CHAPTER
389
THE BAHAMAS RED CROSS SOCIETY |
ARRANGEMENT OF
SECTIONS |
SECTION |
|
|
Establishment, incorporation and government of
Society. |
|
Recognition of Society as independent voluntary
aid society. |
|
|
Misuse of Red Cross emblems. |
CHAPTER 389 |
THE BAHAMAS RED
CROSS SOCIETY |
An Act to
establish and incorporate The Bahamas Red Cross Society and for connected
purposes. | 13 of 1975 |
[Commencement 23rd
June, 1975] |
1. This Act may be cited as The Bahamas Red Cross
Society Act. | Short title. |
2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires- | Interpretation. |
"Branch"
means the association affiliated to the British Red Cross Society and known as
The Bahamas Branch of the British Red Cross Society in existence immediately
before the commencement of this Act; |
"Conventions"
means the four Geneva Conventions of twelfth August, 1949, being conventions- |
(a) for the
amelioration of the wounded and sick of armed forces in the field; |
(b) for the
amelioration of the wounded, sick and shipwrecked members of armed forces at
sea; |
(c) relative to
the treatment of prisoners; |
(d) relative to
the protection of civilian persons in time of war; |
"Council"
means the Council referred to in section 3(3); |
"Society"
means the The Bahamas Red Cross Society established under section 3(1). |
3. (1) There is hereby established a Society,
consisting of associates of the Branch and of all persons who may hereafter
become associates of the Society, which shall be known as The Bahamas Red Cross
Society and shall be the sole national Red Cross society in The Bahamas. | Establishment, incorporation and government of Society. |
(2) The Society
shall be- |
(a) a body
corporate with perpetual succession and a seal; and capable of suing and of
being sued and, subject to this Act, of doing and suffering all such acts as a
body corporate may lawfully do and suffer. |
(3) The Society
shall be governed by a Council which shall be constituted in accordance with
bylaws made under this Act. |
(4) The Council
may appoint an executive committee with such powers, functions and duties as
may be prescribed by bylaws under this Act. |
4. (1) The objects of the Society shall be- | Objects of Society. |
(a) in time of
war, to furnish aid to the sick and wounded both of armies and among
non-belligerents, and to prisoners of war and civilian sufferers from the
effects of war; |
(b) to perform
all the duties which devolve upon a National Society in accordance with the
provisions of the Conventions; and |
(c) in time of
peace or war to carry on and assist in the work for the improvement of health,
the prevention of disease and the mitigation of suffering throughout the world,
among all men and all nations. |
(2) In pursuing
the objects set out in subsection (1), the Society shall not make any adverse
distinction founded on sex, race, nationality, religion, faith, political
opinion or other similar criteria. |
5. (1) The Society is hereby recognised as a voluntary
aid society auxiliary to public authorities exercising their obligations under
the Conventions. | Recognition of Society as independent voluntary aid
society. |
(2) The
independent and voluntary nature of the Society shall at all times be respected
in accordance with the resolution relative to National Red Cross Societies
adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on nineteenth November,
1946. |
6. The Council may- | Powers of Council. |
(a) purchase,
acquire, hold, manage and dispose of real and personal property; |
(b) invest
moneys of the Society; |
(c) borrow or
raise moneys upon security or otherwise; |
(d) launch
appeals to the public for financial or other support for the society; |
(e) accept
property by way of grant, gift, testamentary disposition or otherwise; |
(f) enter into
any such contracts as it may consider necessary or expedient; |
(g) appoint
committees to assist or advise the Council in the exercise of its powers and
delegate to such committees such of its powers as it may from time to time
determine; |
(h) organise
classes and lectures and publish and sell or distribute papers, books,
pamphlets for the purpose of stimulating interest in and promoting the objects
of the Society and of qualifying persons to assist therein; |
(i) establish
and maintain branches of the Society in The Bahamas; |
(j) do all
such acts or things as are or may be incidental or conducive to- |
(i) the
attainment of the Society's objects; |
(ii) the
management of the Society's affairs. |
7. (1) The Council may make bylaws providing for- | Bylaws. |
(a) membership
of the Society and the management of its affairs; |
(b) the
composition, manner of election or appointment of members of the Council; |
(c) the
procedure at meetings of the Society and of the Council; |
(d) the organisation
and functions of branches of the Society; |
(e) the
appointment and duties of the officers and employees of the Society; |
(f) the
custody of the property of the Society and the keeping and auditing of
accounts; |
(g) the use of
the emblems or designations referred to in section 8; |
(h) the making
of appeals to the public for financial or other support for the Society; and |
(i) generally,
the better carrying into effect of the purposes of this Act and the furtherance
of the objects of the Society. |
(2) Sections 30
and 31 of the
Interpretation Act shall not apply to bylaws made under this section, nor shall
the bylaws require publication in the Gazette but a copy of them shall
be forwarded to the Minister responsible for National Security. |
8. (1) No person other than the Society or a person so
authorised under the Conventions shall, without the authority of the Council,
use for any purpose whatever any of the following emblems or designations: | Misuse of Red Cross emblems. |
(a) the emblem
of a red cross with vertical and horizontal arms of the same length on, and
completely surrounded by, a white ground, or the designation "Red
Cross" or "Geneva Cross"; |
(b) the emblem
of a red crescent moon on, and completely surrounded by, a white ground, or the
designation "Red Crescent"; |
(c) the emblem
of a red lion and sun on, and completely surrounded by, a white ground, or the
designation "Red Lion and Sun"; |
(2) Any person who
contravenes subsection (1) is guilty of an offence and liable on summary
conviction to a fine of two hundred and fifty dollars. |