National Women Entrepreneur Council Act

Jurisdiction
Mauritius
Citation
Act 20 of 1999
Date
30 June 2017
Language
English
Type
Legislation
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Mauritius

National Women Entrepreneur Council Act

Act 20 of 1999

  • Commenced on 20 September 1999
  • [This is the version of this document at 30 June 2017.]

1. Short title

This Act may be cited as the National Women Entrepreneur Council Act.

2. Interpretation

In this Act—"Committee" means the Executive Committee referred to in section 6;"Council" means the National Women Entrepreneur Council established under section 3;"Secretary" means the Secretary of the Council;"woman entrepreneur" means a woman engaged, on a full-time or part-time basis, in a self-employed capacity in an income-generating activity, relating to production, manufacture, sales, import, export of goods, foodstuffs, materials or the provision or sale of services or other similar activity.

3. National Women Entrepreneur Council

(1)There is established for the purposes of this Act the National Women Entrepreneur Council.
(2)The Council shall be a body corporate.

4. Objects and functions of Council

The objects and functions of the Council shall be to—
(a)establish and maintain effective communication between the Council and women entrepreneur organisations;
(b)ensure coordination of activities of women entrepreneur associations;
(c)identify actions and projects that will promote entrepreneurial activities of women;
(d)evaluate and assess the needs of women entrepreneurs;
(e)establish training programmes, aimed at improving the skills and management aptitudes of women entrepreneurs;
(f)promote co-operation and research with respect to women en­trepreneurship development;
(g)develop working links and affiliation with other bodies, whether in Mauritius or abroad, having similar objectives;
(h)advise the Minister on women entrepreneurship development and implementation of programmes for such development;
(i)examine and evaluate the contribution of women entrepreneurs to the various sectors of development in the light of national needs and priorities;
(j)study specific areas where the development of women entrepreneurship needs to be strengthened.

5. Membership of Council

(1)Any association of women entrepreneurs which is registered under the Registration of Associations Act or any woman entrepreneur may apply to the Council for membership.
(2)An application under subsection (1) shall be accompanied—
(a)in the case of an association, by a certified copy of its rules;
(b)in the case of an individual, by a statement of the activity or ac­tivities of the woman entrepreneur.
(3)Upon receipt of an application under subsection (1), the Council shall examine it and admit or refuse membership to the applicant.
(4)Where the rules of an association are amended or the activities of a woman entrepreneur are changed, the association or the individual shall inform the Council of the amendment or change within 21 days.
(5)A member shall, upon admission, pay such fee as the Council may determine.
(6)A member shall pay such annual membership fee as the Council may determine, at latest on 31 July of each year.

6. Committee

(1)The Council shall be administered by an Executive Committee.
(2)The Committee shall consist of—
(a)a Chairperson;
(b)a representative of the Ministry responsible for the subject of women;
(c)a representative of the Ministry responsible for Rodrigues;
(d)a representative of the Mauritius Institute of Training and Development;
(e)a representative of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority established under the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority Act;
(f)a representative of a financial institution dealing with entrepreneurs;
(g)4 women entrepreneurs.
(3)The members of the Committee, except the ex officio members, shall be appointed by the Minister.
(4)The members of the Committee shall be paid such fees or allowances as the Minister may determine.
(5)The members of the Committee shall not be considered as public officers by reason only of their appointment.

7. Tenure of office

(1)Subject to subsection (2), a member of the Committee shall hold office for a period of 2 years and shall be eligible for reappointment.
(2)No person shall sit on the Committee for more than 2 consecutive terms.

8. Secretary and staff

(1)The Committee may appoint, with the approval of the Minister, and on such terms and conditions as it may determine—
(a)a Secretary, who shall be responsible for the execution of the policy, and the control and management of the day to day business, of the Council; and
(b)such employees as may be necessary for the proper discharge of functions of the Council under this Act.
(2)Every employee shall be under the administrative control of the Secretary.

9. Duties of Secretary

The Secretary shall—
(a)have the custody of all books, deeds and documents relating to the Council;
(b)take and keep minutes of all proceedings of the Council and the Committee;
(c)forward to the Minister every year, on or before 31 August, a statement of accounts and the balance sheet of the Council;
(d)submit to the Minister an annual report of the activities of the Council; and
(e)perform such other duties as the Committee may assign to him.

10. Meetings of Council

(1)The Council shall hold an annual general meeting not later than 30 September of each year.
(2)The meetings of the Council shall be held at such place and at such time as the Committee may determine.
(3)The Secretary shall give at least 21 days' notice in writing of the date, time, place and agenda of an annual general meeting to the members of the Council.
(4)The Committee shall submit to the Secretary, 10 days before the annual general meeting, the annual report and the audited accounts of the Council for inclusion in the agenda of the annual general meeting.
(5)At any meeting of the Council, 6 members shall constitute a quorum.
(6)A special meeting of the Council may be convened by the Secretary at the request of the Council or upon receipt of the written request of at least half of the total number members.
(7)Every member shall have one vote.

11. Meetings of Committee

(1)The Committee shall meet at least once monthly, at such place and at such time as the Chairperson may determine.
(2)At any meeting of the Committee, 6 members shall constitute a quorum.
(3)The Committee shall regulate its proceedings in such manner as it may determine.
(4)The Secretary shall give at least 7 days' notice of the date, time, place and agenda of any meeting of the Committee.

12. Funds of Council

(1)The funds of the Council shall consist of—
(a)money raised by means of membership admission fees and membership annual fees; and
(b)any monies appropriated from the Consolidated Fund or the Capital Fund and any other money accruing to the Council from any other source.
(2)The funds of the Council shall be applied solely towards the promotion of the objects of the Council.

13. Termination of membership

(1)The Committee may cancel the membership of an association of women entrepreneurs or any woman entrepreneur where—
(a)the association or the woman entrepreneur—
(i)has, subject to such regulations as may be made, failed to pay any membership fee at the latest 3 months before the annual general meeting;
(ii)acts in any way which, in the opinion of the Committee, is prejudicial to the interests of the Council; or
(b)the registration of the association is cancelled or dissolved, or where the individual has been declared bankrupt or has ceased to be a woman entrepreneur.
(2)Any member whose membership is cancelled under subsection (1) may appeal to the Minister within 21 days of the communication of the decision to him.
(3)The appeal shall be in such form as the Minister may determine.

14. Execution of documents

(1)Subject to subsection (2), all documents shall be deemed to be exe­cuted by or on behalf of the Council if signed by the Chairperson of the Committee.
(2)Every cheque of the Council shall be signed by the Chairperson of the Committee and the Secretary of the Council.

15. Donations and legacies

Article 910 of the Code Civil Mauricien shall not apply to the Council.

16. Exemption from duty

The Council shall be exempt from payment of any duty on donations and legacies received by it.

17. Powers of Minister

The Minister may, in the public interest, give directions of a general character not inconsistent with this Act, to the Council and the Council shall comply with those directions.

18. Regulations

The Minister may make such regulations as he thinks fit for the purposes of this Act.

19. ***

20. ***
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History of this document

30 June 2017 this version
Consolidation
20 September 1999
Commenced