INTERNAL RULES AND REGULATIONS
Preamble
The Internal Rules and Regulations shall complete the constitution and by-laws of CCCA. They are applicable to all the members and visitors of the associations without any restrictions.
Article 1 : Objectives
The objectives of the internal rules and regulations are:
- Facilitate the application of the by-laws of CCCA
- Fix the modalities for financial, disciplinary and electoral processes of CCCA
- Facilitate the application of rules regarding solidarity in CCCA
Article 2 : The Budget
Section 1 : Budgetary or Fiscal Year
The elections of the Executive Board shall take place on the 1st Saturday of September during the 2nd year of the out-going Executive Board (cf. Article IX, Section I.1). The budgetary or fiscal year of the new executive board of CCCA shall start on the 1st of October and shall end on the 30th of September of the following year (cf. Article XI, Section 1). The budget of CCCA must allocate estimated amounts for activities of the association as well as for solidarity events that could benefit members.
Section 2
The financial activities (contributions and financial obligation of members and all other activities related to disbursement of funds) of CCCA shall be for a period of one year starting from 1st January to December 31st.
Section 3 : Payment of Financial Dues
The payment of financial dues by members is done through the treasurer of CCCA in an exchange of a receipt.
Section 4 : Disbursement of Funds
The disbursement of funds is done in accordance with the By-laws of the association and based on the budget, under the strict supervision of the Treasurer or the Treasury of CCCA.
Article 3 : Membership and Solidarity
Section 1 : Membership
The membership fees is composed of two different parts: inscription and annual contribution. Inscription to be a member of CCCA is $20. This amount need to be paid to acquire the status of CCCA member. The annual contribution is proposed based on the annual budget by the Executive Board and approved during the Annual General Meeting. This amount must be paid at each fiscal year.
For the year 2015, any individual over the age of eighteen years who wants to be member must pay and amount of 20$ for the inscription and $30 as annual contribution to CCCA activities. The inscription is due at the second month of the first year, whereas the member has three month to pay his annual contribution. A new comer is exempted of the payment of the $30 annual contribution the first year, but shall pay his $20 inscription to be consider as a full member. The new comer shall pay his contribution during his second year with CCCA counting from the month of his arrival in Canada.
Solidarity being one of the most important activities carried out by CCCA. The annual contribution of $30 per member shall be used for the solidarity fund every year. The solidarity fund shall be mobilised to take care of events such as births, marriages and support to new arrivals. In case of accidents, sickness, death, etc, appropriate sections of the Internal Rules and Regulations shall be applied.
Section 2: Meetings
The ordinary meetings of the CCCA will be held the first Saturday of every month. The board of executive shall call any extraordinary meeting when needed. Each meeting will be held on a rotational basis to each member house until the CCCA acquired a more appropriate place.
Article 4 : Solidarity Support
If the members are not able to contribute in the total amount needed for an event, therefore, the amount shall be complete using funds from the account of the association. In the case the contribution of the members for an event is higher than the amount needed for an event, the excess shall be saved in the association “Event account” for the next event.
Section 1 : Birth
All members who are blessed with a new born baby shall receive the visit of the CCCA available members not later than the next meeting following the birth of the child or at a ceremony decided by the members concerned. Each member must give a contribution of $10 and a gift worth $150 shall be prepared for the baby.
Section 2 : Marriage
In the case of marriage, each member must give a contribution of $20. The member concerned shall receive a cheque of $250 not later than the next meeting following the marriage or during the ceremony at the discretion of the concerned. If the two people involved are members, each shall receive a cheque of $250 from CCCA.
Section 3 : New Comers
The CCCA must support new Cameroonians to Central Alberta if they are in need and upon their request. The committee in charge of new comers shall evaluate each situation in collaboration with the executive board in order to find an appropriate solution.
Section 4 : Death
- Each member of the CCCA is affiliated to the association «Retour au Pays Natal (RPN)» through CCCA. We encourage every member to affiliate their dependants (children and parents) who are not members of the CCCA to RPN.
- In the event of the death of a member, each member shall contribute $20.
- If the two members (parents) die at the same time, each member shall contribute $40.
- All members who lose a child through death shall receive a contribution of $20 from each member of CCCA.
- If the two parents are all members, in the event of the death of their child, each shall receive a contribution of $40 from each member of CCCA.
- If the spouse of a member dies, and if the spouse is not a member of CCCA, each member of CCCA shall contribute $20
- If the parent (father or mother) of a member dies, each member of CCCA shall contribute $25
- If the two parents (father or mother) of a member are no longer living, the member has a right to nominate one or two other persons of their choice where in the event of their death each member of CCCA shall contribute $25.
In the case of any of these event, CCCA shall pay a cheque worth $500 to the member.
Section 5
In the event of death according to the cases enumerated above, the concerned persons must as soon as possible inform the executive board, which in turn shall inform all members on the procedure of collecting the money as well as the deadline for collection. All members must adhere strictly to this deadline. If a member fails to contribute, the Executive Board shall inform the Advisory Board and the Director of Discipline, who shall take appropriate measures to ensure that the contributions are obtained.
Section 6
The above Sections shall be applicable only to members in good standing (cf., Article II, Section V, By-Laws of CCCA).
Section 7 : Death of Cameroonian who is not a member of CCCA
The Executive Board reserves the right to organise some fundraising to assist a person in need.
Section 8: Visitation
The Executive Board must also organize visits to morally support members and their families during events such as accidents, sickness, and death. In such visits, fund raising activities may be initiated to help raise funds to assist the affected persons.
Article 5 : Activities
Section 1 : Fund Raising
The Executive Board reserves the right to organize a fundraising to help finance some association activities.
Section 2 : Realisation of Activities
The activities of the association shall be done based on the budget; any un-budgeted activities must be approved by the general assembly by ordinary resolution.
Section 3 : Participation in Activities
All members of the association must work without reservation towards the success of all the activities of the association.
Article 6 : Disciplinary Code
Section 1: Lateness to Meetings
Every meeting starts at 6 pm. Lateness is 15 minutes after the start of the meeting time. The penalty for lateness is one (1)$ with an increment of twenty five (25) cents every 10 min to a maximum of two (2)$ per member after one hour.
Section 2: Unjustified Absences from a Meeting
- Our wish is to have all members present during the meetings. In case of an absence, members must inform the chief whip or a member of the Executive Board.
- An unjustified absence from a meeting of the association shall be sanctioned by a fine of fifteen (15) dollars. The only accepted justifications are an email sent to the forum of the association or a phone call received by the Chief whip or any other member of the Executive Board before the beginning of the meeting.
Section 3: Disturbances during Meetings
- Disturbances during meetings shall under no circumstances be tolerated. During each meeting, the chief whip shall call to order both members and non-members.
- Behaviour considered as disturbance is at the discretion of the chief whip (Director of Discipline) who must give a verbal warning to the person responsible for such disturbance, indicating that he/she will receive a fine if such behaviour continues.
- The fine for the offender shall be one (1) dollars. Visitors who disturb during meetings shall be warned and if they continue to disturb the meeting, they shall be sent out immediately.
Section 4: Disturbances during the meeting – Cases of disrespect, quarrels, insults, fighting
- Disrespect from members during meetings is not tolerated and shall be punished in accordance with the Constitution and By-laws of CCCA
- All cases of disrespect, insults, fighting or quarrels from members as well as non-members shall be dealt with in accordance with Article II, Section VIII of the Constitution and By-laws of CCCA.
- All members who are victims of an act of indiscipline (insult, fighting, disrespect, etc) during meetings or during CCCA activities can inform the Executive Board (by mail) or present the problem personally to the general assembly, which shall examine the soundness of the accusation and apply appropriate sanctions as stipulated by the By-laws.
Section 5: Work in Committees
A member who fails to carry out a task that he/she had accepted shall be a sanctioned with a fine of three (3) dollars.
Article 7 : Collection of Funds from acts of Indiscipline
Section 1: Observation of acts of Indiscipline
If the chief whip observes any act of indiscipline, he/she informs the person concerned as well as the Executive Board which will in turn send a bill via email to the offender.
Section 2: Payment of Fines
The offender has two (2) months to regularize the payment of the fine. In case of non-payment, the fine doubles in value every month until it is completely paid. If the fine is not paid three months after the penalty, the right to vote is withdrawn from the member in accordance with the by-laws of the association. The offender still keeps the other rights as a member.
If the fine is not still paid, in case of any event (joyful or sorrowful, feasts, etc), the contribution of such a member shall directly be reduced by an amount equivalent to the fine that he/she is owing ; and he/she must complete the necessary amount to be up to date in his/her contribution for that event.
If the current fiscal year finishes (on 31st December, for example) and certain members have still not paid their fines, all new payments for the following fiscal year (January 1st – December 31st) shall take into consideration unpaid fines.
This Section applies to all cases of indiscipline, including prolonged absences, even if the return of a member is during a different fiscal year.
Section 3: Appeal
The offender can make an appeal not later than one (1) month after receiving the bill to the Advisory Council, who shall revise the case in a maximum of 30 days and make a decision that must be respected by all.
Article 8 : Electoral Code
Section 1: Election Campaign
The Electoral Commission shall announce to members and sympathisers when the election campaign is officially launched in accordance with Article IX of the Constitution and By-laws of CCCA
The candidates are free to use any means of communication available, including the [Camer Forum], to carry out their campaigns by presenting to members their envisaged projects for the association.
Section 2 : Candidature
All applications for any post must be validated by the Electoral Commission in accordance with the Constitution and By-laws of the Association and the financial documents.
Section 3 : The Voting Process
Voting is secret, uninominal and two rounds, if it is necessary. The Electoral Commission is charged with communicating all necessary information concerning the elections (which could vary based on the number of candidates). On the day of the elections, the candidates shall each have time allocated to them by the Electoral Commission to convince the electorate.
Section 4 : Eligibility
- Only the members in good standing in the association are eligible to vote or present their candidatures and to receive ballot papers. The candidate for the post of the president must have been a member in good standing in the association for at least 12 months before presenting his candidature.
- A list of these eligible members must be published on the Cameroonian Forum by the Executive Board.
- Eligible members who shall be absent are authorised to leave proxies with other eligible members who will vote on their behalf. The proxies must be validated by the Electoral Commission before the elections.
Section 5: Publication of Results
The counting of votes shall be done immediately after voting; and the results shall be published immediately.
Section 6: Election Results
The Electoral Commission shall present the election results at the next general assembly.
Article 9: Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting shall take place in a neutral location; for example, a meeting hall, instead of a family residence.
Article 10: The Internal Rules and Regulations, the Constitution and/or By-Laws
Where there is some contradiction between the Internal Rules and Regulations and the Constitution and/or By-Laws, the Constitution and the By-Laws shall be used as a final reference document.
Revision History
Internal Rules and Regulations Approved By-Laws and Internal Rules and
Regulations Committee
February 21, 2016 at Central Alberta, Alberta
Simplice Toukam
Wilfred Kepseu
Herman Kuate
Joseph Kamgue
Joel Kepseu
Yves Kamgang
Edward Nde