The Government of The Bahamas

THE FOUNDATIONS ACT, 2004
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
PART I
PRELIMINARY
1. Short title and commencement.
2. Interpretation.
3. Definition of foundation.
4. Purpose and objects of a foundation.
PART II
ESTABLISHMENT
5. Mode of establishment of foundation.
6. Charter of a foundation.
7. Articles of a foundation.
8. Assets.
9. Powers and obligations of founder.
PART III
OFFICERS
10. Appointment and qualification of officers.
11. Duties, etc. of officers.
12. Appointment and qualification of secretary.
13. Registered office.
14. Appointment and qualification of foundation council.
15. Duties etc. of foundation council.
16. Appointment and qualification of auditor, etc.
PART IV
NAME
17. Restriction on registration of foundations by certain names.
18. Change of name.
19. Power to require foundation to change name.
20. Misleading name.
PART V
REGISTRATION
21. Registration of foundation.
22. Effect of registration.
23. Conclusiveness of certificate of registration.
24. Effect of charter and articles.
25. Pre-registration actions.
PART VI
CAPACITY
26. Limitation on the capacity of a foundation.
27. Power of officers to bind the foundation.
28. No duty to enquire as to capacity.
29. Execution of contracts, deeds, instruments and other documents.
30. Publication of name by foundation.
31. Particulars to be shown on letterheads, etc.
32. Disclosure by members of governing bodies, etc.
33. Provisions as to liability of members of governing bodies, etc.
PART VII
MEETINGS
34. Meetings of officers.
35. Annual meeting of officers.
36. Convening of meeting of officers on requisition.
37. Provisions as to meetings and votes.
38. Minutes of proceedings of meetings.
39. Inspection of minute books.
40. Meeting of members of foundation council.
41. Rights of a beneficiary to information.
PART VIII
FINANCIAL
42. Keeping of books of account.
43. Income and expenditure account and balance sheet.
44. Assets to be set out separately in balance sheet.
45. Balance sheet to include particulars as to companies.
46. Accounts to contain particulars as to loans to, and remuneration of officers.
47. Signing of balance sheet.
48. Right to receive copies of balance sheets and auditor's report.
49. Special Audit.
PART IX
AMENDMENT AND DISSOLUTION
50. Revocation and amendment of charter.
51. Power of foundation to redomicile.
52. Liquidation.
53. Winding-up.
54. Removal from the Register.
55. Restoration to Register.
PART X
REGISTRAR
56. Documents to be kept at the registered office.
57. Delivery to the Registrar of documents in printed form
58. Delivery to the Registrar of documents otherwise than printed form.
59. Keeping of the Register by the Registrar.
60. Inspection, production and evidence of documents kept by the Registrar.
61. Enforcement of duty of foundation to file documents with the Registrar.
61. Official notification.
63. Confidentiality.
64. Certificate of Good Standing.
PART XI
MISCELLANEOUS
65. Indemnification.
66. In terrorem provisions.
67. Restriction against alienation.
68. Forced heirship.
69. Exemptions.
70. Default provisions.
71. Public Foundation or foundation created by a corporate entity.
72. Offences
73. Notice.
74. Fees.
75. Regulations and forms.

No. 23 of 2004
AN ACT TO PERMIT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF
FOUNDATIONS IN THE BAHAMAS, TO DETERMINE
THE LEGAL STATUS OF SUCH FOUNDATIONS,
TO ESTABLISH THE PURPOSES FOR WHICH
SUCH FOUNDATIONS MAY BE USED, AND
THE CREATION, OPERATION AND
MANAGEMENT THEREOF, AND TO PROVIDE
FOR THE WINDING-UP OF ANY FOUNDATION
SO CREATED AND FOR MATTERS INCIDENTAL
THERETO, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
THE ESTABLISHMENT AND CONDUCT OF A
REGISTER OF FOUNDATIONS.
[Date of Assent — 13th October, 2004]
Enacted by the Parliament of The Bahamas.
PART I
PRELIMINARY
1.(1) This Act may be cited as the Foundations Act, 2004.		Short title and commencement. Interpretation.
(2) This Act shall come into operation on such day as the Minister may, by notice published in the Gazette, appoint.
2.(1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires -		Ch. 364.
“articles” mean the regulations provided for in section 7;
“assets” mean property in whatever form;
“auditor” means a professionally qualified auditor, or an accountant licensed to practise as such under the Public Accountants Act;
“authorised signatories” mean -
(a) the persons authorised by a foundation in accordance with its charter or articles (if any) to sign, as resolved by the officers from time to time, (including whether singly or jointly) on behalf of, and thereby to bind, the foundation, to the extent so authorized; or
(b) all the officers for the time being of a foundation signing jointly;
“beneficiary” means a person -
(a) designated as such in the charter or articles (if any) of a foundation; or
(b) where no beneficiary is so designated, and the foundation has not been formed to benefit the public at large, a person identified as such -
(i) by the person or body appointed for this purpose in the charter, or
(ii) in the absence of such a person or body or following the refusal by such a person or body to make any designation, by the foundation council of the foundation (if any);
and includes any remaining beneficiaries and may include the founder if so designated.
(c) designated as such by the Court where the body or council in paragraph (a) or (b) is in disagreement as to the designation of a beneficiary.
“Court” means the Supreme Court or a Judge thereof;
“to endow” means to pass, or covenant to pass, the title in property, absolutely, with or without consideration, to a foundation so that the property is the asset of that foundation and to pass, for the purposes of this definition includes whatever act may be necessary in relation to that property to transfer title effectively;
“foundation” means the legal entity defined in section 3;
“foundation charter” and “charter” mean the duly executed will or other document, as the case may be, provided for in section 6;
“foundation council” and “council” mean the council of a foundation, if any, as the case may be provided for in section 14;
“founder” means -
(a) the person who, by transfer of title subscribes his name to the charter establishing a foundation acting either for himself or on behalf of another and who endows that foundation with its initial assets; or
(b) in the case of establishment of a foundation by the duly executed will of a deceased person, the testator, whose estate by transfer of title endows that foundation with its initial assets;
“governing bodies”, in relation to a foundation, means -
(a) the officers;
(b) the foundation council, if any; and
(c) any other supervisory person or persons (including but not limited to a protector, or committee or protectors), if any, specified or identified by the charter or the articles (if any),
acting jointly or singly, as may be required by this Act, the charter or the articles (if any);
“initial assets” means assets endowed by the founder or founders, as the case may be, at the time of establishment of a foundation and vested in and being the property of that foundation;
“legal person” means a company, a corporation or any other legal entity having separate personality;
“Minister” means the Minister charged with responsibility for this Act;
“Model Foundation Charter” means the charter provided for in section 6(3) and set forth in the Schedule;
“natural person” means an individual;
“officer”, means the officer of the foundation provided for in section 10;
“person” means a legal or natural person;
“protector” or “committee of protectors” mean the person or persons (if any) appointed in accordance with the relevant provisions of a foundation's charter provided however that in such capacity they shall not be deemed to be officers of the foundation;
“Register” means the register of foundations to be kept by the Registrar in compliance with section 59;
“registered” in relation to a foundation means registered as a foundation under this Act;
“Registrar” means the Registrar of Foundations;
“Registrar of Foundations” means the Registrar General;
“remaining beneficiary” means that person or those persons who, according to the charter or the articles (if any) of a foundation, or the application or either, shall be entitled to receive any assets remaining after the dissolution or winding up of a the foundation;
“secretary” means the secretary of the foundation provided for in section 12;
“supervisory person” means any person having supervisory powers such as an officer, member of a financial council or protector; and
“The Bahamas” means the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.
(2) For the purposes of sections 10 and 14, “direct line of relationship” means a relationship of parent, child, grandparent, grandchild and further levels of such relationships in direct line; and
“collateral line of relationship” means brother or sister, uncle or aunt, niece or nephew or cousin, and shall include the spouse of such person and “parent” and “child”, etc. shall include a parent or child by adoption as well as by birth, whether legitimate or illegitimate, and shall include the spouse of a parent or child and the parent or child of the spouse.
3.(1) An entity -		Definition of foundation.
(a) established by a foundation charter and in accordance with this Act; and
(b) which is registered,
shall be a foundation within the meaning of this Act.
(2) A foundation satisfying subsection (1) shall be -
(a) a legal entity;
(b) resident and domiciled in The Bahamas; and
(c) able to sue and be sued in its own name.
(3) A foundation shall hold assets which have been effectively transferred to that foundation for the purposes or objects described in sub-section (6). Such assets shall be of a value not less than B$10,000.00 or US$10,000.00 or the equivalent in any other currency.
(4) In the absence of fraud, assets effectively transferred to a foundation shall be the property of that foundation (with full legal and beneficial title), shall cease to be the property of the founder and shall not become the property of a beneficiary unless distributed in accordance with the provisions of the foundation charter or the articles (if any), and this Act.
(5) The assets of a foundation may originate from any lawful business and may consist of present or future assets of any nature.
(6) The assets of a foundation shall be exclusively managed, including being realized, applied, administered, invested and disbursed in accordance with the foundation charter or the articles (if any), and this Act for the attainment of the purpose or objects -
(a) specified in the foundation charter, and
(b) permissible under this Act.
4.(1) A foundation's main purposes or objects shall include the management of its assets.		Purpose and objects of a Foundation.
(2) A foundation may in the course of the management of its assets do such things and exercise such powers as are necessary for their proper administration, including but not limited to buying and selling of such assets and engaging in any other acts or activities that are not prohibited under any law for the time being in force in The Bahamas, but such acts and activities shall be ancillary or incidental to its main purposes or objects.
(3) A purpose or object of a foundation need not be, but may be, charitable.
(4) A foundation's main purpose or purposes may also include any purpose or object which is not unlawful, immoral or contrary to any public policy in The Bahamas.
(5) Subject to subsection (2), the permitted purposes or objects of a foundation shall not include -
(a) carrying on of an activity prohibited in or from within The Bahamas; or
(b) carrying on in or from within The Bahamas of any activity in respect of which a licence or authorisation under any statute or regulation is required and no such licence or authorisation has been granted to the foundation.
(6) A foundation which carries on an activity in breach of subsection (5) shall be in default and the provisions of sections 52(4), 54 and 70 shall apply.
PART II
ESTABLISHMENT
5.(1) A person or persons may by subscribing his name or their names, as the case may be, to a charter of a foundation and otherwise complying with the requirements of this Act, establish a foundation as a legal entity having separate personality.		Mode of establishment of foundation.
(2) A foundation may be established by means of a duly executed will and in that case-
(a) subject to subsection (13), there shall be one founder only, who shall be the testator;
(b) in this Act, where the context so requires, reference to the will shall be substituted for reference to the charter; and
(c) the procedure set out in subsections (4) to (11) shall apply.
(3) The formation and establishment in The Bahamas of a foundation shall not be completed until -
(a) the foundation has been registered under the provisions of section 21; and
(b) the certificate of the Registrar has been issued in accordance with section 22.
(4) Where the charter is the will of the founder, the executor of the estate of the founder shall -
(a) act as if he were the founder for the purpose of appointing officers and registering the proposed foundation; and
(b) as soon as may be appoint officers in accordance with the charter or the articles (if any) and this Act.
(5) The executor referred to in subsection (4) shall periodically, and in any case at intervals of no more than sixty days, keep the officers appointed according to that subsection informed of the progress of probate of the will constituting the charter.
(6) Where the provisions of section 21 in respect of registration cannot be satisfied at the end of a period of twelve months after the death of the founder, an application shall be made by the executor or if no application is made by the executor, by a person named or identified in the will as an officer of the proposed foundation, to the Court for the appointment of a person to act as administrator for the purpose of ensuring -
(a) the proper appointment of officers;
(b) the endowment of property to be the assets of the proposed foundation in accordance with the provisions of the charter; and
(c) the registration of the proposed foundation under this Act,
and the Court may appoint a fit and proper person as the administrator.
(7) An administrator appointed under subsection (6) shall be subject to the supervision of the Court.
(8) Where provision is made in the charter for the appointment of a foundation council, the administrator appointed under subsection (6) shall appoint a foundation council in accordance with the charter and the provisions of this Act.
(9) Where an administrator is appointed under subsection (6) he shall -
(a) if no officers have been appointed in accordance with subsection (4), appoint -
(i) the persons specified in the charter as officers of the proposed foundation, or
(ii) where neither the charter nor the articles (if any) specify either by name or by some other identifying description the persons to be appointed officers, as officers fit and proper persons qualified under the terms of this Act to be officers of the proposed a foundation and who have consented in writing to act as officers of the proposed foundation;
(b) take steps, including, if, in his opinion, it is necessary, the institution of legal proceedings in The Bahamas or elsewhere, to ensure that the initial assets are or shall be duly acquired by the proposed foundation;
(c) administer, or cause to be administered, in a proper manner and to the best advantage to conserve and improve without undue risk the property to be the initial assets of the proposed foundation until such time as such assets are vested in the foundation; and
(d) take such steps as are, in his opinion, necessary to ensure that title in the assets is properly vested in the foundation.
(10) The Court, as soon as it is satisfied that the documents specified in section 21(1) are available and the application for registration under such section has been made, shall cause the appointment of the administrator under this section to terminate.
(11) The costs of the administrator appointed under this section, including his remuneration, approved by the Court, shall be met by the executor -
(a) out of the property specified in the charter as the assets of the foundation; or
(b) in the event that the foundation is not registered, out of the property of the estate of the founder.
(12) Where a founder dies after subscribing his name to a charter but before the registration of the foundation under this Act, notwithstanding that the founder was not the sole founder, the provisions of subsection (4) to (11) shall apply mutatis mutandis as if the charter was contained in his will.
(13) Where two or more testators have made mutual wills and those wills take effect simultaneously, the testators shall be deemed to be one founder for the purpose of complying with subsection (2)(a).
(14) Registration of a foundation on the grounds that the will purporting to establish same was not duly executed may only be contested within a period of three years from the date upon which probate of such will was granted.
6.(1) The charter of a foundation shall state -		Charter of a foundation.
(a) the name of the foundation with the word “Foundation” or, in the discretion of the Registrar, a foreign language version of the word “Foundation” as the last word of the name;
(b) details of the founder, that is to say -
(i) the name and address of the founder,
(ii) where the founder is a legal person, the number and place of registration of that legal person, and
(iii) the address in The Bahamas for service of documents on the founder;
(c) the purpose or purposes and objects of the foundation;
(d) the endowment of the assets to be the initial assets of the foundation upon registration and a statement of those assets;
(e) the designation of the beneficiary or the identification of a body by which the beneficiary is to be ascertained, or a statement that a foundation has been formed to benefit the public at large;
(f) a statement of whether the foundation is established for an indefinite period or a definite period and, where it is established for a definite period, that period;
(g) the name and address in The Bahamas of the secretary to the foundation and the address of the registered office in The Bahamas of the foundation, which shall be the same address as the address of the secretary; and
(h) a statement that the foundation may not have assets with a total value of less than B$10,000.00 or US$10,000.00 or the equivalent thereof in any other currency.
(2) Subject to the provisions of this Act, the charter of a foundation may without limitation include provisions -
(a) for the reservation of rights or powers to the founder;
(b) for the appointment, removal, period of office and representative authority of officers of the foundation, including the number and descriptions of such persons;
(c) for the appointment, removal and period of office of the auditor, if any, to the foundation and may provide that the appointment of an auditor is at the discretion of the foundation council;
(d) for the appointment of a foundation council or other supervisory persons (including but not limited to a protector or committee of protectors) for the maintenance of the objects of the foundation their relationship to the officers and amongst themselves and the appointment of persons by power of attorney or otherwise to carry out particular duties on behalf of the foundation;
(e) specifying the duties, functions, powers and rights to remuneration of a protector or committee of protectors (if appointed), their relationship to the officers and the foundation council and how they shall be appointed or removed and how they shall conduct themselves whilst in office;
(f) specifying the circumstances in which it may be necessary to appoint a foundation council, and, where it proves necessary to appoint a foundation council, for the appointment, removal, period of office and representative authority of the members of that council;
(g) permitting amendment to the charter and specifying circumstances in which it may be amended;
(h) requiring or permitting the making of articles;
(i) providing for the endowing of supplementary assets of the foundation in addition to the initial assets;
(j) for the addition or removal of beneficiaries;
(k) providing for the circumstances, if any, in which the foundation may be redomiciled and the conditions to be satisfied in respect of such redomiciliation;
(l) except where the charter is contained in a will, for the revocation of the foundation.
(3) The charter of a foundation may adopt all or any of the provisions contained in the Model Foundation Charter and, in so far as the foundation charter does not exclude or modify the provisions contained in that Model, those provisions shall, so far as applicable, be the terms of the charter of the foundation in the same manner and to the same extent as if they were contained in the charter.
(4) In the absence from the charter of a provision on any of the matters specified in subsection (2), the provisions of this Act in respect of that matter shall apply.
(5) Except as is provided for in subsection (6), the charter of a foundation shall be in the form of a document and shall -
(a) where a founder is a natural person, be signed by each such founder in the presence of a notary public or the secretary named therein, or
(b) where a founder is a legal person, be signed on behalf of such founder by the person or persons authorised for that purpose in the presence of a notary public or the secretary named therein.
(c) be duly and properly executed by the founder.
(6) The charter of a foundation established on the death of the founder shall be in the form of a duly executed will -
7.(1) Where the charter of a foundation provides that articles shall be made or may be made, such articles may without limitation include regulations -		Articles of a foundation.
(a) concerning distributions of assets made, or to be made, by the governing bodies of the foundation;
(b) more specifically providing for the identification of any initial beneficiaries or any beneficiaries to be designated at a later date, of the foundation;
(c) determining the minimum level of assets of the foundation in the absence of which no distribution to any beneficiary may be made;
(d) providing for the identification of the remaining beneficiary upon a winding up of the foundation;
(e) providing for the regulation of any governing bodies of the foundation.
(2) In -
(a) the absence of articles of a foundation; or
(b) the absence from such articles of a regulation on any matter,
the provisions of this Act in respect of that matter shall apply.
(3) Except as is provided for in subsection (4), the articles shall -
(a) where a founder is a natural person, be signed by each such founder in the presence of a notary public or the secretary; or
(b) where a founder is a legal person, be signed on behalf of each such founder by a person or persons authorised for that purpose in the presence of a notary public or the secretary.
(4) The articles established on the death of a founder shall be in the form of a duly executed will.
(5) The articles shall -
(a) be typed or printed;
(b) be divided into paragraphs numbered consecutively; and
(c) be duly and properly executed by the founder.
8.(1) The Registrar shall not register a foundation unless the charter requires the foundation to have assets of a value of not less than B$10,000.00 or US$10,000.00 dollars or the equivalent thereof in any other currency.		Assets.
(2) From the time of the establishment of the foundation a foundation shall hold assets which have been effectively transferred to that foundation for the purposes and objects described in section 4. Such assets shall be of a value of not less than $10,000.00 Bahamian or United States dollars or the equivalent thereof in any other currency.
9.(1) Where in respect of a foundation there is more than one founder, the powers of the founder under the foundation charter, the articles, if any, and this Act, may only be exercised by all the founders acting jointly and in common, unless the charter otherwise provides, and then in accordance with that charter.		Powers and obligations of founder.
(2) The rights of a founder in respect of the formation of a foundation shall not devolve upon his successors in title or assigns.
(3) A person who endows assets to a foundation after its registration shall not thereby acquire the powers of a founder.
(4) Where a founder has made an undertaking, recorded in the charter of the foundation, to endow assets to a foundation, the foundation -
(a) may enforce that undertaking against the founder; and
(b) shall do so in respect of the initial assets of the foundation, if at the end of a period of twelve months from the date of registration, the property representing same has not become the assets of the foundation.
(5) Where a charter contains a covenant by the founder to endow assets to a foundation on a specified date -
(a) subsection (4)(b) shall have effect as if the reference to the date of registration was a reference to the specified date; and
(b) the period of twelve months therein referred to shall be the period of twelve months from that date.
PART III
OFFICERS
10.(1) The founder or founders, or where the foundation charter is a will, an executor of that will or an administrator appointed under section 5(6), shall before registration of a proposed foundation appoint at least one person (natural or legal person) who is not prohibited from being an officer by virtue of subsection (2) to be an officer of the foundation, and on appointment each such person shall be an officer of that foundation.		Appointment and qualification of officers.
(2) A person shall not be appointed as or remain an officer of a foundation -
(a) in the case of a natural person, if he is an undischarged bankrupt;
(b) in the case of a legal person, if it is the subject of any proceedings which may result in the legal person being wound up or otherwise dissolved;
(c) in the case of a natural person who is or becomes mentally incapacitated;
(d) in the case of a natural person who is convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic offence;
(e) if such person's interests are or have become incompatible with the interests of the founder (s) or any beneficiary;
(f) if he, his spouse, or persons in a direct line or in a collateral line of relationship with the person is a member of the council of that foundation;
(g) where an officer of a foundation is a legal person, if any shareholder, director, secretary, manager, partner or controller (which expression shall include any person in accordance with whose instructions any shareholder, director, secretary, manager, partner or controller is accustomed to act) of that legal person, his or her spouse as well as any person in a direct line or in a collateral line of relationship with such person, is a member of the council of that foundation; or
(h) unless before appointment -
(i) he complies with any requirement of this or any other Act to be satisfied by a person to be so appointed; and
(ii) he has by himself, or by his agent authorized in writing, signed and delivered to the founder, an executor or the administrator appointed under section 5(6) or the foundation, as the case may be, a consent in writing to act as such an officer.
(3) Where, by virtue of this section the appointment of an officer in relation to a foundation is required, the founder, executor, or administrator or the officers shall -
(a) appoint a person satisfying the requirements to be an officer of the foundation;
(b) ensure that a sufficient number of persons to satisfy the requirements of this Act and the charter is so appointed;
(c) deliver to the Registrar the name and address of every person who has been appointed as, and who has consented in writing to be, an officer of the foundation.
(4) The appointment of a person as an officer is personal to that person and may not be assigned by him.
(5) A person appointed as an officer in relation to a foundation, shall, in the event that he ceases to comply with any of the requirements of this section, give notice in writing of that event to the foundation and the Registrar, within seven days after the occurrence thereof.
(6) An officer appointed in relation to a foundation who intends to cease acting as an officer in relation to that foundation shall give notice in writing of his intention to the foundation and lodge with the Registrar a declaration that he has given such notice, and such notice shall be given and such declaration lodged no later than seven days before the officer intends to cease to so act.
(7) Subject to sub-section (13), where a person is appointed as an officer of a foundation, he shall so continue and the provisions of this Act shall apply to that person until-
(a) the discharge of that person as an officer in accordance with the foundation charter or the articles (if any);
(b) the expiration of a period of seven days after the date on which a declaration is lodged under subsection (6);
(c) the foundation ceases to be a foundation registered under this Act;
(d) the winding up or dissolution, as the case may be, of the foundation;
(e) the death or bankruptcy of the person;
(f) the winding up or dissolution, as the case may be, of the legal person being the officer; or
(g) the occurrence of any other event which disqualifies the person from acting as an officer,
whichever event occurs first, whereupon he shall cease to be an officer.
(8) Where the Registrar receives notice under subsection (3)(c), (5) or (6) he shall file and retain the notice in the Register.
(9) Where for the time being no officer is appointed to a foundation or the number of officers appointed is less than that required by the foundation charter or this Act, an application may be made to the Court by a founder, an officer or a member of the foundation council or some other supervisory person, for the appointment by the Court of one or more officers for the purpose of complying with the requirements of the charter or this Act.
(10) Where the Court is satisfied that -
(a) an application made under subsection (9) or (11) is well founded; and
(b) without the order of the Court the requirements of the charter or this Act in respect of the appointment of officers will not be met,
the Court may appoint one or more fit and proper consenting persons who comply with this section as officers.
(11) Where an officer has failed to comply with subsections (2) or (5) or has failed to carry out, or failed to carry out properly, the duties required of him in fulfillment of his obligations under the charter, the articles (if any) or this Act, on an application to the Court by a founder, an officer or a. member of the foundation council or some other supervisory person or a beneficiary, the Court may order the removal of such officer and the appointment in his place as an officer of a fit and proper consenting person who complies with this section.
(12) The provisions of the charter and this Act in respect of officers shall apply to a person appointed as an officer in accordance with subsection (10) or (11) as they apply to an officer appointed in any other way provided for in this Act or the charter.
(13) Notwithstanding that a person has ceased to be an officer, any liability to the foundation which he may have incurred as an officer shall continue to be a liability enforceable against him by the foundation.
(14) The acts of an officer of a foundation are valid notwithstanding any defect that the foundation may afterwards discover in his appointment or qualification.
11.(1) The duties and responsibilities of an officer shall be primarily administrative, rather than fiduciary, in nature.		Duties, etc. of officers.
(2) An officer of a foundation shall take all such steps and do or cause to be done all such things as may be necessary to properly administer the foundation to achieve the purposes or objects of that foundation.
(3) An officer of a foundation shall exercise reasonable care and skill in the conduct of the affairs of the foundation, including exercising due skill and care in the management and investment of the foundation's assets.
(4) An officer of a foundation shall act in accordance with the charter and the articles, if any.
(5) Subject to subsection (6) and in the absence of the appointment of a foundation council or other supervisory person or persons, the officers of a foundation acting jointly shall be the governing body of the foundation and, as against a third party, the officers so acting shall represent the foundation.
(6) Where, in accordance with section 6(2), there is provision in the charter of a foundation for the appointment of a foundation council, and a foundation council has been appointed, the powers of the officers of the foundation shall not include those powers reserved to the foundation council.
(7) Except where the charter of a foundation otherwise provides, the officers of the foundation shall act unanimously and may so act by circulation of a written document duly signed by each officer, subject to -
(a) section 34 in respect of a meeting, section 35 in respect of an annual meeting and section 43 in respect of the account and balance sheet and officers' report;
(b) the right of a founder, the foundation council or other supervisory person pursuant to section 36 to call a meeting of the officers at which the business of the foundation, or a particular item of that business, is to be conducted; and
(c) the right of any officer to object on any occasion to the conduct of business in this way.
(8) Except where the charter of a foundation otherwise provides, no distribution to a beneficiary shall be validly made unless it is signed by all the officers then appointed.
(9) The officers of a foundation shall authorise a distribution to a beneficiary only in accordance with this Act the charter and the articles (if any).
(10) No distribution to a beneficiary shall be made for the purpose of defeating, or where the effect of so doing would be to defeat, the claim of any creditor of the foundation.
(11) Except where the charter of a foundation otherwise provides -
(a) the officers acting unanimously may delegate to any one of themselves by a document signed by each of them any power of the officers;
(b) a power so delegated shall be exercised as provided for in the document of delegation;
(c) subsection (5) shall apply to the officer to whom the power is delegated in the exercise of that power as if the reference in that subsection to the officers acting jointly was a reference to the officer exercising the delegated power.
(12) Except where the charter of a foundation otherwise provides, the officers of the foundation shall be remunerated in accordance with the duties they are required to perform and taking account of the financial position of the foundation.
(13) A dispute in respect of the amount of the remuneration of the officers of a foundation may be referred by the officers, or an officer, or the foundation council, or the auditor, to the Court, which shall determine that remuneration.
12.(1) There shall be a secretary appointed in respect of a foundation and the person so appointed shall be an officer of the foundation.		Appointment and qualification of secretary.
(2) The founder or founders of a foundation or, where the charter is a will, an executor of that will or an administrator appointed under section 5(6), shall before registration of a foundation appoint a person, satisfying the requirements set out in subsection (4), to be the secretary of that proposed foundation.
(3) The founder or founders, the executor, the administrator, as the case may be, or, after registration of a foundation, the officer or officers shall -
(a) ensure that, prior to registration and while a foundation is registered, a person satisfying the requirements set out in subsection (4) is at all times appointed as secretary;
(b) deliver to the Registrar the name and address of every person who has been appointed as secretary and who has consented in writing to be the secretary of the foundation.
(4) The requirements referred to in subsection (3)(a) are that the secretary is duly licensed as a provider of financial and corporate services under the Financial and Corporate Service Providers Act, or as a trust company under the Banks and Trust Companies Regulation Act, and is not precluded from being appointed as an officer by section 10(2).		Ch. 369 ; Ch. 316.
(5) The appointment of a person as secretary is personal to that person and may not be assigned by him.
(6) A secretary appointed to a foundation, shall, in the event that he ceases to comply with any of the requirements of subsection (4), give notice in writing of that event to the foundation and the Registrar within seven days after the occurrence thereof.
(7) A secretary appointed to a foundation who intends to cease acting as the secretary to that foundation shall -
(a) give notice in writing of his intention to the foundation; and
(b) lodge with the Registrar a declaration that he has given such notice,
and such notice shall be given and such declaration lodged no later than seven days before the secretary intends to cease to so act.
(8) The person appointed as secretary shall have the duties, powers and obligations provided for in this Act in respect of an officer and a secretary as provided in this Act, the foundation charter or articles (if any) and in particular, but without limiting the generality of the foregoing, shall, on behalf of the foundation accept service of all documents in respect of legal proceedings against the foundation which may be served on the foundation under the provisions of this Act or any other statute or law and, where in this or in any other statute or law there is reference to any notice being served on a foundation or any requirement being made of a foundation, the foundation shall be deemed to have notice of that service or knowledge of that requirement if the secretary appointed to that foundation shall have been served with the notice or shall have had notice of the requirement.
(9) The duties prescribed by subsection (8) shall be in addition to and shall not derogate from any other duties prescribed in relation to the secretary to a foundation by or under this Act or any other written law.
(10) Subject to sub-section (12), where a secretary is appointed to a foundation, the provisions of this section shall apply to that secretary until -
(a) the appointment by the foundation of another secretary;
(b) the expiration of a period of seven days after the date on which a declaration is lodged under subsection (7);
(c) the foundation ceases to be a foundation registered under this Act;
(d) the winding up or dissolution, as the case may be, of the foundation;
(e) the mental incapacitation, death or bankruptcy of the natural person being the secretary;
(f) the winding up or dissolution, as the case may be, of the legal person being the secretary; or
(g) the occurrence of any other event which disqualifies the person from acting as an officer,
whichever event occurs first, whereupon he shall cease to be the secretary.
(11) Where the Registrar receives notice under subsections (3)(c), (6) or (7)(b) he shall file and retain the notice in the Register.
(12) Notwithstanding that a person has ceased to be a secretary, any liability to the foundation which he may have incurred as secretary shall continue to be a liability enforceable against him by the foundation.
(13) The acts of any secretary of a foundation are valid notwithstanding any defect that the foundation may discover afterwards in his appointment or qualification.
(14) A foundation established under this Act shall at all times be subject to the regulatory oversight by the regulator that has licensed the secretary.
13.(1) A foundation shall have a registered office in The Bahamas which shall be the address of the secretary to that foundation, to which all communications and notices may be addressed.		Registered office.
(2) Notice of any change in the situation of the registered office shall be given within twenty-eight days of the change to the Registrar, who shall file and retain the notice in the Register,
(3) Where by virtue of the application of this Act a person ceases to be the secretary to a foundation -
(a) the address office of that person shall cease to be the registered office of that foundation; and
(b) until such time as the Registrar has received notice of the situation of a new registered office in accordance with subsection (2) -
(i) the foundation and any officer of that foundation shall be in default;
(ii) the address of the registered office shall be deemed to be the address in The Bahamas of any officer of the foundation and the requirements of this section and of section 12 in respect of the service of any document shall be satisfied by service at that address.
14.(1) Where provision is made in the charter of a foundation for the appointment of a foundation council, such foundation council may consist of two or more natural persons or a legal person and one or more natural persons or a legal person by itself.		Appointment and qualifications of foundation Council.
(2) A foundation council or a member of a foundation council shall be appointed in accordance with the requirements of the charter and this Act and -
(a) if appointed before registration, may be appointed by the founder, or, where the charter is a will, an executor of that will or an administrator appointed under section 5(6);
(b) if a person has been empowered by the founder in the charter or articles (if any), may be appointed by such person; or
(c) otherwise shall be appointed by the officers, subject to the requirements of the charter or the articles (if any) or this Act.
(3) Persons who are officers or the auditor, or a member of the firm of which the auditor is a member, of a foundation, the spouse of such a person, or persons in a direct line or in a collateral line of relationship with the officers shall not be appointed as a foundation council or member of same.
(4) Where an officer or an auditor of a foundation is a legal person, the provisions of subsection (3) shall apply to any natural person who is a shareholder, director, secretary, manager, partner or controller (which expression shall include any person in accordance with whose instructions any shareholder, director, secretary, manager, partner or controller is accustomed to act), of that officer, his or her spouse, as well as any person in a direct line or in a collateral line of relationship with such person, as if the reference to an officer or an auditor were a reference to such a natural person.
(5) A person shall not be appointed as or remain a member of a foundation council if he is an undischarged bankrupt or, being a legal person, is being wound up or dissolved, and unless, before appointment he complies with any relevant requirement of this Act, and he has signed and delivered to the founder, the executor or the administrator, or the officers, as the case may be, a consent in writing to act as such.
(6) The appointment of a person as a member of a foundation council is personal to that person and may not be assigned by him.
(7) A person appointed as a member of a foundation council shall, in the event that he ceases to comply with any of the requirements of this section, give notice in writing of that event to the foundation within 7 days after the occurrence thereof.
(8) A person appointed as a member of a foundation council who intends to cease acting in that capacity shall give notice in writing of his intention to the foundation no later than seven days before the person intends to cease to so act.
(9) Where a person is a member of a foundation council, this section and section 15 shall apply to that person until -
(a) the discharge of that person as a member of the foundation council in accordance with the charter or the articles (if any);
(b) the foundation ceases to be registered under this Act;
(c) the winding up or dissolution, as the case may be, of the foundation;
(d) the mental incapacitation, the death or bankruptcy of the member; or
(e) the occurrence of any other event which disqualifies the person from being a member,
whichever event occurs first, whereupon he shall cease to be a member of the council.
(10) Where for the time being no foundation council is appointed to a foundation or the number of members appointed is less than that required by the charter or this Act, application may be made to the Court by a founder, an officer or a member of the foundation council or some other supervisory person, for the appointment by the Court of one or more persons to be members of the foundation council for the purpose of complying with the requirements of the charter or this Act.
(11) Where the Court is satisfied that -
(a) an application made under subsection (10) or (12) is well founded; and
(b) without the order of the Court the requirements of the charter or this Act in respect of the appointment will not be met,
the Court may appoint one or more fit and proper consenting persons who comply with this section as a member of the foundation council.
(12) Where a foundation council or member of a foundation council has failed to comply with subsection (5) or (7) or has failed to carry out, or failed to carry out properly, the duties required of him in fulfillment of his obligations under the charter or articles (if any) or this Act, on an application to the Court by a founder, an officer or a member of the foundation council or some other supervisory person or a beneficiary, the Court may order the removal of that person and the appointment of a fit and proper consenting person who complies with this section as a member of the foundation council.
(13) The provisions of the charter and this Act in respect of members of a foundation council shall apply to a person appointed as such in accordance with subsection (11) or (12) as they apply to a member appointed in any other way provided for in this Act.
(14) Notwithstanding that a person has ceased to be a member of a foundation council, any liability to the foundation which he may have incurred in such capacity shall continue to be a liability enforceable against him by the foundation.
(15) Where provision is made in the charter or the articles (if any) for the appointment of some other supervisory person or persons or governing body, the provisions of this section, section 11 (6) and section 15 shall apply mutatis mutandis, subject to the charter, to that appointment and that person or persons or governing body.
15.(1) The council of a foundation shall -		Duties, etc. of foundation council.
(a) take such action as it may deem necessary to ensure compliance by the foundation and the officers with the provisions of -
(i) the charter and the articles (if any); and
(ii) this Act;
(b) supervise generally the management and conduct of the foundation by the officers.
(2) The foundation council shall, as against the officers, represent the foundation and, subject to subsection (3), for the purpose of ensuring compliance with the terms of the charter and the articles (if any) and the provisions of this Act, the officers of the foundation shall act in accordance with the instructions of the foundation council.
(3) Subject to subsections (1) and (2), the charter or the articles (if any) may specify the powers of the foundation council and provide for powers in addition to those provided for in this Act.
(4) The foundation council shall have the powers of an auditor contained in section 16(9) in respect of access to the books, records and accounts and vouchers of the foundation.
(5) In addition to the rights of the foundation council provided for in the charter or the articles (if any) or elsewhere in this Act, the foundation council shall have the right -
(a) to be informed of all meetings of the officers;
(b) to attend and be heard but not to vote at such meetings;
(c) where any business of a foundation is conducted by -
(i) the circulation of documents, to be included in the circulation of documents at the time that they are circulated to the officers;
(ii) the delegation of powers to an officer, to be informed of the terms and any exercise of the delegation.
(6) References in subsections (4) and (5) to the foundation council apply to the members of a foundation council acting jointly and severally.
(7) A member of a foundation council shall exercise reasonable care and skill in performing his duties and exercising his powers.
16.(1) Where -		Appointment and qualification of auditor, etc.,
(a) there is provision in the charter for the appointment of an auditor, the founder or the officers shall in accordance with that provision, and in any case within one month of the registration of the foundation; or
(b) there is provision in the charter for the appointment of an auditor and -
(i) no appointment has been made in accordance with paragraph (a); and
(ii) there is a foundation council appointed, the foundation council shall in accordance with that provision; or
(c) there is no provision in the charter for the appointment of an auditor and there is a foundation council or some other supervisory person appointed, the foundation council or the other supervisory person may,
appoint a person satisfying the requirements of this section in respect of auditors as an auditor, in accordance with that provision, and the person so appointed shall hold office as auditor unless he is removed or resigns in accordance with this section and the charter.
(2) Where, because of the removal of an auditor or his resignation or for some other reason, there is no auditor appointed in respect of a foundation -
(a) if there is a requirement in the charter that an auditor be appointed, the foundation council, or where there is no foundation council, the officers shall no later than one month from the date on which there ceased to be an auditor appointed, and
(b) if there is no requirement in the charter that an auditor be appointed, the foundation council may,
appoint as an auditor a person satisfying the requirements of this section.
(3) Where there is a requirement under the charter or by virtue og a decision of the foundation council that an auditor be appointed and -
(a) an appointment of an auditor is not made in accordance with subsection (1) or (2), as the case may be; or
(b) it appears to the foundation council or any officer that the auditor appointed -
(i) does not satisfy the requirements of this section; or
(ii) is not fulfilling his functions in accordance with this section,
then on the application of an officer or the foundation council to the Court, the Court may appoint an auditor to the foundation or order the removal of an auditor and the appointment of a new auditor.
(4) The remuneration of the auditor shall be determined by the foundation council except that -
(a) the remuneration of an auditor appointed before the registration of the foundation may be determined by the founder, or, where the foundation charter is a will, an executor of that will or an administrator appointed under section 5(6);
(b) where an auditor is appointed by virtue of a requirement in the charter the remuneration of that auditor shall be determined by the officers;
(c) where an auditor is appointed by the Court the remuneration of that auditor shall be determined by the Court.
(5) The appointment of a person as an auditor is personal to that person and may not be assigned by him.
(6) An auditor who intends to cease acting as auditor or cease to comply with any of the requirements of this section shall give notice in writing of either such event -
(a) to the foundation;
(b) where he is appointed by the foundation council, to the foundation council and the foundation; or
(c) where he is appointed by the Court, to the foundation and the Court,
and such notice shall be given no later than 7 days before the auditor intends to cease to so act or ceases to so comply.
(7) Where an auditor is appointed in relation to a foundation, the provisions of this section shall apply to that auditor until -
(a) the termination of his appointment in accordance with the charter and this Act;
(b) the expiration of a period of seven days after the date on which notice is served under subsection (6);
(c) the foundation ceases to be a foundation registered under this Act;
(d) the winding up or dissolution, as the case may be, of the foundation;
(e) the death or bankruptcy of the natural person being the auditor;
(f) the winding up or dissolution, as the case may be, of the firm being the auditor; or
(g) the occurrence of any event which disqualifies the person from acting as auditor,
whichever event occurs first, whereupon the auditor shall cease to be the auditor of the foundation.
(8) The auditor shall within four months of the end of the financial year of any foundation examine the accounts of the foundation and make a report to the foundation council, or, in the absence of a foundation council, to the officers, and the report shall state -
(a) whether or not he has obtained all the information and explanations he has required; and
(b) whether, in his opinion, the balance sheet referred to in the report is properly drawn up so as to exhibit a true and correct view of the state of the foundation affairs according to the best of his information and the explanations given to him, and as shown by the books of the foundation.
(9) The auditor shall have a right of access at all times to the books, records, accounts and vouchers of the foundation, and shall be entitled to require from the officers of the foundation such information and explanation as may be necessary for the performance of the duties of the auditor.
(10) The auditor shall be entitled to attend any meeting of the officers of the foundation at which any accounts which have been examined or reported on by him are to be laid before the meeting and to make any statement or explanation he desires with respect to the accounts.
(11) The auditor shall not be under a duty of confidentiality such as to preclude him from disclosing -
(a) to any member of the governing body information obtained from another member of the governing body of the foundation; and
(b) to persons assigned auditing functions in the charter information he has obtained in the course of his duties under this section.
(12) In the event of a dispute between an auditor of a foundation and a governing body of a foundation concerning the interpretation and application of statutory requirements as well as of the charter and the articles (if any), or concerning his appointment or the termination thereof or his remuneration, the auditor or the governing body may refer the matter to the Court, which shall determine the matter.
PART IV
NAME
17.(1) No proposed foundation shall be registered by a name –		Restriction on registration of foundations by certain names.
(a) which includes -
(i) “limited” or an abbreviation of “limited” ;
(ii) “company” or an abbreviation of “company” ;
(iii) “partnership” or an abbreviation of “partnership” ;
(iv) a translation of any words conveying a similar meaning to “limited”, “company” or “partnership” in the language or practice of any other country; or
(v) an abbreviation of any such translation as is referred to in sub-paragraph (iv);
(b) which is the same as or similar to the name of an existing Bahamian company, partnership, foundation or other body, except where such company, partnership, foundation or other body is in the course of being dissolved and signifies its consent in such manner as the Registrar requires;
(c) which is the same as or similar to the name of an existing Bahamian company, partnership, foundation or other body, except where such company, partnership, foundation or other body signifies its consent in such manner as the Registrar requires;
(d) which is the same as or similar to a business name registered under the Registration of Business Names Act;		Ch. 330.
(e) the use of which by the foundation would in the opinion of the Registrar constitute a criminal offence;
(f) which in the opinion of the Registrar is offensive;
(g) which contains “Chamber of Commerce” ; or
(h) which contains “Bank”, “Co-operative”, “Building Society”, “Insurance”, “Stock Exchange” or “Trust” or such other word or expression as in the opinion of the Registrar suggests or is calculated to suggest an activity to which section 4(5)(a) refers.
(2) Except with the consent of the Registrar a proposed foundation shall not be registered by a name which contains the words “Royal” or “Imperial” or “Empire” or “Windsor” or “Crown”, or which in the opinion of the Registrar suggests, or is calculated to suggest, the patronage of Her Majesty or of any member of the Royal Family.
(3) Except with the consent of the Registrar a proposed foundation shall not be registered by a name which -
(a) contains the word “Bahamas�