The Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) convened a special meeting on Thursday 7 February 2019 for its members to approve a new Constitution for the private sector representative organization.

The special meeting was being conducted in accordance with the current Constitution and the Trade Unions Act.

With the required quorum of members, SICCI Chairman Jay Bartlett moved a resolution to approve the new Constitution.

There was a unanimous show of hands from members present, in favour of the resolution to approve the new Constitution.

Mr Bartlett thanked past and current SICCI Board members for considering the new Constitution a priority, legal firms Sol Law and Law Corporation and members for their continuous support to SICCI.

The SICCI Chair also acknowledged Advisor to the SICCI Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr Charles Persson for his instrumental role throughout the process of amending the Constitution to the stage of finally getting it approved by members.

SICCI CEO, Ms Atenasi Ata advised that the new Constitution is now submitted to the Registrar of Trade Unions for registration in accordance with the rules in the Constitution and the Trade Unions Act (Cap 76).

“The Constitution may only be altered by special resolution passed at a meeting of members. Further to this no such alteration shall take effect until the new Constitution is registered by the Registrar of Trade Unions,” she said.

Ms Ata also acknowledge the presence of Deputy Registrar General, Mr Nixon Qurusu at the SICCI special meeting on Thursday.

She said principles and rules by which SICCI is governed is found in its Constitution which is a single written document.

“At a time when the Chamber was looking closely at growing its membership, and making the Chamber more relevant as the peak body representing the private sector, the Board agreed to review the Constitution.

“There was a process of review with the SICCI Board and advice was received from two legal firms,” she said.

A draft of this new Constitution was circulated to SICCI members on Tuesday 22 January 2019 and members were given two weeks to respond with comments, feedbacks and any proposed amendments.

The key areas reviewed in the SICCI Constitution included:

• For the first time inserting a preamble reaffirming SICCI’s vision;
• Verify the objectives and powers of the Chamber;
• Clarification of membership categories;
• A check on the control and management of the Chamber and functions of the Board;
• The appointment of eight members to the Board at the Annual General Meeting and the ability of the Board to co-opt an additional two members from organisations whose views are relevant to the Chamber;
• Clarification about the responsibility of the Chief Executive Officer; and
• Clarification about meetings, voting at meetings and majorities.

Following registration with Registrar, the Annual General Meeting (SICCI) will be held around March 2019 in accordance with this new Constitution.