Government Social Welfare Centres Act

Jurisdiction
Mauritius
Citation
Act 64 of 1961
Date
30 June 2017
Language
English
Type
Legislation
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Mauritius

Government Social Welfare Centres Act

Act 64 of 1961

  • Commenced on 30 December 1961
  • [This is the version of this document at 30 June 2017.]

1. Short title

This Act may be cited as the Government Social Welfare Centres Act.

2. Interpretation

In this Act—"centre" or "social welfare centre" means a centre set up under this Act;"committee" means the social welfare committee appointed under this Act to manage any centre;"Minister" means the Minister to whom responsibility for the subject of social security is assigned.[S. 2 amended by Act 38 of 1984.]

3. Creation of social welfare centres

The Minister may set up such number of social welfare centres in Mauritius as he thinks necessary, to further health, advance education, provide facilities for mental and physical training and generally for recreation and for social, moral and intellectual development.

4. Social welfare committees

(1)Every centre shall be managed by a committee, which shall consist of—
(a)a Senior Social Welfare Officer and a Social Welfare Officer, as ex officio members; and
(b)18 unofficial members appointed on a 2-year basis by the Minister on the recommendation of the Social Welfare Commissioner.
(2)The Minister shall appoint annually, from among the members of the committee, a Chairperson.
(3)In the absence of the Chairperson from any meeting, the members present shall appoint from among themselves a Deputy Chairperson who shall for the purpose of that meeting have all the powers of the Chairperson.
[S. 4 amended by Act 17 of 1984.]

5. Powers of committee

(1)A committee may with the approval of the Social Welfare Commissioner, through its Chairperson—
(a)give all acquittances, enter into contracts, invest or pay money, institute and defend suits and other legal proceedings and do all things necessary for the purpose of furthering the aims of the centre; and
(b)appoint and employ, under such terms and conditions of service as the committee may determine, such officers as may be reasonably necessary for the purposes of this Act.
(1A)Officers employed under subsection (1)(b) shall be under the administrative control of the committee and shall not be deemed to be public officers.
(2)A committee may appoint from among its members such subcommittees as may be necessary for the efficient running of the centre.
(3)A sub-committee appointed under subsection (2) shall have such powers and duties as the committee may determine and shall be responsible for its activities to the committee.

6. Meetings of committee

(1)
(a)A committee shall meet as often as is necessary and at least once a month.
(b)Special meetings shall be held at the request of the Chairperson, of the Social Welfare Commissioner or at the request of a majority of the members of the committee.
(2)A committee or any sub-committee shall keep minutes of its proceedings, which shall be open for inspection by or on behalf of the Social Welfare Commissioner.
(3)All questions discussed at any meeting shall be decided by a majority of the members present and voting.
(4)No member shall have more than one vote, but in the event of a division of the votes being equal, the Chairperson or other person presiding, as the case may be, shall also have a casting vote.
(5)The quorum of a committee shall be 7, but subject to that, the committee may act, notwithstanding any vacancy in its number.
[S. 6 amended by Act 17 of 1984.]

7. Finance

(1)The Social Welfare Commissioner shall provide such funds as may be approved by Government for running any centre.
(2)A committee may raise funds by voluntary efforts for the running of a centre.
(3)All money raised by or on behalf of the committee and any funds provided by Government shall be applied solely to further the objects of the centre.
(4)The accounts of any centre shall be audited once a year by an auditor to be approved by the Minister to whom responsibility for the subject of finance is assigned.

8. Officer in charge of centre

The Social Welfare Commissioner shall select and appoint a social welfare officer who shall, under the general supervision of the committee, be in charge of the centre, and be responsible for all the activities of the centre.

9. Regulations

The Minister may make regulations generally for the better carrying out of the objects and purposes of this Act, and for prescribing fees for services rendered by a centre.
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History of this document

30 June 2017 this version
Consolidation
30 December 1961
Commenced