Our Constitution
| 
| 
The constitution provides the Seychelles National Party with a foundation to effectively operate and represent the people of Seychelles.
Preamble
The Seychelles National Party affirms its belief in God, in Whose wisdom and Divine guidance it places its hopes for the future of the Seychellois nation and pledges itself at all times to uphold the sacredness of the individual conscience.
Article 1. NAME
The name of the Party shall be the Seychelles National Party, hereinafter referred to as the Party .
Article 2. HEADQUARTERS
The Party shall have its registered headquarters at Victoria, Mahe, or at such place as Executive Committee of the Party may decide at an Executive Committee meeting.
Article 3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
The aims and objectives of the Party shall be:
i. To maintain Seychelles as an independent state.
ii. To promote, protect and defend the Constitution of Seychelles.
iii. To pursue economic and social development for the benefit of all Seychellois regardless of creed, colour, sex, race or political affiliation.
iv. To uphold and defend all the basic rights of the individual Seychellois and any foreigner residing on Seychelles soil, as outlined in the Seychellois Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms.
v. To inject integrity, honesty and transparency into government.
vi. When in opposition, to act as a strong and loyal opposition to government.
vii. To establish a strong national government with liberal democratic programmes, and a clear national vision.
Article 4 MEMBERSHIP
i. Any Seychellois who is living inside or outside Seychelles, who is 16 years of age and accepts the aims and objectives of the Party, may become a member of the Party.
ii. All applications for membership shall be submitted to the Executive Committee for approval or rejection.
iii. The decision of the Executive Committee to accept or reject an application shall be final and not subject to appeal. The Party Secretary shall keep a register of the members of the party.
iv. Each party member shall pay membership dues as determined by the Executive Committee from time to time.
v. A member who fails to pay the annual contribution shall cease to be a member of the Party. However, defaulting members may recover all their rights as members on paying their contribution and arrears.
vi. A member may be expelled from the party for grave cause by a majority vote of the Executive Committee. No member may be expelled unless given written notice of the cause for expulsion and an opportunity of appearing before
the Executive Committee to be heard. vii. A member who leaves or is expelled from the party shall have no claim on past contributions to the Party.
Article 5 FUNDS
i. The Party shall raise funds from membership fees, activities donations, sale of literature and all other sources approved by the Executive Committee.
ii. The Party may accept voluntary donations provided that such donations are free from any conditions that might undermine the aims and objectives of the Party.
iii. All funds received shall be acknowledged by a receipt issued under the hand of the Party Treasurer or the Party.
iv. All funds received by the Party shall be deposited in a bank account and all applications for withdrawal shall be signed on behalf of the party by the Party Treasurer and counter signed by a designated member of the Executive Committee.
v. The Executive Committee shall ensure that full and true accounts are kept of all monies received, invested and expended by the Party.
vi. The Party accounts shall be audited once a year in time to be presented at the Party Convention.
Article 6 THE PARTY CONVENTION
i. A Party Convention shall be convened annually:
a. to receive the reports and audited accounts of the Party for the previous year;
b. to appoint the auditors of the Party;
c. to discuss any matter concerning the Party;
d. to elect the Executive Committee in accordance with Article 7 i (a)of the Party Constitution
ii. The date, place and time of the Party Convention shall be decided upon by the Executive Committee.
iii. The Party Convention shall comprise:
a. members of the Executive Committee;
b. all elected district representatives;
c. Party members from each electoral district, the number of which shall be determined by the Executive
Committee from time to time.
d. Such other persons as the Executive Committee may wish to invite.
iv. All delegates at the party Convention shall be members of the Party.
v. The Party Convention shall have the power to:
a. plan and alter the policies and programme of the Party;
b. propose and consider amendments to the Party Constitution;
c. elect the Executive Committee;
d. present candidates to the general elections;
e. deal with other matters concerning the Party.
vi. The Executive Committee may at any time and for sufficient cause summon an extraordinary Party Convention.
Article 7 THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
i. (a) The Executive Committee shall be elected by secret ballot every three years. The Executive Committee and shall consist of a Party Leader, a Secretary- General, two Deputy Secretaries-General, a Party Treasurer and ten Executive Committee members. All shall be elected by the Party
Convention from nomintions proposed by a Nominations Committee.
(b) The Party Leader, with the approval of the Executive Committee, may additionally nominate up to five members to the Executive Committee.
(c) The five nominated members shall have the same rights as elected members.
ii. The Executive Committee shall have the responsibility of ensuring that the policies of the Party are executed.
iii. The Executive Committee shall have the responsibility for the general administration of the Party and shall determine its policies.
iv. The Executive Committee shall present an annual report of its activities to the Party Convention.
v. The Executive Committee shall meet : (a) at least once a month or (b) upon being summoned by the Party Leader or at least three members of the Committee.
vi. A member of the Executive Committee may be suspended from office for sufficient cause upon a resolution approved by two thirds of the members of the Executive Committee.
vii. A member of the Executive Committee may be removed from office for sufficient cause by the Party Convention on the recommendation of the Executive Committee.
viii. The Executive Officers shall be:
a. The Party Leader, who shall have the overall responsibility for running the party and shall be the Chairperson of the Executive Committee and of the Party Convention.
b. The Secretary-General, who shall be responsible for the general administration of the Party and its publications. The Secretary-General shall oversee the implementation of the decisions of the Party Convention and shall assist the Party Leader in carrying out his duties. In the absence of the Party
Leader from the country, or as a result of his inability or incapacity to act, the Secretary-General shall replace him or her. The persons serving as Deputy Secretaries-General shall assist the Secretary-General in the discharge of the Secretary-General’s responsibilities and in his absence,
the Executive Committee may name one of the two to act in his or her place.
c.The two Deputy Secretaries-General who shall assist the Secretary-General in the discharge of his or her responsibilities.’
d. The Party Treasurer, who shall be responsible for the financial administration of the Party.
ix. The Executive Committee shall act as the Nominations Committee.
x. The Executive Committee may nominate a Party Council to be an advisory body to the Executive Committee on all matters pertaining to the functioning of the Party.
Article 8 PUBLICATIONS
The Party shall publish its own literature.
Article 9 RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF A MEMBER
i. Every member shall be entitled to:
a. take part in all Party activities in accordance with Party rules;
b. assist all meetings which he or she is entitled to attend;
c. propose nominations and vote at the said meetings;
d. stand for office according to Party rules and regulations.
ii. Members shall be expected to:
a. faithfully serve the Party and its elected leaders to the best of their ability;
b. pay their membership fees promptly;
c. conduct themselves at all times in a respectable and exemplary manner as expected by the Party;
d. attend all Party meetings which they are entitled to attend.
Article 10 AMENDMENTS
i. Written notice of any proposed amendment to this Constitution shall be given to the Executive Committee at least thirty days prior to the Party Convention at which it is to be discussed and decided upon.
ii. This Constitution shall not be amended except at a Party Convention where no less than two thirds of the members present and vote in favour of the amendment.
Article 11 BYE -LAWS
i. Bye-laws to the Constitution shall be part of it and the Constitution shall be applied and carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Bye-Laws.
ii. The Executive Committee may, on following the procedure set out in the following paragraph repeal, replace, amend, alter or add to the Bye-Laws for the purpose of carrying out the objects and provisions of the Constitution.
ii. Any amendment to the Bye-Laws shall be made on a vote of two-thirds of the members of the Executive Committee present and voting at a meeting specially called for that purpose and for which written notice of the intended amendment shall have been given at least thirty days previously.
SCHEDULE: BYE -LAWS
ARTICLE 1 PARTY CONVENTION
i. The Executive Committee shall fix the date, time and venue of a Party Convention, having regard to the provision of the Constitution and of the Bye - Laws.
ii. Without prejudice to the provisions of Article 6 of the Constitution, at least three weeks notice of a Party Convention shall be given to the members. Such notice shall include the agenda of items to be considered at the Party Convention.
iii. Notice may be given either by announcement through the media or by individual letters by post.
iv. Except where it is specifically provided herein or by legislation, the quorum for the Party Convention shall be not less than 30% of the eligible members of the Party . If quorum is not achieved, the Executive Committee shall fix a new date, time and venue for the Party Convention to be
held within thirty further days, at which meeting of the Party Convention one hundred members shall constitute a quorum.
v. An Extraordinary Party Convention may be convened by giving notice of the meeting through the media not less than one week prior to the day on which the meeting is to be held.
vi. The Party Leader shall preside over all Conventions. In the absence of the Party Leader the Secretary-General shall replace him or her, and in the absence of both, the Convention shall elect one of their number to preside over the Convention.
vii. All business of the Convention, save as otherwise provided, shall be decided by a simple majority vote. In case of a tie, the person presiding shall have a second or casting vote.
viii. Voting at the Party Convention shall be by secret ballot unless the Convention by simple majority decides otherwise.
ARTICLE 2 THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
i. The Party Leader shall preside over all meetings. In his or her absence the Party Secretary shall replace him or her, and in case both are absent, the Executive Committee shall elect one of their number to preside over the meeting.
ii. One-half of the members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum. The decisions of the Executive Committee shall be by a simple majority. In case of a tie, the person presiding shall have a second or casting vote.
iii. When a vacancy occurs of an elected member of the Executive Committee, the Executive Committee shall appoint a. member of the Party to fill such vacancy until the next Party Convention. The person shall not have the right to vote at meetings of the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE 3 FINANCE
i. The Executive Committee shall make sure that full and true accounts are kept of all monies received, invested and expended by the Party.
ii. The Party's accounts shall be audited once a year in time to be presented at the annual Party Convention as provided for in Article 5 of the Constitution.
iii. It shall be the duty of the Party Treasurer to keep the Executive Committee informed about the matters set out here in and to implement all steps recommended by the Executive Committee in respect thereof.
iv. The books of the Party shall be open to inspection by appointed auditors and members at any time.
v. The Party shall not invest in any property, stocks and shares without the prior approval of the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE 4 SIGNATURE OF DEEDS AND CHEQUES
All cheques and mandates drawn on banks, deeds, contracts and all documents shall be signed on behalf of the Party by the Party Treasurer and countersigned by a designated member of the Executive Committee. All deeds, contracts and other documents binding the Party shall be signed by the Party Leader and one other member designated by the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE 5 AUDITORS
i The auditors of the Party :
a. shall hold office from the time of appointment by the Party Convention until the next Party Convention, unless sooner suspended or vacation of office through death or resignation;
b. may, for sufficient cause, be suspended by the Executive Committee and removed from office by a vote at the Party Convention;
ii. In case of suspension, the Executive Committee may appoint a person or firm to act as auditors of the Party until the next Party Convention.
ARTICLE 6 AMENDMENT OF BYE – LAWS
These Bye - Laws may be amended or added to by the Executive Committee as provided for in Article 11 of the Constitution.
 Constitution_(Revised_2008).pdf | 65 Kb |