COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Alternative Arrangements for Meetings for National Council of Social Service) (Amendment) Order 2020

No. S 543

COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020

(ACT 14 OF 2020)

COVID-19 (Temporary Measures)
(Alternative Arrangements for Meetings for
National Council of Social Service)
(Amendment) Order 2020

In exercise of the powers conferred by section 27 of the COVID‑19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020, the Minister for Law makes the following Order:

Citation and commencement

1. This Order is the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Alternative Arrangements for Meetings for National Council of Social Service) (Amendment) Order 2020 and is deemed to have come into operation on 27 March 2020.

Amendment of paragraph 2

2. Paragraph 2 of the COVID‑19 (Temporary Measures) (Alternative Arrangements for Meetings for National Council of Social Service) Order 2020 (G.N. No. S 468/2020) (called in this Order the principal Order) is amended —

(a)

by inserting, immediately after the definition of “associate Council member”, the following definition:

“ “Board” means the Board of the Council constituted under section 5(1) of the National Council of Social Service Act;”;

(b)

by deleting the words “of the Council under section 5(1) of the National Council of Social Service Act” in the definition of “Board member”;

(c)

by inserting, immediately after the definition of “Board member”, the following definitions:

“ “Community Chest” means the Community Chest established under section 13(1) of the National Council of Social Service Act;

“Community Chest member” means the Chairman, a Vice‑Chairman or any other member of the Community Chest appointed under section 13(2) of the National Council of Social Service Act;”;

(d)

by deleting the definition of “Honorary General Secretary” and substituting the following definition:

“ “Honorary General Secretary” means the Honorary General Secretary mentioned in section 5(1)(c) of the National Council of Social Service Act, and in respect of a meeting of the Council, includes a person appointed under regulation 7(9) of the National Council of Social Service (Meetings) Regulations (Cap. 195A, Rg 1) to carry out the duties of the Honorary General Secretary under regulation 7 of those Regulations.”; and

(e)

by deleting the definition of “meeting”.

Deletion and substitution of paragraph 4

3. Paragraph 4 of the principal Order is deleted and the following paragraph substituted therefor:

“Application

4. This Order sets out the alternative arrangements to personal attendance in respect of the following meetings:

(a)	meetings of the Council;
(b)	meetings of the Board;
(c)	meetings of the Community Chest.”.

Amendment of paragraph 5

4. Paragraph 5(1) of the principal Order is amended by deleting the words “the Schedule” and substituting the words “the First Schedule”.

New paragraphs 6 and 7

5. The principal Order is amended by inserting, immediately after paragraph 5, the following paragraphs:

“Alternative arrangements for meetings of Board

6.—(1) The alternative arrangements for the convening, holding, conducting or deferral of a meeting of the Board set out in the second column of the Second Schedule apply in respect of the provisions of the written law relating to such a meeting set out in the first column of that Schedule.

(2) The alternative arrangements apply for the period starting on 27 March 2020 and ending on 30 September 2020.

Alternative arrangements for meetings of Community Chest

7.—(1) The alternative arrangements for the convening, holding, conducting or deferral of a meeting of the Community Chest set out in the second column of the Third Schedule apply in respect of the provisions of the written law relating to such a meeting set out in the first column of that Schedule.

(2) The alternative arrangements apply for the period starting on 27 March 2020 and ending on 30 September 2020.”.

Amendment of Schedule

6. The Schedule to the principal Order is amended —

(a)	by deleting the words “at a meeting” in paragraph (a) in the second column of item 1 and substituting the words “at a meeting of the Council”;
(b)	by deleting the words “a meeting” wherever they appear in the second column of items 2, 3, 5 and 7 and substituting in each case the words “a meeting of the Council”;
(c)	by deleting the words “send, before the meeting” in the second column of item 4 and substituting the words “send, before a meeting of the Council”; and
(d)	by deleting the words “the meeting” in the second column of item 6 and substituting the words “a meeting of the Council”.

Renaming of Schedule and new Second and Third Schedules

7. The principal Order is amended by renaming the existing Schedule as the First Schedule, and by inserting immediately thereafter the following Schedules:

“SECOND SCHEDULE

Paragraph 6(1)

Alternative arrangements for meetings of Board

First column

Second column

Provision of National Council of
Social Service Act

Alternative arrangement

1.	Provision for convening, holding and conducting a meeting of the Board

A meeting of the Board may be convened, held or conducted, whether wholly or partly, by electronic means.

A meeting of the Board may be deferred to a date no later than 30 September 2020.

2.	Provision for attendance at a meeting of the Board

A Board member may attend a meeting of the Board by electronic means.

3.	Provision for quorum at a meeting of the Board

A quorum may be formed by Board members personally or electronically present and satisfying the relevant quorum requirements.

A Board member is electronically present at a meeting if the Board member attends the meeting in the manner provided in item 2.

4.	Provision for a Board member to vote at a meeting of the Board

A Board member may vote at a meeting of the Board by electronic means.

5.	Provision for laying and production of documents at a meeting of the Board

A document required to be laid or produced before a meeting of the Board may be so laid or produced by being sent with the notice of the meeting.

6.	Provision for giving of notice of a meeting of the Board

A notice of a meeting of the Board —

(a)	must be sent by electronic mail to all Board members at their last known electronic mail addresses;

(b)	must describe the means by which the meeting can be electronically accessed (including the online location, if the meeting is held at an online location);

(c)	must set out how a Board member may vote at the meeting by electronic means; and

(d)	may be accompanied by any other documents relevant to the meeting.

THIRD SCHEDULE

Paragraph 7(1)

Alternative arrangements for meetings of
Community Chest

First column

Second column

Provision of National Council of
Social Service Act

Alternative arrangement

1.	Provision for convening, holding and conducting a meeting of the Community Chest

A meeting of the Community Chest may be convened, held or conducted, whether wholly or partly, by electronic means.

A meeting of the Community Chest may be deferred to a date no later than 30 September 2020.

2.	Provision for attendance at a meeting of the Community Chest

A Community Chest member may attend a meeting of the Community Chest by electronic means.

3.	Provision for quorum at a meeting of the Community Chest

A quorum may be formed by Community Chest members personally or electronically present and satisfying the relevant quorum requirements.

A Community Chest member is electronically present at a meeting of the Community Chest if the Community Chest member attends the meeting in the manner provided in item 2.

4.	Provision for a Community Chest member to vote at a meeting of the Community Chest

A Community Chest member may vote at a meeting of the Community Chest by electronic means.

5.	Provision for laying and production of documents at a meeting of the Community Chest

A document required to be laid or produced before a meeting of the Community Chest may be so laid or produced by being sent with the notice of the meeting.

6.	Provision for giving of notice of a meeting of the Community Chest

A notice of a meeting of the Community Chest —

(a)	must be sent by electronic mail to all Community Chest members at their last known electronic mail addresses;

(b)	must describe the means by which the meeting can be electronically accessed (including the online location, if the meeting is held at an online location);

(c)	must set out how a Community Chest member may vote at the meeting by electronic means; and

(d)	may be accompanied by any other documents relevant to the meeting.

”.

Made on 6 July 2020.

LOH KHUM YEAN

Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Law,
Singapore.

[LAW 63/009 COVID Relief-V1; AG/LEGIS/SL/65C/2020/1 Vol. 1]

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