO CONSTITUTION

No alteration or addition/deletion to this Constitution shall be made except at a general meeting and with the consent of two-thirds (2/3) of the voting members present at the General  Meeting, and they shall not come into force without the prior sanction of the Registrar of Societies.

 

INTERPRETATION

In the event of any question or matter pertaining to day-to-day administration which is not expressly provided for in this Constitution, the Committee shall have power to use their own discretion. The decision of the Committee shall be final unless it is reversed at a General Meeting of members.

 

DISPUTES

In the event of any dispute arising amongst members, they shall attempt to resolve the matter at an Extraordinary General Meeting in accordance with this Constitution. Should the members fail to resolve the matter, they may bring the matter to a court of law for settlement.

 

DISSOLUTION

  1. The Society shall not be dissolved, except with the consent of not less than three-fifths (3/5) of the total voting membership 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.

  2. 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 will be disposed of in such manner as the General Meeting of members may determine or donated to an approved charity or charities in Singapore.

  3. A Certificate of Dissolution shall be given within seven (7) days of the dissolution to the Registrar of Societies.

 

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