We the representatives of National Youth Organisations in the Caribbean region, seeking to organise ourselves into a common body to pursue jointly our goals and aspirations as youth, do hereby constitute the CARIBBEAN FEDERATION OF YOUTH, which shall operate as the co-ordinating body for all National Youth Organisations in the Caribbean and establish these regulations to govern ourselves and to form, for LEGAL PURPOSES, THE CONSTITUTION OF THE CARIBBEAN FEDERATION OF YOUTH.

Article 1: NAME AND OFFICE

(1) The name of the organisation shall be the CARIBBEAN FEDERATION OF YOUTH (C.F.Y.) hereinafter referred to as the Federation.

(2) The Office of the Federation shall be located at such a place as may be determined by the Congress.

Article 2: AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

(1) To unite all youth in the Caribbean regardless of race, sex, nationality, religion, ideology or language, into a common body.

(2) To act as a representative body for youth organisations in the Caribbean and to address problems faced by Caribbean Youth.

(3) To co-ordinate the work of national youth organisations in the Caribbean and to assist them in the formulation of their programs.

(4) To help strengthen individual national youth organisations in the Caribbean through collaboration and co-ordination of efforts, and to encourage the establishment of such organisations where they do not already exist.

(5) To advance the interests and promote the welfare of the youth of the Caribbean.

(6) To promote the active participation of youth in the economic, social, cultural, and political life of the Caribbean.

(7) To develop a greater sense of Caribbean identity among the youth of the Caribbean.

(8) To promote regional integration through educational, social, cultural and sporting programme amongst the youth of the Caribbean.

(9) To make representation and recommendations to Caribbean Governments and other appropriate bodies on matters affecting youth in the Caribbean, and to advise them on the formulation and review of youth programme.

(10) To serve as an agency for the exchange of information and resources on matters affecting young people in the Caribbean.

(11) To keep under constant security and consideration, the operations of Caribbean society, and to make public statements on all matters affecting youth in the Caribbean.

(12) To afford Caribbean Governments and other regional bodies the benefit of the collective views of youth in the Caribbean on all important matters.

(13) To seek financial and material benefits from Governments and other local, regional, and international organisations for the youth of the Caribbean.

(14) To foster principled and mutually beneficial relations between the youth of the Caribbean and youth from other parts of the world.

(15) To establish and carry on, or participate in the business of printing or publishing of, a general newspaper or newspapers or journals, books, pamphlets, or publications of any kind.

Article 3: MEMBERSHIP

(1) Membership of the Federation shall be opened to all national youth organisations in the Caribbean which comply with the requirements of Paragraph (2) of this Article.

Provided that only one (1) member organisation may be admitted from any particular territory.

Provided also that no affiliate of a member organisation of the Federation shall be eligible for separate membership.

(2) For a national youth organisation to qualify for membership it must represent a broad majority of youth in the particular territory; it must be voluntary and self-governing; it must accept the aims and objectives of the Federation, and must have aims and objectives which accord with those of the Federation.

(3) Member organisations may be admitted from any of the following territories: Anguilla, Antigua-Barbuda; Aruba; Barbados; Belize; Cayenne; Cuba; Dominica; Grenada; Guadeloupe; Guyana; Haiti, Jamaica; Martinique; Montserrat; Nevis; Puerto Rico; St. Bartholomew; St. Kitts; St. Martin; St. Lucia; St. Vincent and the Grenadines; Suriname; The Bahamas; The Islands of the British Virgin Islands; The Dominican Republic; The Islands of the Nertherlands Antilles; The Turks and Caicos Islands, The Islands of the United States Virgin Islands, and Trinidad and Tobago.

(4) A National youth organisation shall become a member of the Federation upon application made to the Secretariat of the Federation, and the approval of the application by a two- thirds (2/3) majority of the member organisations present and voting at a Congress of the Federation.

(5) Any member organisation of the Federation whose activities are deemed inimical or injurious to the interests of the Federation shall forfeit such rights and privileges as may be determined by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of Congress.

Article 4: CONGRESS

(1) The supreme authority of the Federation shall be vested in Congress which shall be held annually at such time and place as may be determined by the Executive after consultation with the member organisations of the Federation.

(2) Congress shall be opened to all member organisations of the Federation, each of which shall be entitled to send two (2) representatives to Congress who shall be entitled to participate in all the business of Congress.

(3) A quorum of Congress shall consist of not less than half (1/2) of the member organisations of the Federation.

(4) Notice of Congress, together with the Agenda and procedure for Congress, shall be determined by the Secretariat and shall be provided to the member organisations at least thirty (30) days prior to Congress.

(5) The procedure for decision-making at Congress shall be a search for consensus but with the Chairman vested with authority to conduct a poll if it is deemed that consensus cannot be reached:

Provided that when a poll is taken only one (1) representative from each member organisation shall be allowed to vote;

Provided also, that a majority vote would be sufficient to arrive at any decision, unless otherwise provided in these Regulations;

(6) Without prejudice to other business Congress shall:

(a) Receive and examine the Executive Report;

(b) Review the work of the Federation over the proceeding year;

(c) Consider resolutions and statements which have been tabled at Congress;

(d) Elect the officers of the Executive which shall be by secret ballot.

(e) Receive and consider the Financial Report; and

(f) Transact such other business as may be determined by the Secretariat.

(7) A special Congress may be convened after twenty-one (21) days notice by the Executive or by written petition from no less than half (1/2) of the member organisations of the Federation:

Provided that in the case of a request for a special Congress by petition, matters to be considered shall be clearly indicated in the petition which shall be submitted to the Secretariat, which shall cause the Special Congress by petition, matters to be considered shall be submitted to the Secretariat, which shall cause Special Congress to be convened within one month of the receipt of the petition.

Provided also that if the Secretariat shall fail to convene the Special Congress within the time specified, then the member organisations may themselves convene the Special Congress.

Article 5: EXECUTIVE

(1) Between Congress of the Federation authority shall be vested in the Executive, which consist of a President, two Vice Presidents - one of whom shall be assigned to the Northern Zone and the other to the Southern Zone and a Secretary/Treasurer.

(2) The term of office of the Executive shall be one year.

(3) Officers in the Executive of the Federation shall not serve in the same Executive position for more than two consecutive years.

(4) The Executive shall hold its first meeting immediately after Congress and shall meet at least once during the ensuing six-month period at such time and place as the Executive may determine.

(5) The Executive shall be responsible for the appointment of the Administrative Officer of the Federation who shall become an employee of the Federation answerable to the Federation.

(6) The Executive shall have the power to appoint Committees of a permanent or temporary nature and to co-opt members to Committees in furtherance of the interests of the Federation.

(7) The Executive shall:-

(a) Ensure the implementation of decisions and programmes of Congress;

(b) Monitor the work of the Secretariat and give directions to the Secretariat.

(c) Determine the geographical limits of the Northern and Southern zones;

(d) Consider new business and make major decisions on the Federation’s affairs.

(8) Any member of the Executive may at any time resign his office by letter addressed to the Secretary/Treasurer who shall cause the letter to be forwarded to the Executive and upon that day, that person ceases to be member.

Provided that the Secretary/Treasurer resign, the letter shall be sent to the President and the procedure shall be adopted as in the case of any other Executive member.

(9) In the event of a vacancy arising on the Executive, the Executive shall have the power to fill that vacancy;

Provided that a vacancy in the office of President shall be filled first by the deputising Vice President whose office shall then become vacant.

Article 6: SECRETARIAT

(1) There shall be a Secretariat of the Federation which shall be manned by an Administrative Officer and such administrative staff as may be determined by the Executive.

(2) The Secretariat shall be responsible for supervising the office of the Federation and shall be answerable to the Secretary/Treasurer in the performance of its functioning.

(3) The Secretariat shall;

(a) Direct the day-to-day operations of the Federation and co-ordinate the activities and programmes of the Federation under the supervision of the Executive;

(b) Liaise with the member organisations of the Federation and consult with them in the implementation of all major decisions.

(c) Keep and preserve proper and up-to-date records of books, papers, documents and correspondence of the Federation.

(d) Be responsible for the preparation and notification of Congress and Executive meetings, including the preparation and circulation of the agenda.

(e) Liase with such local, regional and international bodies as may be directed by the Congress or the Executive.

(f) Receive all monies paid to the Federation and lodge or deposit the same in a bank to credit of the Federation.

(g) Keep proper accounts of receipts and expenditure of the Federation;

(h) Be responsible, in conjunction with the President, for all literature, press releases, press conferences and other publicity or propaganda of the Federation.

Article 7: DUTIES OF EXECUTIVE

(1) The President shall:

(a) Be the Chief Executive of the Federation

(b) Preside over Congress and meetings of Executive;

(c) Supervise the general administration of the affairs of the Federation according to the regulations of the Federation;

(d) Convene meetings of Executive in consultation with the Secretariat;

(e) Be responsible for all official releases of the Federation to the public and the press;

(f) Act generally on behalf of the Federation with the consent of the Executive;

(g) Perform such other duties and functions as may be determined by the Executive or Congress.

(2) The Vice President shall:

(a) Monitor the work of the member organisations in the zone to which they are assigned and give guidance to these organisations.

(b) Report to the Secretariat and to the Executive on all important developments in their respective zones.

(c) Advise the Secretariat and the Executive on the implementation of programmes and activities within their respective zones and supervise such programmes and activities whenever they are organised;

(d) Perform such other duties and functions as may be determined by the Executive or Congress.

(3) The Secretary/Treasurer shall:

(a) Head the Secretariat of the Federation and be answerable to the Executive for the work of the Secretariat.

(b) Prepare the agenda for meetings of the Executive in consultation with the President.

(c) Be responsible for preparing the minutes of meetings of the Executive and Congress;

(d) Manage the expense and income of the Federation;

(e) Prepare for and present to Congress a Financial Report on the operations of the Federation for the proceeding year.

(f) Be responsible, in conjunction with the President, for organising and promoting the public image of the Federation.

(g) Perform such other duties and functions as may be determined by the Executive or Congress.

Article 8: FINANCIAL MATTERS

(1) In order to meet the expenses involved in conducting the affairs of the Federation and in furthering its objectives, the Federation shall raise funds by means of registration and subscription fees from member organisations, fund-raising activities, gifts, donations, loans, and securing sponsorship of its activities.

(2) Each member organisation of the Federation shall pay to the Secretariat, a registration fee to be determined by Congress, with one month of its admission to membership.

(3) Member organisations of the Federation shall pay to the Secretariat an annual subscription fee to be determined by Congress, within three months after proceeding Congress of the Federation.

(4) The failure of a member organisation to pay its subscription fee after they have become due shall result in the suspension of its membership rights until payment of all outstanding amounts.

(5) All real and personal property of the Federation shall be vested on two trustees selected by Congress who shall deal with the property in such manner as may be directed by the Executive.

Article 9. AMENDMENT AND DISSOLUTION

(1) Where the Constitution is silent or imprecise on any question, the Executive shall have the right to offer a suitable interpretation pending the approval of Congress.

(2) The regulations of the Federation may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the member organisations present and voting at a Congress of the Federation.

(3) The Federation may be dissolved by a resolution to that effect approved by a three- quarters (3/4) majority of the member organisations present and voting at a Special Congress of the Federation convened for that purpose, in which event the funds of the Federation may be disposed of in accordance with a provision to that effect in the resolution.

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