Constitution


  1. The Association shall be known as the Singapore Orthopaedic Association.

  2. Place Of Business And Meeting
    Its place of business and its address for correspondence shall be at c/o Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Blk 6 Level 7 Room A50, Singapore General Hospital, Outram Road Singapore 169608.

  3. Object
    The object of the Association shall be the advancement of the Science and Art of Orthopaedic Surgery in the Republic, and for the promotion of relationship between this Association and similar associations in other countries.

  4. Membership
    Membership of the Association shall comprise the following categories:
    1. Honorary Members
    2. Full Members
    3. Associate Members
    4. Senior Members
      1. Honorary Members may be elected from men or women of distinction, including laymen, who have made understanding contribution to the progress of Orthopaedic Surgery in Singapore.
      2. Full Members may be elected by application from surgeons of high academic and professional standing who are engaged in the full- time practice of Orthopaedic Surgery. Application for election must be made on an official form. Nomination for election as Full Member shall be made by the Executive Committee.
      3. Associate Members may be elected from those who are training in Orthopaedic Surgery and from physicians and surgeons in this or other countries who are interested in Orthopaedic Surgery or allied branches of medicine. They shall have the right of attending scientific and general meetings and social events, and of engaging in all scientific discussions. Application for election as Associate Member must be made on an official form, and be supported by at least two members. Nomination for election as Associate Member shall be made by the Executive Committee.
      4. Full Members upon reaching the age of 60 years may be made Senior Members. They shall be exempted from the annual subscription while retaining all rights and privileges of Full Members.

  5. Resignations
    1. Any Member or Associate wishing to withdraw from the Association shall give notice in writing to the Honorary Secretary not less than three months before the end of the Association's financial year.
    2. Any Member or Associate whose resignation is requested by the Executive Committee shall have the right to appeal to the next General Meeting, provided he or she makes written application to the Honorary Secretary within fourteen days of receiving the request.

  6. Subscriptions
    1. The annual subscription is due from all Full and Associate Members on the First Day of January each year and is payable in advance. It shall be determined by the Executive Committee and approved by the Member of the Association, at a general meeting.
    2. No Full Member or Associate Member shall be entitled to any of the privileges of the Association whilst his or her subscription is in arrears for six months, and in the event of its remaining unpaid for two years, he or she shall automatically cease to be a Full Member or Associate Member of the Association. Re-election may be granted by the Executive Committee i f all arrears are paid and application in writing is made to the Honorary Secretary.
    3. All persons attending a Scientific Meeting may be required to pay a registration fee should that be considered necessary by the Executive Committee on any particular occasion.

  7. Finance
    1. The Association's financial year shall extend from 1st January to 31st December, inclusive.
    2. The Executive Committee has power to authorise the expenditure of a sum not exceeding $500.00 per month from the Association's fund for the Association purposes.
    3. No member of any Committee or Sub-Committee shall incur any expense on behalf of the Association except with the written authority of the Honorary Secretary or Honorary Treasurer stating the amount to be incurred.

  8. Audit
    Two persons, not members of the Executive Committee, will be elected as Honorary Auditors at each annual general meeting and will hold office for one year only, and may not be re-elected. They will be required to audit each year's accounts and present a report upon them to the annual general meeting. They may be required by the President to audit the Association's accounts for any period within their tenure of office at any date and make a report to the Executive Committee.

  9. Scientific Meetings
    1. Scientific Meetings shall be held at least once each year at times and places to be decided by vote of a majority at a General meeting, but the Executive Committee shall have power to alter these arrangements if necessary.
    2. The programme for each meeting shall be settled by the Programme Committee.
    3. A Member or Associate wishing to present a communication shall furnish the Honorary Secretary with an abstract at least two months before the date of the meeting.
    4. Unless otherwise stipulated by the author, every communication presented to the Association shall become the property of the Association, which shall have the right to publish it in the official publication of the Association or elsewhere at a time to be determined in agreement with the author.
    5. Every person presenting a communication shall supply to the Editor a summary not less than 7 days before the meeting; and, if requested, he shall also supply within a reasonable time a full typescript and illustrations in a form suitable for publication.

  10. General Meeting
    1. A General Meeting shall be held at least once a year before the end of the month of November. The agenda for the meeting shall be circularised at least two weeks before the date of the meeting.
    2. Twenty-five percent of the Full Members shall form a quorum. Associate Members shall not constitute the quorum nor do they have the right to vote.
    3. If after thirty minutes from the time appointed for the meeting a quorum of members is not present, those present shall be considered a quorum, but they shall have no power to amend this constitution.
    4. The President shall call a Special General Meeting within twenty-eight days of receiving a request signed by not less than twenty-five percent of the Full Members and specifying the nature of the business.

  11. Officers
    1. The officers of the Association shall be:
      1. a President
      2. a Vice-President
      3. an Honorary Secretary
      4. an Assistant Secretary
      5. an Honorary Treasurer
      6. an Editor
      7. an Ex-Officio member
    2. The Officers shall be elected annually from amongst the Full Members of the Association at the Annual General Meeting.
    3. The President, or in his absence the Vice-President, shall preside at all Scientific and General Meetings and at all meetings of the Executive Committee. He shall deliver a Presidential Address at the next Annual General Meeting.
    4. The Vice-President shall deputize for the President on all occasions when the President is absent, and if the President ceases to hold office during his term, the Vice-President shall become President for the remainder of the term.
    5. The Honorary Secretary shall be responsible for the organization, and keep the minutes of all Scientific and General Meetings, and meetings of the Executive Committee. He shall conduct all correspondence and arrange for the publication of an Annual Report of the affairs of the Association.
    6. The Honorary Treasurer shall hold office for not more than two consecutive terms. He shall collect all monies due to the Association and shall be the custodian thereof. He shall inform each Member and Associate when his subscription for the forthcoming year is due. He shall discharge all monies on behalf of the Association and shall keep an account of all monetary transactions and shall be responsible for their correctness. He is authorized to spend up to $100.00 per month for petty expenses on behalf of the Association. He will not keep more than $100.00 in the form of cash, and money in excess of this will be deposited in a bank to be named by the Executive Committee. Cheques etc. for withdrawals from the bank will be signed by the President in addition to the Honorary Treasurer. He shall present the audited accounts of the Association at the next General Meeting.
    7. The Assistant Secretary shall be responsible for assisting the Honorary Secretary in his duties and in his absence perform the duties of the Honorary Secretary. If the Honorary Secretary ceases to hold office in his term, the Assistant Secretary shall become Secretary for the rest of the term.
    8. The Ex-Officio member shall automatically be the immediate past-President.

  12. Executive Committee
    1. Three officers shall form a quorum at a meeting of the Executive Committee.
    2. The Executive Committee shall have power to fill casual vacancies amongst the officers (except the President), subject to confirmation at the next General Meeting.
    3. The Executive Committee shall have power to request the resignation of any person in any category of membership deemed by the Executive Committee to have been guilty of conduct contrary to the interest of the Association, or to have ceased to take an interest in the objects of the Association, or to have been disobedient to its rules or guilty of an unprofessional act or public misdemeanor, provided that the person concerned shall be notified of the proposed action not less than eight weeks before the next General Meeting.
    4. The Executive Committee shall have power to remit, reduce or suspend the subscription of any Member or Associate at its discretion.

  13. Sub-Committees
    1. The Executive Committee may appoint annually an Editorial Committee, a Programme and Entertainment Committee and such other sub-committees as it may decide, and it shall also appoint the officers of all these committees.
    2. The officers and members of sub-committees shall be appointed for one year only, but shall be eligible for reappointment.
    3. Sub-Committees shall have power to co-opt anyone who may assist their work without reference to the Executive Committee, provided the names of those co-opted are recorded in the written report of the sub-committee.
    4. A written report of the proceedings of each sub-committee shall be presented annually to the Executive Committee.
    5. The Editorial Committee shall assist the Editor in his work. The Editor shall be the Chairman of the Editorial Committee, and shall prepare a report of the Scientific Meetings for transmission to the medical press. He shall arrange the publication of any scientific paper that the Executive Committee may decide to publish at the expense of the Association.
    6. The Programme and Entertainment Committee shall decide the arrangements for the Scientific Meetings, and select the papers to be presented and their duration.

  14. Prohibitions
    1. Gambling of any kind such as the playing of paikow or mahjong, whether for stakes or not, are forbidden on the Association's premises. The introduction of materials for gambling or opium smoking, and of bad characters into the premises is prohibited.
    2. The funds of the Association shall not be used to pay the fines of members who have been convicted in Court.
    3. The Association shall not attempt to restrict, or in any other manner interfere with trade or prices or engage in any Trade Union activity as defined in the Trade Union Ordinance.
    4. A written report of the proceedings of each sub-committee shall be presented annually to the Executive Committee.
    5. The Association shall not hold any lottery, whether confined to its members or not, in the name of the Association or its office-bearers, Executive Committee or members.
    6. The Association shall not indulge in any political activity or allow its funds and/or premises to be used for political purposes.

  15. Alteration Of The Constitution
    The Constitution shall be altered only by the vote of at least two-thirds of the Full Members of the Association present at a general meeting.

  16. Dissolution Of The Association
    1. The Association shall not be dissolved other than with the consent of at least two-thirds of its Full Members.
    2. If on the dissolution of the Association there remains, after satisfaction of its debts and liabilities, any property whatsoever, the small shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the Association, but shall be given or transferred to some other institution or institutions having the object of the advancement of medical science and art, such institution or institutions to be determined by the members of the Association at or before the time of dissolution and, if insofar as effect cannot be given to such provision, then to some other charitable object.