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CONSTITUTION OF THE PAN AMERICAN SAILING FEDERATION
ARTICLE
1.
NAME
The
name shall be Federacion Pan Americana de Vela (FEPAV) (as it is known
in Spanish) or Pan American Sailing Federation (PASAF), a federation
affiliated with the Pan American Sports Organization (PASO) or
Organizacion Deportiva Panamericana (ODEPA) and to the Association of
Pan American Sport Confederation.
2.
OBJECTS
2.1
The Objective of the Federation shall be the promotion and development
of the sport of sailing in all its forms throughout the Pan American
countries.
2.2
FEPAV/PASAF shall be the ultimate authority for:
I. The
promotion of sailing regardless of race, religion or political
affiliation.
II.
The selection, from the ISAF International Classes, of the yachts to
participate in the sailing event of the Pan American Games.
III.
The selection of members of the International Jury, Umpires, Measurers,
etc., which shall have final authority at the Pan American Games as
prescribed by the International Sailing Federation.
IV. To
furnish leadership in the field of sailing to the National Sailing
Federations, members of PASO.
3.
ORGANIZATION
The
Organization of FEPAV/PASAF shall consist of the Membership and an
elected Executive Committee.
4.
LANGUAGE
4.1
The official languages of FEPAV/PASAF is English. The Word “shall” is
mandatory and the word “may” is permissive. Other working languages may
be introduced when appropriate.
5.
INCOME
5.1
For sources of income the FEPAV/PASAF will primarily rely upon the
subscriptions of its members, voluntary contributions, and the sale of
goods and service. It may also receive income from interest on money
invested and from news media and sponsorship.
5.2
Nothing in Articles 5.1 and 5.2 shall be taken as inhibiting FEPAV/PASAF
from obtaining additional income.
6.
MEMBERSHIP
6.1
Membership shall be granted to National Authorities administering the
sport of sailing in any Pan American country.
6.2
Application for membership shall be made to the Executive Committee.
Election to membership shall be by resolution of the Executive
Committee.
6.4
Every member shall pay an annual subscription to the funds of the FEPAV/PASAF
of such sum as in each individual case the Executive Committee may from
time to time determine, and this shall be reviewed by the General
Assembly except in respect of subscriptions already paid or due. All
subscriptions shall be due on the first day of January for each ensuing
calendar year.
6.5
The Executive Committee shall have the power to cancel, either in whole
or in part, the payment by a Member of its subscription in any year, but
this shall be reviewed by the General Assembly.
6.6
Subject to any cancellation by the Executive Committee no Member shall,
in any year, be entitled to any of the rights of privileges of
membership or to be represented at any meeting of the General Assembly
until its subscription for the year has been paid.
6.7
The Executive Committee may, by two-thirds majority vote, at any time
cancel the Membership of any Member but such Member may request that the
General Assembly shall review such cancellation on the grounds that the
discretion of the Executive Committee was not exercised for good cause.
6.8
Any Member desiring to retire from the FEPAV/PASAF shall give notice of
its intention of retiring on or before 31st December,
otherwise it shall be liable to pay the subscription for the next
calendar year.
7.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
7.1
The General Assembly shall be the ultimate authority of the FEPAV/PASAF.
7.2
The General Assembly shall consist of:
I. The
Executive Committee
II.
One delegate appointed by each Member who shall be a national or
resident of the country concerned.
Notice
of such appointment shall be given by the Member to the
secretary-general at least two weeks before the first meeting of the
General Assembly at which such delegate is authorized to attend. Late
appointments may be accepted by the President.
7.3
Any delegate so appointed shall remain in office until his retirement or
until some delegate is duly appointed by the Member in his place.
7.4
Meetings of the General Assembly shall be held as follows:
I.
Ordinary Meetings of the General Assembly shall be held every four (4)
years in the country in which the Pan American Games are held.
II.
Extraordinary Meetings of the General Assembly shall be convened by the
Executive Committee, or by a group of not less than 15 members who will
determine the time, place and agenda of such a meeting. The agenda shall
be circulated to all Members at least two months prior to the meeting.
7.5
The Agenda for the Ordinary Meetings of the General Assembly shall
include the following items:
I.
Approval of the minutes of the last Ordinary Meeting of the General
Assembly.
II. To
receive:
a. The
Executive Committee’s Report
b. A
financial Report
III.
To review:
a.
Subscriptions
b.
Applications for membership since the last Ordinary Meeting of the
General Assembly
c. Any
regulations made by the Executive Committee since the last Ordinary
Meeting
IV. To
debate and resolve any submission from the Executive Committee, or from
an Officer or from a Delegate. Political matters shall not be debated
unless of direct relevance to sailing. The decision of the President of
the Executive Committee as to whether a matter is political shall be
final.
V. To
hold elections for Executive Committee Members.
VI.
Any other business.
7.6
The elected Executive Committee shall choose a President form amongst
its members who will take the chair of the Ordinary Meeting of the
General Assembly immediately following the election. If he is not
present, they shall choose another member of the Executive Committee as
Chairman. It will also choose a Secretary and a Treasurer.
Decision of the General Assembly shall be taken by a simple majority of
votes of those delegates present except that no resolution for the
amendment of his Constitution shall be carried unless two-thirds of the
votes cast shall be in favour of such resolution. Voting on any
resolution shall be by the show of hands unless the Chairman or not less
than five of the delegates present request a secret ballot. Any such
secret ballot shall take place before the close of the meeting. Each
delegate present, in person, shall entitled to one vote only.
The
President and Executive Officers present, in person, shall be entitled
to one vote each except on any vote on the Chairman’s report in which
case neither the President nor the Executive Officers shall be entitled
to vote. In the event on an equality of votes, the Chairman shall have a
casting vote except in the case of equality of votes related to
elections, which shall be decided by the toss of a coin.
8.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
8.1
The Executive Committee shall be the managing authority of the FEPAV/PASAF
under the guidance of the General Assembly.
8.2
The Executive Committee shall consist of eight Vice-Presidents elected
for a term of four years by the Delegates to the General Assembly. These
shall be divided as follows:
I.
Caribbean and Bermuda electing two members.
II.
Central America, including Mexico electing one member.
III.
South America electing two members.
IV.
North America electing two members.
V. An
eighth member at-large who shall be a permanent resident of the country
hosting the next Pan American Games and shall be designated by such host
country.
VI.
Each such Vice President shall appoint a suitable member of his National
Authority to act as his Delegate to the meetings the elected member
cannot attend.
This
appointed shall be made prior to the second Executive Committee Meeting
following the General Assembly.
An
elected member unable to personally attend three Executive Committee
Meetings in succession will be considered to have resigned. This
resignation is to be ratified by a two third vote of the Executive
Committee members present.
VII.
Upon the resignation of an elected Executive Committee member the
Executive Committee shall elect a new member, who may be the substitute
of the member who resigned or someone else, by two third of the votes of
the Executive Committee members present.
The
Officials of the Executive Committee shall choose one of their group as
President and two other to act as Secretary and Treasurers respectively.
8.3
The Executive Committee shall apply the funds of FEPAV/PASAF for the
objects of FEPAV/PASAF, or for such others purpose as it shall deem
expedient in the interest of the FEPAV/PASAF.
8.4
The Executive Committee shall cause proper books of account to be kept
for all income and expenditures and of all dealings with the assets of
the FEPAV/PASAF and shall receive and circulate annually to Members an
income and expenditure account.
8.5
The Executive Committee shall meet at least once in every calendar year,
and at such other times as a meeting may be convened. There shall be a
meeting of the Executive Committee at the conclusion of each Ordinary
Meeting of the General Assembly.
The
Executive Committee shall convene a meeting on the instructions of the
President or three Vice-Presidents.
8.6
Four members of the Executive Committee shall form a quorum for the
conduct of business.
8.7
The President shall take the chair at meetings of the Executive
Committee, but if he shall not be present the members present shall
choose one of the members.
8.8
The Executive Committee may authorize the attendance at its meetings of
Observers and Technical Advisers who shall not be entitled to vote. They
may take part in the proceedings at the request of the President.
8.9
The Executive Committee shall have the power to make regulations, to
carry out the purposes of the Constitution and/or amend any exiting
regulations provided that such regulations shall not be in conflict with
the Constitution, and provided that the regulations shall be reported
and reviewed by the next Ordinary Meeting of the General Assembly.
8.10
Political matters shall not be debated unless of direct relevance to
sailing. The decision of the President as to whether a matter is
political shall be final.
8.11
Decisions of the Executive Committee shall be taken by a simple majority
of votes cast except that no resolution for election or expulsion of a
Member shall be in favour of such resolution. Voting shall be by show of
hands unless the Chairman or three members present shall request the
holding of a secret ballot. Any such secret ballot shall be held before
the meeting in closed. The President and each member present, in person,
shall be entitled to one vote. The President shall have a second or
casting vote in the event of an equality of voted.
9.
OFFICERS OF HONOUR
9.1 On
a proposal made by the President, the General Assembly may, as mark of
respect or of appreciation for past service to the FEPAV/PASAF elect any
distinguished yachtsman to an Office of Honour. Office of Honour may
include that of President of Honour, or Vice President of Honour, or
such other title of Honour as the General Assembly may, at the time of
election, prescribe.
9.2
Unless otherwise prescribed by the General Assembly at the time of
election, a yachtsman elected to an Office of Honour shall hold such
office for the remainder of his life.
9.3 An
Office of Honour shall be entitled to attend and to participate in the
deliberations of all meetings of the General Assembly, but he shall not
be entitled to vote unless specifically appointed by a committee.
9.4 On
the election of the President or Executive Committee member, or of a
delegate to the General Assembly, or a member of the Executive Committee
to an Office of Honour, he shall be deemed to have retired from the
office or position in the PAYO previously held by him.
10.
AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
10.1
This Constitution shall be amended only by resolution of the General
Assembly carried by two-thirds majority of votes cast. |
