Constitution

The office of ACBO will be located as determined by the General Assembly.

To ensure the sustainability of the Caribbean beekeeping sector while developing its competitiveness.

• To facilitate discussion, sharing and the exchange of experiences amongst members with a view to addressing the challenges and opportunities confronting the sector.
• To develop and/or contribute to the development of strategies, programmes and projects that enhances the growth and development of the sector.
• To provide advocacy services in the establishment and implementation of national and regional policies that affect the development of the sector and its stakeholders.
• To develop linkages with other institutions and other networks as necessary to support the work of the Association and its members.
• To promote the development of income generation for greater self-sufficiency.
• To take the lead in organising Caribbean Beekeeping Congresses.
  

Full Member:  Any association or organisation based in the Caribbean region representing beekeepers and working in the interest of beekeepers, apiculture, and the goal and objectives of ACBO is eligible for Full Membership upon application and payment of a Membership Fee.

Each Full Member has one vote at a meeting of the General Assembly.

Associate Member: Any agency, institute or related body, having a stated interest in apiculture is eligible for Associate Membership upon invitation and payment of a Membership Fee.

Each Associate Member has one vote at a meeting of the General Assembly.

Honorary Member: Honorary Membership is accorded to:

• Former members of the Executive Committee or Advisory Board who have rendered valuable services to ACBO.
• Outstanding scientists or functionaries of the beekeeping community, who have been accepted by a simple majority at a meeting of the General Assembly, following a proposal by the Executive Council.
• The Chairperson of the Planning Committee of each Caribbean Beekeeping Congress, effective from the meeting of the General Assembly at the congress at which the Chairperson functioned.

The General Assembly or the Executive Committee can entrust an Honorary Member with important tasks in furtherance of ACBO’s goal and objectives.

Honorary Members do not vote at meetings of the General Assembly.

• All members have the right to attend meetings of the General Assembly.
• All members have the right to receive notices, published newsletter or other publications from ACBO.
• Full and Associate members have the right to make nominations to the Executive Committee.
  

• To comply with the statutes of ACBO and the resolutions passed by General Assembly.
• To refrain from any action or initiative contrary to the goal and objectives of ACBO.
• All voting members are obliged to pay an annual Membership Fee.
• To foster and spread the ideals of ACBO.
• To keep the Executive Committee and General Assembly well informed of events and developments in their area relevant to ACBO’s interests.
• To notify the Executive Committee in writing of any changes of the persons entitled to represent them.
  

• By resignation: the declaration of which is to be signed by the authorised representative and submitted to a member of the Executive Committee.
• By resolution of the General Assembly.
  

ACBO has the following bodies:

• General Assembly
• Executive Committee
• Advisory Board
  

The General Assembly comprises the representatives of Full Members and Associate Members, and Honorary Members (see Article 5).
Full Members and Associate Members may be represented by two delegates at a meeting of the General Assembly.

Ordinary Meetings of the General Assembly will be held during a Caribbean Beekeeping Congress.

An Extraordinary Meeting of the General Assembly can be called by half of the members of the Executive Committee or a third of the voting members.

Extraordinary Meetings can be conducted by phone or electronic media after voting members have been notified of matters to be considered.

An Ordinary Meeting of the General Assembly has a quorum when it is held at a Caribbean Beekeeping Congress and an announcement has been made at the Congress about the time and venue of the meeting.

The President of ACBO, or in his/her absence the Vice President, will chair the Ordinary Meeting of the General Assembly. If both persons are absent, the Secretary, Treasurer or Assistant Secretary-Treasurer will preside over the meeting.

An Extraordinary Meeting of the General Assembly has a quorum when the responses to matters being considered have been received from half of the Association voting members.

Resolutions will be passed by the General Assembly with a simple majority of the votes represented.

The voting procedure will be determined by the General Assembly by simple majority.

The minutes of a meeting of the General Assembly will be distributed to the members by the recording Secretary.

The General Assembly is the paramount decision-making body of ACBO and will be responsible for:

• Reviewing ACBO activities, especially with respect to its goal and objectives, the passing of guidelines and approval of the activity reports.
• Choosing the location of upcoming Caribbean Beekeeping Congresses.
• Election of the Executive Committee.
• The appointment of an External Auditor.
• Endorsing the Executive Committee’s approval of Full and Associate members.
• Conferring Honorary Membership.
• Revoking membership.
• Approving the budget and financial report.
• Approving the Membership Fee.
• Approving the relocation of ACBO offices.
• Approving changes to the statutes of ACBO.
• Approving a plan of action for ACBO.
• Dissolution of ACBO, the use of the assets and the appointment of the liquidator.
  

The Executive Committee will implement decisions of the General Assembly and will serve as the highest decision-making body of ACBO in between meetings of the General Assembly.

All positions on the Executive Committee will be up for elections at every Ordinary Meeting of the General Assembly.

The members of the Executive Committee will exercise their functions in an honorary capacity although compensation for travel and/or other costs may be paid on approval by the Executive Committee, on the availability of funds.

The Executive Committee comprises five members: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and an Assistant Secretary-Treasurer.

President

The President has overall responsibilities for management and proper functioning of ACBO and represents ACBO with respect to its members and third parties.

The President will normally chair ACBO gatherings and meetings. In the absence of the President, the Vice President will chair the gathering/meeting. If the Vice President is unavailable, the Secretary will chair the gathering/meeting.

Vice President 

The Vice President is responsible for monitoring all ACBO activities to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Articles of the Constitution, and represents ACBO whenever the President designates her/him to this task.

Secretary
The Secretary manages ACBO’s Secretariat and is otherwise responsible for the documentation of ACBO’s activities, recording the proceedings at all Executive Committee and General Assembly Meetings, and attending to all correspondence.

Treasurer
The Treasurer has responsibility for all the financial activities of ACBO, including receiving and disbursing funds, keeping an accurate account of all financial transactions of the Association, preparation of annual budget and financial reports, and the maintenance of an inventory of assets owned by ACBO.

Assistant Secretary-Treasurer
The Assistant Secretary-Treasurer will assist the Vice President, Secretary and/or Treasurer with the performance of their duties, and act in their stead when they are unable to perform their duties.  Otherwise the incumbent will be required to lend general support to the Executive Committee in the execution of its duties as may be determined by the President.

The Executive Committee will meet at least once prior to each Ordinary Meeting of the General Assembly.

The Executive Committee may use the electronic media to communicate during the life of the Committee

The Executive Committee will have a quorum when three of its members are present. Decisions will be reached by simple majority. In the event of a tied vote, the chairperson will have a casting vote.

The minutes of meetings will be available to all members and are to be circulated promptly.

The tasks of the Executive Committee are to:

• Make decisions on matters that are not provided for in this Constitution.
• Approve applications for Full and Associate membership.
• Carry out, as far as possible, the resolutions of the General Assembly.
•  Make decisions on all general matters and issues of interest to beekeepers based on its work programme, the recommendations of the Advisory Board, and the goal and objectives of ACBO.
• Ensure the staging of Caribbean Beekeeping Congresses and to collaborate with the hosts thereof.
• Determine the composition, terms of reference and tenure of the Advisory Board.
  

Membership of the Advisory Board is by invitation from the Executive Committee.

The purpose of the Advisory Board is to support the goal and objectives of ACBO through the provision of varied expertise in the form of oral and written reports, the conduct of programmes and projects and in other activities deemed to be appropriate.

Advisory Board members will be persons with skills or experience of special value in providing guidance to the Executive Committee.

An External Auditor will monitor the financial operations of ACBO. The Auditor’s written annual report will be presented to the General Assembly at its Ordinary Meeting.

The Caribbean Beekeeping Congresses will normally be held at intervals of about two years. Their organisation and execution will be the responsibility of ACBO, the corresponding member association(s) and/or government and/or institutional partner(s) of the country where the Congress is to take place.

The assets of ACBO will be managed by the Executive Committee.

The financial review of ACBO will be held on a calendar year cycle, and reported to the General Assembly at its Ordinary Meeting after the review.

Petitions for changes to the constitution of ACBO can be submitted to the Executive Committee by voting members.
Changes to the constitution of the ACBO require a two-thirds majority of the votes of the members present at an Ordinary Meeting of the General Assembly, or a two-thirds majority of the votes cast at an Extraordinary Meeting.
If a meeting of the General Assembly cannot be held, for any reason, in the planned rotation, changes to the Constitution of ACBO may be effected in a written vote organised by the Executive Committee. The changes must be resolved with a two-thirds majority of the votes of the members.

Bylaws to regulate the internal tasks of ACBO, the legal relationship to its members, membership fees, execution of the business, congresses and symposia, payments and receipts, and the relationship of ACBO to affiliated facilities and institutions, may be approved by the General Assembly by a two-thirds majority.

In the event of ACBO being dissolved, the General Assembly will decide on the transfer of the assets to the benefit of one or more regional organisations with which ACBO has been connected and that can carry on the activities in the interest of regional beekeepers.
Dissolution of ACBO, the transfer of its assets, the appointment of the liquidator and the determination of his/her powers requires a three-quarters majority at a meeting of the General Assembly.

The main working language of ACBO is English. Where feasible, accommodation will be made for Members who prefer to communicate in other languages.