THE
CONSTITUTION OF THE AMATEUR SWIMMING ASSOCIATION
OF
TRINIDAD
AND TOBAGO
LIST
OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE
1.
NAME
2.
INTERPRETATION
3.
OBJECTS
4.
AFFILIATION
5.
MEMBERSHIP
6.
THE COUNCIL
7.
OFFICERS
8.
DUTIES OF OFFICERS
9.
COMMITTEES
9A. QUALIFICATION
FOR NATIONAL TEAM SELECTION
10.
GENERAL MEETINGS
11.
TRUSTEES
12.
BYE-LAWS
13.
ALTERATION OF RULES
14.
WINDING
THE CONSTITUTION OF THE AMATEUR
SWIMMING ASSOCIATION
OF
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
ARTICLE - 1 NAME
The
name of the organisation shall be the Amateur Swimming Association of Trinidad
& Tobago (hereinafter referred to as "the Association"). The
colours shall be Red, White and Black, and the Emblem shall be decided upon by
the Association from time to time. The official address of the Association shall
be P.O. Box 244, Port of Spain. Such address may be changed from time to time.
ARTICLE - 2 INTERPRETATION
1.
An Amateur Swimmer is
one who engages in swimming solely for pleasure and the physical, mental and
social benefits he derives therefrom and to whom swimming is nothing more than
a recreation for which no remuneration is received. Subject to the foregoing,
the exceptions and qualifications to the foregoing rule shall be as appear for
the time being in the rules of Federation International de Natacion later referred
to as F.I.N.A. as amended from time to time and are hereby deemed to be
incorporated herein.
2.
CLUB -: Any body of individuals duly constituted,
coming together for the purpose of participating in the Aquatic sport of
swimming, water-polo, diving and/or synchronized swimming.
3.
'RULES' mean the
rules of the Association.
4.
COUNCIL -: means elected Officers of the Association
and Delegates nominated by the Ordinary Members.
5.
"SECRETARY"
means the Honorary Secretary of the Association.
6.
'TREASURER"
means the Honorary Treasurer of the Association.
7.
Words importing the
masculine gender shall include the feminine gender.
8.
Words in the singular
shall include the plural and words in the plural shall include the singular.
ARTICLE - 3 OBJECTS
The
aim and objects of the Association shall be: -
(a)
To promote and
encourage the development of amateur swimming, diving, water-polo and
synchronized swimming in Trinidad and Tobago and to provide proper
accommodation and facilities for them.
(b)
To draw up, publish
and enforce uniform rules for the control and regulation of amateur swimming,
diving, synchronized swimming and water-polo championships and competitions in
the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Wherever practicable these shall conform
with the rules of F.I.N.A. and such other bodies to which the Association shall
be affiliated.
(c)
To provide
competitive swimming opportunities for swimmers of all ages, both sexes, and at
all levels of local and international competition.
(d)
To define rules under
which National Records can be established and recognised in accordance with
accepted international guidelines.
(e)
To sanction,
facilitate and regulate all International, National and other aquatic contests
held in Trinidad and Tobago, and to approve and regulate the dates and arrangements
for same and to sanction the participation of registered swimmers at sanctioned
meets held overseas.
(f)
To foster and
maintain cordial relationships with sporting groups and other bodies locally
and overseas whose aims and objects are similar to those of the Association.
(g)
To select national
teams in swimming, diving, water-polo, synchronized swimming and any other
aquatic sports and whenever necessary, to submit its selections to the Trinidad
and Tobago Olympic Committee or other national sporting bodies.
(h)
In aid of the
aforementioned objects, to solicit, apply for, receive, hold, raise and
disburse, grants, bequests, endowments and other funds and to operate
exclusively for charitable purposes and to employ such staff and contract for
the services of such other personnel as may be necessary to purchase, lease,
acquire, or provide for such facilities, materials and equipment as are
necessary and appropriate.
(i)
To borrow and raise
such monies, as the Association may think fit for the promotion of the objects
of the Association and to give security for such loans as may be required by
and lending institution.
ARTICLE - 4 AFFILIATION
The
Association shall be affiliated to: -
(j)
The Federation
International de Natacion Amateur.
(ii)
The Trinidad and
Tobago Olympic Committee.
(iii)
Central American and
Caribbean Swimming Federation.
(iv)
Amateur Swimming
Union of the Americas.
(v)
CARIFTA Swimming
Council.
(vi)
Any other
Organisation as Council may determine.
ARTICLE - 5 MEMBERSHIP
Classes
of membership shall be: -
(i)
Ordinary - Club
(ii)
Associate - (i)
Group
- (ii) Individual
(iii) Honorary - Individual
(i)
ORDINARY
MEMBER
(a)
Any Club promoting
amateur swimming, water-polo, diving and/or synchronized swimming shall be
eligible for ordinary membership of the Association and shall, subject to the
approval of Council, become a member upon payment of such admission fee as may
be prescribed by Council from time to time. Ordinary members shall be fully
entitled to nominate persons to hold office in the Association and vote at
meetings
(b)
Any Club desiring to
become an Ordinary member of the Association shall submit: -
(i)
an application in
writing to the Secretary stating:
(a)
its name, the number
of members, and the names of its officers;
(b)
that it will abide by
this constitution.
(ii)
a copy of its constitution.
(c)
A club shall have at
least ten (10) active competitive registered swimmers to qualify for Ordinary
membership.
(d)
The Annual Membership
fee for Clubs shall be a sum fixed by Council from time to time and shall be
payable on the first day of February in each and every year. Any Club, which
falls into arrears with its annual subscriptions for, more than thirty (30)
days shall, automatically cease to be a member of the Association. The Council
may, however, in its discretion reinstate such Club on payment of the total
amount of fees outstanding plus a penalty of fifty percent (50%) of the annual
subscription free then in force.
(e)
Any Club desiring to
resign from the Association shall submit its resignation in writing to the
Secretary and such resignation shall take effect from the date of the receipt
by the Secretary of such notice.
(f)
Should an Ordinary
Member fail to maintain ten (10) Active
Competitive Swimmers as defined below, the Council will issue a written warning
to the member. In case of non-compliance by the member, the Council will issue
two (2) more written warnings over the next year beginning with the date of the
first. In the event of continued non-compliance, the Council may re-classify
the said Ordinary member as an Associate Member.
For the purpose of these presents an "Active
Competitive Swimmer" is one who participates in at least three (3) aquatic
events for the calendar year including one of the National Championships.
In the case of swimmers from Tobago, the Association shall
organise aquatic events in Tobago and all registered swimmers of such Ordinary
Members in Tobago except for good and proper reasons, must participate in all
such events, failing which they will not be regarded as "active". At
the same time they must participate in one (1) aquatic event organised by the
Association and held in Trinidad in any one (1) year to be also considered as
"active".
(g)
A swimmer shall be
registered as a member of only one (1) club at a time for the purposes of each
type of competition organised by the Association, provided that a member of a
School Club shall be eligible for registration as a member of another Club, in
which case the School Club will always have priority of first call on him.
(h)
A swimmer must have
been a registered member of a club for at least three (3) weeks before being
entitled to represent such a club in competition, failing which such a swimmer
may participate in competition as an "unattached swimmer" and shall
be entitled to the rights and privileges of an associate member of the
Association as hereinafter defined.
(i)
A yearly registration
fee as determined by Council from time to time must be paid on or before the
date stipulated by Council before the swimmer can compete in any sanctioned
Meet.
(j)
Where a swimmer
desires to change registration from one Club to another, it shall be the duty
of the latter Club to advise Council of such change in registration. The
Council shall be entitled to refuse such application unless it is satisfied
that the applicant has resigned from his former Club and has discharged in full
his indebtedness to his former Club. No change of registration shall take
effect so as to permit a water polo player to play for more than one (1) Club
in the same Competition.
(III) ASSOCIATE MEMBER
(a)
Any Groups or
individuals interested in swimming and who are prepared to assist in the
promotion and organisation of swimming and who subscribe to and abide by the
Constitution may be registered as an Associate Member.
(b)
Any Group or
individual seeking membership in this category must submit an application on a
prescribed from to the Secretary.
(c)
Each Associate Member
shall pay the appropriate membership fee as prescribed by Council not later
than the first day of February of each year.
(d)
Any Associate Member
who falls into arrears with the annual membership fee for more than thirty (30)
days shall automatically cease to be a member of the Association. The Council
may however in its discretion reinstate such member on payment of the total
amount outstanding.
(e)
Associate Members
shall have all the rights and privileges of Ordinary Members except that no
Associate Member shall have a right to hold office in the Association or vote
at meetings.
(iii) HONORARY MEMBER
(a)
The Council may elect
to honorary membership of the Association any person who in the opinion of the
Council has rendered exceptional service to swimming.
(b)
A candidate for
honorary membership must be nominated by a member of Council in writing setting
out fully the grounds on which such nomination is made.
(c)
An honorary member
shall be a member of the Association but shall not be an officer or a delegate
nor have a right to vote.
ARTICLE - 6 THE
COUNCIL
(a)
The affairs of the
Association shall be managed by Council.
(b)
The Council shall
consist of all elected Officers of the Association and one (1) Delegate
nominated in writing by each Ordinary Member.
(c)
The Council shall
have power to fill any vacancies among the Officers of the Association. Such
vacancies shall be filled form among the Nominated Delegates. Such appointments
shall hold good only until the next Annual General Meeting.
(d)
Quorum
No business shall be transacted at any meeting of the
Council unless a quorum of members is present at the time when the meeting
proceeds to business. Save as herein or otherwise provided, sixty percent (60%)
of the Council shall form a quorum of any meeting of the Council. If within
thirty (30) minutes from the time appointed for the meeting, a quorum in not
present, the meeting shall stand adjourned to the same day in the next week, at
the same time and place or to such other day at such other time and place as
the members present may determine but not less than twenty-four (24) hours
thereafter. If at the adjourned meeting, a quorum is not present within half an
hour from the time appointed for the meeting, the members present, provided
that such members shall form 50% of the quorum and shall include one (1)
elected Officer and whether such members were present at the previous meeting
or not, the business of the Council shall proceed.
(e)
Any Officer who,
without due notice or reasonable excuse, absents himself from three (3)
consecutive meetings of Council and without good cause fails to take an active
interest in the business of the Association, may be removed from office upon a
resolution passed by Council.
(f)
Meetings of the
Council shall be held at least once every month on a fixed day or on such other
day as may be agreed by Council from time to time and at least seven (7) days
notice in writing must be given by the Secretary, but the Secretary shall be
entitled to summon an emergency meeting of the Council to consider and
determine any urgent and important matters.
(g)
The Council shall
deal with all applications for membership of the Association.
(h)
The Council shall
have the power to remove any member or any registered swimmer guilty of conduct
which in the opinion of Council, is prejudicial to the interest or reputation
of the Association and which constitutes a breach of the constitution in
accordance with disciplinary procedure set out in the Bye-Laws of the
Association. In addition, the Council shall have the power to suspend or expel
and Ordinary Member if in the opinion of the Council, by a three-fourths
majority of those present and voting the degree of participation by the Member
in years does not justify continued membership of the Association.
(i)
The Council shall
select all National Teams and National Coaches upon the recommendation of the
Swimming Committee and shall appoint all officials for National Teams including
but not limited to the Manager and National Coaches. Such officials shall
submit to the Secretary a full written material obtained not later than one (1)
month after completing the assignment.
(j)
The Council shall
appoint representatives to attend meetings of bodies controlling and promoting
amateur sport and/or to any other meeting which the Association is invited to
attend or any body which the Association is invited to join. Such
representatives shall submit to the Secretary a full written report on the
meeting together with copies of any material obtained at such meeting and
copies of any minutes obtained at such meetings within fourteen (14) days of
the meeting.
(k)
The Council shall
have control on the finances of the Association and shall have power to borrow
upon resolution and due notice to all ordinary members such sums as may be
required from time to time in furtherance of the objects of the Association.
(l)
The Council shall
have the authority to decide and determine any matter not provided for by the
Rules of the Association and shall have the authority to make any amendment to
the rules of the Association which it may think necessary, by reason of changes
in the rules of the F.I.N.A. and such decisions shall be binding unless and
until reversed by the Association in General Meeting.
(m)
The Council shall fix
dates and venues for National and International events.
(n)
The Council shall
grant sanction to Ordinary members upon request provided that the Meet or
Championship fulfills the required standards for the staging of such an event.
(o)
The Council shall: -
(i)
Elect an Honorary
Medical Officer who shall be the adviser of the Association in matters of
medical opinion appertaining to the Association only.
(ii)
Elect an honorary
Legal Adviser who shall be the adviser to the Association in matters of law and
legal opinion only.
(iii)
Elect the Committees
as provided for in these rules, or any other Committee as may be deemed
necessary from time to time.
ARTICLE - 7 OFFICERS
The
Officers of the Association shall be: -
(i)
The President
(ii)
The Immediate Past
President
(iii)
Two Vice-Presidents
(First and Second)
(iv)
The Secretary
(v)
The Treasurer
(vi)
The Assistant
Secretary-Treasurer
(vii)
Public Relations
Officer
The
elected Officers shall retire annually, but shall continue to hold office until
the election of Officers at the Annual General Meeting and shall be eligible
for re-election, save that no person shall be elected to the office of
President for more than four (4) consecutive terms. A person so elected for
four (4) consecutive terms shall however be eligible for re-election to the
office of President after the lapse of two (2) years following the term of
office to which that person was last elected. The Officers shall be elected by
secret ballot from amongst the Representatives of Ordinary Members of the
Association proposed and seconded by the Delegates at the Annual General
Meeting. Only Delegates duly appointed by Ordinary members shall be entitled to
vote at the Annual General meeting. An outgoing Officer shall not be entitled
to vote as an outgoing Officer.
ARTICLE - 8 DUTIES
OF OFFICERS
(a)
President:
The President shall have the right to convene and unless
prevented by illness or other sufficient cause, preside over all meetings of
the Council and shall have authority upon every question of order and shall be
the sole interpreter of the Laws governing the Council for the purposes of such
meetings. He shall also be an ex-officio member of all Committees and shall
have the right to vote on every motion and in the event of an equal number of
votes being recorded he shall have a second and casting vote.
(b)
Vice Presidents
(i)
The First
Vice-President shall be Co-Ordinator of the Swimming Committee and shall
perform such other duties as the Council may determine from time to time. The
First Vice-President shall perform the duties of the President in the absence
of the President.
(ii)
The Second
Vice-President shall be Chairman of the Finance Committee and shall perform
such other duties as Council may determine from time to time. The Second
Vice-President shall assist as President in the absence of the President and
the First Vice-President.
(c)
Secretary
(i) The Secretary shall deal with the correspondence of the
Association under the general supervision of the Council. He shall promptly
upon receipt of pertinent correspondence disseminate the information therein
contained to all Ordinary members and shall table all such correspondence at
the next meeting of the Council. In cases of urgency where the Council cannot
be consulted he shall consult the President or if he is not available the First
Vice-President. If the First Vice-President is not available, he shall contact
the Second Vice-President. Decisions reached in this way shall be subject to
ratification at the next Council meeting. The Secretary shall maintain a
Register of Swimmers as hereinafter defined and issue notices convening all
meetings of the Association and of the Council and shall be responsible for
keeping minutes of all such meetings and for the preservation of all records of
proceeding of the Association, and of the Council. The Secretary shall also
circulate the Agenda for the next Council Meeting together with the Minutes of
the preceding Council Meeting seven (7) days before the scheduled date for such
Council Meeting. Upon vacating office, the Secretary shall pass on all the
Association's records. He shall be an ex-officio member of all Committees.
(i)