THE COMPANIES LAW (1995 REVISION)
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COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES
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MEMORANDUM OF ASSOCIATION
OF
MILLENIUM III, INC.
1. The name of the Company is MILLENIUM III, INC..
2. The Registered Office of the Company shall be at the offices of Maples and
Calder, Attorneys-at-Law, Ugland House, P.O. Box 309, George Town, Grand Cayman,
Cayman Islands, British West Indies or at such other place as the Directors may
from time to time decide.
3. The objects for which the Company is established are unrestricted and shall
include, but without limitation, the following:-
(i) (a) To undertake and carry on all or any of the trades and businesses of
international freight forwarders and agents, shippers, ship owners, ship
brokers, shipping agents and insurance brokers, underwriters, ship managers, tug
owners, shipping agents, loading brokers, freight contractors, carriers by land,
air and water, transport, haulage and general contractors, barge owners,
lightermen, railway and forwarding agents, dock owners, ships' husbands,
warehousemen, salvors, manufacturers of and dealers in tarpaulins, waterproofs,
machinery, engines, nautical instruments, and ships'rigging, gear, fittings and
equipment of every description, importers and exporters of and dealers in goods,
provisions, live and dead stock, commodities, articles, chattels, merchandise
and property of every kind,
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general traders and merchants, and generally to carry on the said businesses in
all their branches, and to carry on the said businesses either as principals or
agents or on commission or otherwise.
(b) To purchase or otherwise acquire, and to carry on the business or
businesses of fishing boat owners, smack owners, trawlers, deep-sea fishers,
shrimp fishers, fish curers, fish or shrimp salesmen, wholesale and retail fish
or shrimp merchants, wholesale and retail game and poultry merchants, ice
manufacturers, oil merchants and refiners, utilisers of fish refuse, manure
manufacturers, anchor and chain makers, wire rope makers, rope makers, mast and
block makers, ship chandlers, marine storekeepers, compass and nautical
instrument makers, marine engineers, engineers, boiler makers, ship builders,
dry-dock keepers, slip keepers, boat builders, ship and boat repairers, ship and
boat outfitters, salvors, wreck removers, wreck raisers, divers, auctioneers,
valuers, assessors, stevedores, wharfingers, carriers, forwarding agents, and
all other branches of business usually or conveniently connected with any such
business as aforesaid.
(c) To enter into, take over, negotiate or otherwise acquire, any
contract or contracts for the construction, building, equipping, fitting out,
storing, gearing or otherwise relating to any steamship, ship, trawler, catcher,
carrier, drifter, fishing boat, boat, or other vessel whatsoever, and to enter
into, take over, negotiate or otherwise acquire any other contract or contracts
whatever which the Company may think necessary, desirable or convenient for the
purposes of the Company or any of them, and to enter into, take over, negotiate,
or otherwise acquire any such contract or contracts at such prices and for such
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considerations, and upon such terms and conditions, and subject to such
stipulations and agreements as the Company may determine, and at any time and
from time to time vary, modify, alter or cancel any such contract.
(d) To acquire concessions or licences for the establishment and
working of lines of ships or other vessels between any ports of the world, or
for the formation or working of any railway or tramway, wharf, pier, dock, or
other works, or for the working of any coaches or other public conveyances, with
the benefit of any subsidy attached to any such concession or licence or
otherwise.
(e) To insure the vessels and other property of the Company in any
manner.
(f) To grant loans on ships and vessels or on goods and merchandise
carried or to be carried in any vessels and to buy and sell merchandise for
freighting on the ships and vessels of the Company.
(g) To engage in any and all kinds of business and other activities
with respect to oil, gas and other materials, and the products and by-products
thereof, including but not by way of limitation, exploration, developing,
drilling, producing, refining, processing, mining, confining, manufacturing,
storing, transporting, distributing, trading, buying, selling and all other
activities pertinent thereto.
(h) To resell or sublet any concession or licence obtained, or contract
entered into.
(i) To carry on the business of an investment company and to act as
promoters and entrepreneurs and to carry on business as financiers, capitalists,
concessionaires, merchants, brokers, traders, dealers, agents, importers and
exporters and to undertake and
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carry on and execute all kinds of investment, financial, commercial, mercantile,
trading and other operations.
(j) To carry on whether as principals, agents or otherwise howsoever
the business of realtors, developers, consultants, estate agents or managers,
builders, contractors, engineers, manufacturers, dealers in or vendors of all
types of property including services.
(ii) To exercise and enforce all rights and powers conferred by or incidental to
the ownership of any shares, stock, obligations or other securities including
without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing all such powers of veto or
control as may be conferred by virtue of the holding by the Company of some
special proportion of the issued or nominal amount thereof, to provide
managerial and other executive, supervisory and consultant services for or in
relation to any company in which the Company is interested upon such terms as
may be thought fit.
(iii) To purchase or otherwise acquire, to sell, exchange, surrender, lease,
mortgage, charge, convert, turn to account, dispose of and deal with real and
personal property and rights of all kinds and, in particular, mortgages,
debentures, produce, concessions, options, contracts, patents, annuities,
licences, stocks, shares, bonds, policies, book debts, business concerns,
undertakings, claims, privileges and choses in action of all kinds.
(iv) To subscribe for, conditionally or unconditionally, to underwrite, issue on
commission or otherwise, take, hold, deal in and convert stocks, shares and
securities of all kinds and to enter into partnership or into any arrangement
for sharing profits, reciprocal
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concessions or cooperation with any person or company and to promote and aid in
promoting, to constitute, form or organise any company, syndicate or partnership
of any kind, for the purpose of acquiring and undertaking any property and
liabilities of the Company or of advancing, directly or indirectly, the objects
of the Company or for any other purpose which the Company may think expedient.
(v) To stand surety for or to guarantee, support or secure the performance of
all or any of the obligations of any person, firm or company whether or not
related or affiliated to the Company in any manner and whether by personal
covenant or by mortgage, charge or lien upon the whole or any part of the
undertaking, property and assets of the Company, both present and future,
including its uncalled capital or by any such method and whether or not the
Company shall receive valuable consideration therefor.
(vi) To engage in or carry on any other lawful trade, business or enterprise
which may at any time appear to the Directors of the Company capable of being
conveniently carried on in conjunction with any of the aforementioned businesses
or activities or which may appear to the Directors or the Company likely to be
profitable to the Company. In the interpretation of this Memorandum of
Association in general and of this Clause 3 in particular no object, business or
power specified or mentioned shall be limited or restricted by reference to or
inference from any other object, business or power, or the name of the Company,
or by the juxtaposition of two or more objects, businesses or powers and that,
in the event of any ambiguity in this clause or elsewhere in this Memorandum of
Association,
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the same shall be resolved by such interpretation and construction as will widen
and enlarge and not restrict the objects, businesses and powers of and
exercisable by the Company.
4. Except as prohibited or limited by the Companies Law (1995 Revision), the
Company shall have full power and authority to carry out any object and shall
have and be capable of from time to time and at all times exercising any and all
of the powers at any time or from time to time exercisable by a natural person
or body corporate in doing in any part of the world whether as principal, agent,
contractor or otherwise whatever may be considered by it necessary for the
attainment of its objects and whatever else may be considered by it as
incidental or conducive thereto or consequential thereon, including, but without
in any way restricting the generality of the foregoing, the power to make any
alterations or amendments to this Memorandum of Association and the Articles of
Association of the Company considered necessary or convenient in the manner set
out in the Articles of Association of the Company, and the power to do any of
the following acts or things, viz:
to pay all expenses of and incidental to the promotion, formation and
incorporation of the Company; to register the Company to do business in any
other jurisdiction; to sell, lease or dispose of any property of the Company; to
draw, make, accept, endorse, discount, execute and issue promissory notes,
debentures, bills of exchange, bills of lading, warrants and other negotiable or
transferable instruments; to lend money or other assets and to act as
guarantors; to borrow or raise money on the security of the undertaking or on
all or any of the assets of the Company including uncalled capital or without
security; to invest monies of the Company in such manner as the Directors
determine; to promote other companies; to sell the
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undertaking of the Company for cash or any other consideration; to distribute
assets in specie to members of the Company; to make charitable or benevolent
donations; to pay pensions or gratuities or provide other benefits in cash or
kind to Directors, officers, employees, past or present and their families; to
carry on any trade or business and generally to do all acts and things which, in
the opinion of the Company or the Directors, may be conveniently or profitably
or usefully acquired and dealt with, carried on, executed or done by the Company
in connection with the business aforesaid PROVIDED THAT the Company shall only
carry on the businesses for which a licence is required under the laws of the
Cayman Islands when so licensed under the terms of such laws.
5. The liability of each member is limited to the amount from time to time
unpaid on such member's shares.
6. The share capital of the Company is US$50,000 divided into 50,000 shares of a
nominal or par value of US$1.00 each with power for the Company insofar as is
permitted by law, to redeem or purchase any of its shares and to increase or
reduce the said capital subject to the provisions of the Companies Law (1995
Revision) and the Articles of Association and to issue any part of its capital,
whether original, redeemed or increased with or without any preference, priority
or special privilege or subject to any postponement of rights or to any
conditions or restrictions and so that unless the conditions of issue shall
otherwise expressly declare every issue of shares whether declared to be
preference or otherwise shall be subject to the powers hereinbefore contained.
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7. If the Company is registered as exempted, its operations will be carried on
subject to the provisions of Section l92 of the Companies Law (1995 Revision)
and subject to the provisions of the Companies Law (1995 Revision) and the
Articles of Association it shall have the power to register by way of
continuation as a body corporate limited by shares under the laws of any
jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands and to be deregistered in the Cayman
Islands.
WE the several persons whose names and addresses are subscribed are desirous of
being formed into a company in pursuance of this Memorandum of Association and
we respectively agree to take the number of shares in the capital of the Company
set opposite our respective names.
THE COMPANIES LAW (1995 REVISION)
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COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES
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ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
OF
MILLENIUM III, INC.
1. In these Articles Table A in the Schedule to the Statute does not apply and,
unless there be something in the subject or context inconsistent therewith,
"Articles" means these Articles as originally framed
or as from time to time altered by Special
Resolution.
"Auditors" means the persons for the time being
performing the duties of auditors of the
Company.
"Company" means the above-named Company.
"debenture" means debenture stock, mortgages, bonds
and any other such securities of the
Company whether constituting a charge on
the assets of the Company or not.
"Directors" means the directors for the time being of
the Company.
"dividend" includes bonus.
"Member" shall bear the meaning as ascribed to it
in the Statute.
"month" means calendar month.
"paid-up" means paid-up and/or credited as paid-up.
"registered office" means the registered office for the time
being of the Company.
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"Seal" means the common seal of the Company and
includes every duplicate seal.
"Secretary" includes an Assistant Secretary and any
person appointed to perform the duties of
Secretary of the Company.
"share" includes a fraction of a share.
"Special Resolution" has the same meaning as in the Statute and
includes a resolution approved in writing
as described therein.
"Statute" means the Companies Law of the Cayman
Islands as amended and every statutory
modification or re-enactment thereof for
the time being in force.
"written" and "in writing" include all modes of representing or
reproducing words in visible form.
Words importing the singular number only include the plural number and
vice-versa.
Words importing the masculine gender only include the feminine gender.
Words importing persons only include corporations.
2. The business of the Company may be commenced as soon after incorporation as
the Directors shall see fit, notwithstanding that part only of the shares may
have been allotted.
3. The Directors may pay, out of the capital or any other monies of the Company,
all expenses incurred in or about the formation and establishment of the Company
including the expenses of registration.
CERTIFICATES FOR SHARES
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4. Certificates representing shares of the Company shall be in such form as
shall be determined by the Directors. Such certificates may be under Seal. All
certificates for shares shall be consecutively numbered or otherwise identified
and shall specify the shares to which they relate. The name and address of the
person to whom the shares represented thereby are issued, with the number of
shares and date of issue, shall be entered in the
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register of Members of the Company. All certificates surrendered to the Company
for transfer shall be cancelled and no new certificate shall be issued until the
former certificate for a like number of shares shall have been surrendered and
cancelled. The Directors may authorise certificates to be issued with the seal
and authorised signature(s) affixed by some method or system of mechanical
process.
5. Notwithstanding Article 4 of these Articles, if a share certificate be
defaced, lost or destroyed, it may be renewed on payment of a fee of one dollar
(US$l.00) or such less sum and on such terms (if any) as to evidence and
indemnity and the payment of the expenses incurred by the Company in
investigating evidence, as the Directors may prescribe.
ISSUE OF SHARES
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6. Subject to the provisions, if any, in that behalf in the Memorandum of
Association and to any direction that may be given by the Company in general
meeting and without prejudice to any special rights previously conferred on the
holders of existing shares, the Directors may allot, issue, grant options over
or otherwise dispose of shares of the Company (including fractions of a share)
with or without preferred, deferred or other special rights or restrictions,
whether in regard to dividend, voting, return of capital or otherwise and to
such persons, at such times and on such other terms as they think proper.
7. The Company shall maintain a register of its Members and every person whose
name is entered as a Member in the register of Members shall be entitled without
payment to receive within two months after allotment or lodgement of transfer
(or within such other period as the conditions of issue shall provide) one
certificate for all his shares or several certificates each for one or more of
his shares upon payment of fifty cents (US$0.50) for every certificate after the
first or such less sum as the Directors shall from time to time determine
provided that in respect of a share or shares held jointly by several persons
the Company shall not be bound to issue more than one certificate and delivery
of a certificate for a share to one of the several joint holders shall be
sufficient delivery to all such holders.
TRANSFER OF SHARES
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8. The instrument of transfer of any share shall be in writing and shall be
executed by or on behalf of the transferor and the transferor shall be deemed to
remain the holder of a share until the name of the transferee is entered in the
register in respect thereof.
9. The Directors may in their absolute discretion decline to register any
transfer of shares without assigning any reason therefor. If the Directors
refuse to register a transfer they shall notify the transferee within two months
of such refusal.
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10. The registration of transfers may be suspended at such time and for such
periods as the Directors may from time to time determine, provided always that
such registration shall not be suspended for more than forty-five days in any
year.
REDEEMABLE SHARES
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11. (a) Subject to the provisions of the Statute and the Memorandum of
Association, shares may be issued on the terms that they are, or at the option
of the Company or the holder are, to be redeemed on such terms and in such
manner as the Company, before the issue of the shares, may by Special Resolution
determine.
(b) Subject to the provisions of the Statute and the Memorandum of
Association, the Company may purchase its own shares (including fractions of a
share), including any redeemable shares, provided that the manner of purchase
has first been authorised by the Company in general meeting and may make payment
therefor in any manner authorised by the Statute, including out of capital.
VARIATION OF RIGHTS OF SHARES
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12. If at any time the share capital of the Company is divided into different
classes of shares, the rights attached to any class (unless otherwise provided
by the terms of issue of the shares of that class) may, whether or not the
Company is being wound-up, be varied with the consent in writing of the holders
of three-fourths of the issued shares of that class, or with the sanction of a
Special Resolution passed at a general meeting of the holders of the shares of
that class.
The provisions of these Articles relating to general meetings
shall apply to every such general meeting of the holders of one class of shares
except that the necessary quorum shall be one person holding or representing by
proxy at least one-third of the issued shares of the class and that any holder
of shares of the class present in person or by proxy may demand a poll.
13. The rights conferred upon the holders of the shares of any class issued with
preferred or other rights shall not, unless otherwise expressly provided by the
terms of issue of the shares of that class, be deemed to be varied by the
creation or issue of further shares ranking pari passu therewith.
COMMISSION ON SALE OF SHARES
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14. The Company may in so far as the Statute from time to time permits pay a
commission to any person in consideration of his subscribing or agreeing to
subscribe
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whether absolutely or conditionally for any shares of the Company. Such
commissions may be satisfied by the payment of cash or the lodgement of fully or
partly paid-up shares or partly in one way and partly in the other. The Company
may also on any issue of shares pay such brokerage as may be lawful.
NON-RECOGNITION OF TRUSTS
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15. No person shall be recognised by the Company as holding any share upon any
trust and the Company shall not be bound by or be compelled in any way to
recognise (even when having notice thereof) any equitable, contingent, future,
or partial interest in any share, or any interest in any fractional part of a
share, or (except only as is otherwise provided by these Articles or the
Statute) any other rights in respect of any share except an absolute right to
the entirety thereof in the registered holder.
LIEN ON SHARES
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16. The Company shall have a first and paramount lien and charge on all shares
(whether fully paid-up or not) registered in the name of a Member (whether
solely or jointly with others) for all debts, liabilities or engagements to or
with the Company (whether presently payable or not) by such Member or his
estate, either alone or jointly with any other person, whether a Member or not,
but the Directors may at any time declare any share to be wholly or in part
exempt from the provisions of this Article. The registration of a transfer of
any such share shall operate as a waiver of the Company's lien (if any) thereon.
The Company's lien (if any) on a share shall extend to all dividends or other
monies payable in respect thereof.
17. The Company may sell, in such manner as the Directors think fit, any shares
on which the Company has a lien, but no sale shall be made unless a sum in
respect of which the lien exists is presently payable, nor until the expiration
of fourteen days after a notice in writing stating and demanding payment of such
part of the amount in respect of which the lien exists as is presently payable,
has been given to the registered holder or holders for the time being of the
share, or the person, of which the Company has notice, entitled thereto by
reason of his death or bankruptcy.
18. To give effect to any such sale the Directors may authorise some person to
transfer the shares sold to the purchaser thereof. The purchaser shall be
registered as the holder of the shares comprised in any such transfer, and he
shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money, nor shall
his title to the shares be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the
proceedings in reference to the sale.
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19. The proceeds of such sale shall be received by the Company and applied in
payment of such part of the amount in respect of which the lien exists as is
presently payable and the residue, if any, shall (subject to a like lien for
sums not presently payable as existed upon the shares before the sale) be paid
to the person entitled to the shares at the date of the sale.
CALL ON SHARES
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20. (a) The Directors may from time to time make calls upon the Members in
respect of any monies unpaid on their shares (whether on account of the nominal
value of the shares or by way of premium or otherwise) and not by the conditions
of allotment thereof made payable at fixed terms, provided that no call shall be
payable at less than one month from the date fixed for the payment of the last
preceding call, and each Member shall (subject to receiving at least fourteen
days notice specifying the time or times of payment) pay to the Company at the
time or times so specified the amount called on the shares. A call may be
revoked or postponed as the Directors may determine. A call may be made payable
by instalments.
(b) A call shall be deemed to have been made at the time when the
resolution of the Directors authorising such call was passed.
(c) The joint holders of a share shall be jointly and severally liable
to pay all calls in respect thereof.
21. If a sum called in respect of a share is not paid before or on a day
appointed for payment thereof, the persons from whom the sum is due shall pay
interest on the sum from the day appointed for payment thereof to the time of
actual payment at such rate not exceeding ten per cent per annum as the
Directors may determine, but the Directors shall be at liberty to waive payment
of such interest either wholly or in part.
22. Any sum which by the terms of issue of a share becomes payable on allotment
or at any fixed date, whether on account of the nominal value of the share or by
way of premium or otherwise, shall for the purposes of these Articles be deemed
to be a call duly made, notified and payable on the date on which by the terms
of issue the same becomes payable, and in the case of non-payment all the
relevant provisions of these Articles as to payment of interest forfeiture or
otherwise shall apply as if such sum had become payable by virtue of a call duly
made and notified.
23. The Directors may, on the issue of shares, differentiate between the holders
as to the amount of calls or interest to be paid and the times of payment.
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24. (a) The Directors may, if they think fit, receive from any Member willing to
advance the same, all or any part of the monies uncalled and unpaid upon any
shares held by him, and upon all or any of the monies so advanced may (until the
same would but for such advances, become payable) pay interest at such rate not
exceeding (unless the Company in general meeting shall otherwise direct) seven
per cent per annum, as may be agreed upon between the Directors and the Member
paying such sum in advance.
(b) No such sum paid in advance of calls shall entitle the Member
paying such sum to any portion of a dividend declared in respect of any period
prior to the date upon which such sum would, but for such payment, become
presently payable.
FORFEITURE OF SHARES
--------------------
25. (a) If a Member fails to pay any call or instalment of a call or to make any
payment required by the terms of issue on the day appointed for payment thereof,
the Directors may, at any time thereafter during such time as any part of the
call, instalment or payment remains unpaid, give notice requiring payment of so
much of the call, instalment or payment as is unpaid, together with any interest
which may have accrued and all expenses that have been incurred by the Company
by reason of such non-payment. Such notice shall name a day (not earlier than
the expiration of fourteen days from the date of giving of the notice) on or
before which the payment required by the notice is to be made, and shall state
that, in the event of non-payment at or before the time appointed the shares in
respect of which such notice was given will be liable to be forfeited.
(b) If the requirements of any such notice as aforesaid are not
complied with, any share in respect of which the notice has been given may at
any time thereafter, before the payment required by the notice has been made, be
forfeited by a resolution of the Directors to that effect. Such forfeiture shall
include all dividends declared in respect of the forfeited
share and not actually paid before the forfeiture.
(c) A forfeited share may be sold or otherwise disposed of on such
terms and in such manner as the Directors think fit and at any time before a
sale or disposition the forfeiture may be cancelled on such terms as the
Directors think fit.
26. A person whose shares have been forfeited shall cease to be a Member in
respect of the forfeited shares, but shall, notwithstanding, remain liable to
pay to the Company all monies which, at the date of forfeiture were payable by
him to the Company in respect of the shares together with interest thereon, but
his liability shall cease if and when the Company shall have received payment in
full of all monies whenever payable in respect of the shares.
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27. A certificate in writing under the hand of one Director or the Secretary of
the Company that a share in the Company has been duly forfeited on a date stated
in the declaration shall be conclusive evidence of the fact therein stated as
against all persons claiming to be entitled to the share. The Company may
receive the consideration given for the share on any sale or disposition thereof
and may execute a transfer of the share in favour of the person to whom the
share is sold or disposed of and he shall thereupon be registered as the holder
of the share and shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase
money, if any, nor shall his title to the share be affected by any irregularity
or invalidity in the proceedings in reference to the forfeiture, sale or
disposal of the share.
28. The provisions of these Articles as to forfeiture shall apply in the case of
non-payment of any sum which, by the terms of issue of a share, becomes payable
at a fixed time, whether on account of the nominal value of the share or by way
of premium as if the same had been payable by virtue of a call duly made and
notified.
REGISTRATION OF EMPOWERING INSTRUMENTS
--------------------------------------
29. The Company shall be entitled to charge a fee not exceeding one dollar
(US$l.00) on the registration of every probate, letters of administration,
certificate of death or marriage, power of attorney, notice in lieu of
distringas, or other instrument.
TRANSMISSION OF SHARES
----------------------
30. In case of the death of a Member, the survivor or survivors where the
deceased was a joint holder, and the legal personal representatives of the
deceased where he was a sole holder, shall be the only persons recognised by the
Company as having any title to his interest in the shares, but nothing herein
contained shall release the estate of any such deceased holder from any
liability in respect of any shares which had been held by him solely or jointly
with other persons.
31. (a) Any person becoming entitled to a share in consequence of the death or
bankruptcy or liquidation or dissolution of a Member (or in any other way than
by transfer) may, upon such evidence being produced as may from time to time be
required by the Directors and subject as hereinafter provided, elect either to
be registered himself as holder of the share or to make such transfer of the
share to such other person nominated by him as the deceased or bankrupt person
could have made and to have such person registered as the transferee thereof,
but the Directors shall, in either case, have the same right to decline or
suspend registration as they would have had in the case of a transfer of the
share by that Member before his death or bankruptcy as the case may be.
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(b) If the person so becoming entitled shall elect to be registered
himself as holder he shall deliver or send to the Company a notice in writing
signed by him stating that he so elects.
32. A person becoming entitled to a share by reason of the death or bankruptcy
or liquidation or dissolution of the holder (or in any other case than by
transfer) shall be entitled to the same dividends and other advantages to which
he would be entitled if he were the registered holder of the share, except that
he shall not, before being registered as a Member in respect of the share, be
entitled in respect of it to exercise any right conferred by membership in
relation to meetings of the Company PROVIDED HOWEVER that the Directors may at
any time give notice requiring any such person to elect either to be registered
himself or to transfer the share and if the notice is not complied with within
ninety days the Directors may thereafter withhold payment of all dividends,
bonuses or other monies payable in respect of the share until the requirements
of the notice have been complied with.
AMENDMENT OF MEMORANDUM OF ASSOCIATION, CHANGE OF
LOCATION OF REGISTERED OFFICE & ALTERATION OF CAPITAL
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33. (a) Subject to and in so far as permitted by the provisions of the Statute,
the Company may from time to time by ordinary resolution alter or amend its
Memorandum of Association otherwise than with respect to its name and objects
and may, without restricting the generality of the foregoing:
(i) increase the share capital by such sum to be divided
into shares of such amount or without nominal or par
value as the resolution shall prescribe and with such
rights, priorities and privileges annexed thereto, as
the Company in general meeting may determine.
(ii) consolidate and divide all or any of its share
capital into shares of larger amount than its
existing shares;
(iii) by subdivision of its existing shares or any of them
divide the whole or any part of its share capital
into shares of smaller amount than is fixed by the
Memorandum of Association or into shares without
nominal or par value;
(iv) cancel any shares which at the date of the passing of
the resolution have not been taken or agreed to be
taken by any person.
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(b) All new shares created hereunder shall be subject to the same
provisions with reference to the payment of calls, liens, transfer,
transmission, forfeiture and otherwise as the shares in the original share
capital.
(c) Subject to the provisions of the Statute, the Company may by
Special Resolution change its name or alter its objects.
(d) Without prejudice to Article 11 hereof and subject to the
provisions of the Statute, the Company may by Special Resolution reduce its
share capital and any capital redemption reserve fund.
(e) Subject to the provisions of the Statute, the Company may by
resolution of the Directors change the location of its registered office.
CLOSING REGISTER OF MEMBERS OR FIXING RECORD DATE
-------------------------------------------------
34. For the purpose of determining Members entitled to notice of or to vote at
any meeting of Members or any adjournment thereof, or Members entitled to
receive payment of any dividend, or in order to make a determination of Members
for any other proper purpose, the Directors of the Company may provide that the
register of Members shall be closed for transfers for a stated period but not to
exceed in any case forty days. If the register of Members shall be so closed for
the purpose of determining Members entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting
of Members such register shall be so closed for at least ten days immediately
preceding such meeting and the record date for such determination shall be the
date of the closure of the register of Members.
35. In lieu of or apart from closing the register of Members, the Directors may
fix in advance a date as the record date for any such determination of Members
entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of the Members and for the purpose
of determining the Members entitled to receive payment of any dividend the
Directors may, at or within 90 days prior to the date of declaration of such
dividend fix a subsequent date as the record date for such determination.
36. If the register of Members is not so closed and no record date is fixed for
the determination of Members entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of
Members or Members entitled to receive payment of a dividend, the date on which
notice of the meeting is mailed or the date on which the resolution of the
Directors declaring such dividend is adopted, as the case may be, shall be the
record date for such determination of Members. When a determination of Members
entitled to vote at any meeting of Members has been made as provided in this
section, such determination shall apply to any adjournment thereof.
11
GENERAL MEETING
37. (a) Subject to paragraph (c) hereof, the Company shall within one year of
its incorporation and in each year of its existence thereafter hold a general
meeting as its annual general meeting and shall specify the meeting as such in
the notices calling it. The annual general meeting shall be held at such time
and place as the Directors shall appoint and if no other time and place is
prescribed by them, it shall be held at the registered office on the second
Wednesday in December of each year at ten o'clock in the morning.
(b) At these meetings the report of the Directors (if any) shall be
presented.
(c) If the Company is exempted as defined in the Statute it may but
shall not be obliged to hold an annual general meeting.
38. (a) The Directors may whenever they think fit, and they shall on the
requisition of Members of the Company holding at the date of the deposit of the
requisition not less than one-tenth of such of the paid-up capital of the
Company as at the date of the deposit carries the right of voting at general
meetings of the Company, proceed to convene a general meeting
of the Company.
(b) The requisition must state the objects of the meeting and must be
signed by the requisitionists and deposited at the registered office of the
Company and may consist of several documents in like form each signed by one or
more requisitionists.
(c) If the Directors do not within twenty-one days from the date of the
deposit of the requisition duly proceed to convene a general meeting, the
requisitionists, or any of them representing more than one-half of the total
voting rights of all of them, may themselves convene a general meeting, but any
meeting so convened shall not be held after the expiration of three months after
the expiration of the said twenty-one days.
(d) A general meeting convened as aforesaid by requisitionists shall be
convened in the same manner as nearly as possible as that in which general
meetings are to be convened
by Directors.
NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETINGS
--------------------------
39. At least five days' notice shall be given of an annual general meeting or
any other general meeting. Every notice shall be exclusive of the day on which
it is given or deemed to be given and of the day for which it is given and shall
specify the place, the day and the hour of the meeting and the general nature of
the business and shall be given in manner hereinafter mentioned or in such other
manner if any as may be prescribed by the
12
Company PROVIDED that a general meeting of the Company shall, whether or not the
notice specified in this regulation has been given and whether or not the
provisions of Article 38 have been complied with, be deemed to have been duly
convened if it is so agreed:
(a) in the case of a general meeting called as an annual general
meeting by all the Members entitled to attend and vote thereat
or their proxies; and
(b) in the case of any other general meeting by a majority in
number of the Members having a right to attend and vote at the
meeting, being a majority together holding not less than
seventy-five per cent in nominal value or in the case of
shares without nominal or par value seventy-five per cent of
the shares in issue, or their proxies.
40. The accidental omission to give notice of a general meeting to, or the
non-receipt of notice of a meeting by any person entitled to receive notice
shall not invalidate the proceedings of that meeting.
PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS
-------------------------------
41. No business shall be transacted at any general meeting unless a quorum of
Members is present at the time when the meeting proceeds to business; two
Members present in person or by proxy shall be a quorum provided always that if
the Company has one Member of record the quorum shall be that one Member present
in person or by proxy.
42. A resolution (including a Special Resolution) in writing (in one or more
counterparts) signed by all Members for the time being entitled to receive
notice of and to attend and vote at general meetings (or being corporations by
their duly authorised representatives) shall be as valid and effective as if the
same had been passed at a general meeting of the Company duly convened and held.
43. If within half an hour from the time appointed for the meeting a quorum is
not present, the meeting, if convened upon the requisition of Members, shall be
dissolved and in any other case it shall stand adjourned to the same day in the
next week at the same time and place or to such other time or such other place
as the Directors may determine and if at the adjourned meeting a quorum is not
present within half an hour from the time appointed for the meeting the Members
present shall be a quorum.
44. The Chairman, if any, of the Board of Directors shall preside as Chairman at
every general meeting of the Company, or if there is no such Chairman, or if he
shall not be present within fifteen minutes after the time appointed for the
holding of the meeting, or is
13
unwilling to act, the Directors present shall elect one of their number to be
Chairman of the meeting.
45. If at any general meeting no Director is willing to act as Chairman or if no
Director is present within fifteen minutes after the time appointed for holding
the meeting, the Members present shall choose one of their number to be Chairman
of the meeting.
46. The Chairman may, with the consent of any general meeting duly constituted
hereunder, and shall if so directed by the meeting, adjourn the meeting from
time to time and from place to place, but no business shall be transacted at any
adjourned meeting other than the business left unfinished at the meeting from
which the adjournment took place. When a general meeting is adjourned for thirty
days or more, notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given as in the case of
an original meeting; save as aforesaid it shall not be necessary to give any
notice of an adjournment or of the business to be transacted at an adjourned
general meeting.
47. At any general meeting a resolution put to the vote of the meeting shall be
decided on a show of hands unless a poll is, before or on the declaration of the
result of the show of hands, demanded by the Chairman or any other Member
present in person or by proxy.
48. Unless a poll be so demanded a declaration by the Chairman that a resolution
has on a show of hands been carried, or carried unanimously, or by a particular
majority, or lost, and an entry to that effect in the Company's Minute Book
containing the Minutes of the proceedings of the meeting shall be conclusive
evidence of that fact without proof of the number or proportion of the votes
recorded in favour of or against such resolution.
49. The demand for a poll may be withdrawn.
50. Except as provided in Article 52, if a poll is duly demanded it shall be
taken in such manner as the Chairman directs and the result of the poll shall be
deemed to be the resolution of the general meeting at which the poll was
demanded.
51. In the case of an equality of votes, whether on a show of hands or on a
poll, the Chairman of the general meeting at which the show of hands takes place
or at which the poll is demanded, shall be entitled to a second or casting vote.
52. A poll demanded on the election of a Chairman or on a question of
adjournment shall be taken forthwith. A poll demanded on any other question
shall be taken at such time as the Chairman of the general meeting directs and
any business other than that
14
upon which a poll has been demanded or is contingent thereon may be proceeded
with pending the taking of the poll.
VOTES OF MEMBERS
----------------
53. Subject to any rights or restrictions for the time being attached to any
class or classes of shares, on a show of hands every Member of record present in
person or by proxy at a general meeting shall have one vote and on a poll every
Member of record present in person or by proxy shall have one vote for each
share registered in his name in the register of Members.
54. In the case of joint holders of record the vote of the senior who tenders a
vote, whether in person or by proxy, shall be accepted to the exclusion of the
votes of the other joint holders, and for this purpose seniority shall be
determined by the order in which the names stand in the register of Members.
55. A Member of unsound mind, or in respect of whom an order has been made by
any court, having jurisdiction in lunacy, may vote, whether on a show of hands
or on a poll, by his committee, receiver, curator bonis, or other person in the
nature of a committee, receiver or curator bonis appointed by that court, and
any such committee, receiver, curator
bonis or other persons may vote by proxy.
56. No Member shall be entitled to vote at any general meeting unless he is
registered as a shareholder of the Company on the record date for such meeting
nor unless all calls or other sums presently payable by him in respect of shares
in the Company have been paid.
57. No objection shall be raised to the qualification of any voter except at the
general meeting or adjourned general meeting at which the vote objected to is
given or tendered and every vote not disallowed at such general meeting shall be
valid for all purposes. Any such objection made in due time shall be referred to
the Chairman of the general meeting whose decision shall be final and
conclusive.
58. On a poll or on a show of hands votes may be given either personally or by
proxy.
PROXIES
-------
59. The instrument appointing a proxy shall be in writing and shall be executed
under the hand of the appointor or of his attorney duly authorised in writing,
or, if the
15
appointor is a corporation under the hand of an officer or attorney duly
authorised in that behalf. A proxy need not be a Member of the Company.
60. The instrument appointing a proxy shall be deposited at the registered
office of the Company or at such other place as is specified for that purpose in
the notice convening the meeting no later than the time for holding the meeting,
or adjourned meeting provided that the Chairman of the Meeting may at his
discretion direct that an instrument of proxy shall be deemed to have been duly
deposited upon receipt of telex, cable or telecopy confirmation from the
appointor that the instrument of proxy duly signed is in the course of
transmission to the Company.
61. The instrument appointing a proxy may be in any usual or common form and may
be expressed to be for a particular meeting or any adjournment thereof or
generally until revoked. An instrument appointing a proxy shall be deemed to
include the power to demand or join or concur in demanding a poll.
62. A vote given in accordance with the terms of an instrument of proxy shall be
valid notwithstanding the previous death or insanity of the principal or
revocation of the proxy or of the authority under which the proxy was executed,
or the transfer of the share in respect of which the proxy is given provided
that no intimation in writing of such death, insanity, revocation or transfer as
aforesaid shall have been received by the Company at the registered office
before the commencement of the general meeting, or adjourned meeting at which it
is sought to use the proxy.
63. Any corporation which is a Member of record of the Company may in accordance
with its Articles or in the absence of such provision by resolution of its
Directors or other governing body authorise such person as it thinks fit to act
as its representative at any meeting of the Company or of any class of Members
of the Company, and the person so authorised shall be entitled to exercise the
same powers on behalf of the corporation which he represents as the corporation
could exercise if it were an individual Member of record of the Company.
64. Shares of its own capital belonging to the Company or held by it in a
fiduciary capacity shall not be voted, directly or indirectly, at any meeting
and shall not be counted in determining the total number of outstanding shares
at any given time.
DIRECTORS
---------
65. There shall be a Board of Directors consisting of not less than one or more
than ten persons (exclusive of alternate Directors) PROVIDED HOWEVER that the
Company may from time to time by ordinary resolution increase or reduce the
limits in the
16
number of Directors. The first Directors of the Company shall be determined in
writing by, or appointed by a resolution of, the subscribers of the Memorandum
of Association or a majority of them.
66. The remuneration to be paid to the Directors shall be such remuneration as
the Directors shall determine. Such remuneration shall be deemed to accrue from
day to day. The Directors shall also be entitled to be paid their travelling,
hotel and other expenses properly incurred by them in going to, attending and
returning from meetings of the Directors, or any committee of the Directors, or
general meetings of the Company, or otherwise in connection with the business of
the Company, or to receive a fixed allowance in respect thereof as may be
determined by the Directors from time to time, or a combination partly of one
such method and partly the other.
67. The Directors may by resolution award special remuneration to any Director
of the Company undertaking any special work or services for, or undertaking any
special mission on behalf of, the Company other than his ordinary routine work
as a Director. Any fees paid to a Director who is also counsel or solicitor to
the Company, or otherwise serves it in a professional capacity shall be in
addition to his remuneration as a Director.
68. A Director or alternate Director may hold any other office or place of
profit under the Company (other than the office of Auditor) in conjunction with
his office of Director for such period and on such terms as to remuneration and
otherwise as the Directors may determine.
69. A Director or alternate Director may act by himself or his firm in a
professional capacity for the Company and he or his firm shall be entitled to
remuneration for professional services as if he were not a Director or alternate
Director.
70. A shareholding qualification for Directors may be fixed by the Company in
general meeting, but unless and until so fixed no qualification shall be
required.
71. A Director or alternate Director of the Company may be or become a director
or other officer of or otherwise interested in any company promoted by the
Company or in which the Company may be interested as shareholder or otherwise
and no such Director or alternate Director shall be accountable to the Company
for any remuneration or other benefits received by him as a director or officer
of, or from his interest in, such other company.
72. No person shall be disqualified from the office of Director or alternate
Director or prevented by such office from contracting with the Company, either
as vendor, purchaser or otherwise, nor shall any such contract or any contract
or transaction entered into by or on behalf of the Company in which any Director
or alternate Director shall be in any
17
way interested be or be liable to be avoided, nor shall any Director or
alternate Director so contracting or being so interested be liable to account to
the Company for any profit realised by any such contract or transaction by
reason of such Director holding office or of the fiduciary relation thereby
established. A Director (or his alternate Director in his absence) shall be at
liberty to vote in respect of any contract or transaction in which he is so
interested as aforesaid PROVIDED HOWEVER that the nature of the interest of any
Director or alternate Director in any such contract or transaction shall be
disclosed by him or the alternate Director appointed by him at or prior to its
consideration and any vote thereon.
73. A general notice that a Director or alternate Director is a shareholder of
any specified firm or company and is to be regarded as interested in any
transaction with such firm or company shall be sufficient disclosure under
Article 72 and after such general notice it shall not be necessary to give
special notice relating to any particular transaction.
ALTERNATE DIRECTORS
-------------------
74. Subject to the exception contained in Article 82, a Director who expects to
be unable to attend Directors' Meetings because of absence, illness or otherwise
may appoint any person to be an alternate Director to act in his stead and such
appointee whilst he holds office as an alternate Director shall, in the event of
absence therefrom of his appointor, be entitled to attend meetings of the
Directors and to vote thereat and to do, in the place and stead of his
appointor, any other act or thing which his appointor is permitted or required
to do by virtue of his being a Director as if the alternate Director were the
appointor, other than appointment of an alternate to himself, and he shall ipso
facto vacate office if and when his appointor ceases to be a Director or removes
the appointee from office. Any appointment or removal under this Article shall
be effected by notice in writing under the hand of the Director making the same.
POWERS AND DUTIES OF DIRECTORS
------------------------------
75. The business of the Company shall be managed by the Directors (or a sole
Director if only one is appointed) who may pay all expenses incurred in
promoting, registering and setting up the Company, and may exercise all such
powers of the Company as are not, from time to time by the Statute, or by these
Articles, or such regulations, being not inconsistent with the aforesaid, as may
be prescribed by the Company in general meeting required to be exercised by the
Company in general meeting PROVIDED HOWEVER that no regulations made by the
Company in general meeting shall invalidate any prior act of the Directors which
would have been valid if that regulation had not been made.
76. The Directors may from time to time and at any time by powers of attorney
appoint any company, firm, person or body of persons, whether nominated directly
or
18
indirectly by the Directors, to be the attorney or attorneys of the Company for
such purpose and with such powers, authorities and discretions (not exceeding
those vested in or exercisable by the Directors under these Articles) and for
such period and subject to such conditions as they may think fit, and any such
powers of attorney may contain such provisions for the protection and
convenience of persons dealing with any such attorneys as the Directors may
think fit and may also authorise any such attorney to delegate all or any of the
powers, authorities and discretions vested in him.
77. All cheques, promissory notes, drafts, bills of exchange and other
negotiable instruments and all receipts for monies paid to the Company shall be
signed, drawn, accepted, endorsed or otherwise executed as the case may be in
such manner as the Directors shall from time to time by resolution determine.
78. The Directors shall cause minutes to be made in books provided for the
purpose:
(a) of all appointments of officers made by the Directors;
(b) of the names of the Directors (including those represented thereat
by an alternate or by proxy) present at each meeting of the Directors and of any
committee of the Directors;
(c) of all resolutions and proceedings at all meetings of the Company
and of the Directors and of committees of Directors.
79. The Directors on behalf of the Company may pay a gratuity or pension or
allowance on retirement to any Director who has held any other salaried office
or place of profit with the Company or to his widow or dependants and may make
contributions to any fund and pay premiums for the purchase or provision of any
such gratuity, pension or allowance.
80. The Directors may exercise all the powers of the Company to borrow money and
to mortgage or charge its undertaking, property and uncalled capital or any part
thereof and to issue debentures, debenture stock and other securities whether
outright or as security for any debt, liability or obligation of the Company or
of any third party.
MANAGEMENT
----------
81. (a) The Directors may from time to time provide for the management of the
affairs of the Company in such manner as they shall think fit and the provisions
contained in the
19
three next following paragraphs shall be without prejudice to the general powers
conferred by this paragraph.
(b) The Directors from time to time and at any time may establish any
committees, local boards or agencies for managing any of the affairs of the
Company and may appoint any persons to be members of such committees or local
boards or any managers or agents and
may fix their remuneration.
(c) The Directors from time to time and at any time may delegate to any
such committee, local board, manager or agent any of the powers, authorities and
discretions for the time being vested in the Directors and may authorise the
members for the time being of any such local board, or any of them to fill up
any vacancies therein and to act notwithstanding vacancies and any such
appointment or delegation may be made on such terms and subject to such
conditions as the Directors may think fit and the Directors may at any time
remove any person so appointed and may annul or vary any such delegation, but no
person dealing in good faith and without notice of any such annulment or
variation shall be affected thereby.
(d) Any such delegates as aforesaid may be authorised by the Directors
to subdelegate all or any of the powers, authorities, and discretions for the
time being vested in them.
MANAGING DIRECTORS
------------------
82. The Directors may, from time to time, appoint one or more of their body (but
not an alternate Director) to the office of Managing Director for such term and
at such remuneration (whether by way of salary, or commission, or participation
in profits, or partly in one way and partly in another) as they may think fit
but his appointment shall be subject to determination ipso facto if he ceases
from any cause to be a Director and no alternate Director appointed by him can
act in his stead as a Director or Managing Director.
83. The Directors may entrust to and confer upon a Managing Director any of the
powers exercisable by them upon such terms and conditions and with such
restrictions as they may think fit and either collaterally with or to the
exclusion of their own powers and may from time to time revoke, withdraw, alter
or vary all or any of such powers.
PROCEEDINGS OF DIRECTORS
------------------------
84. Except as otherwise provided by these Articles, the Directors shall meet
together for the despatch of business, convening, adjourning and otherwise
regulating their meetings as they think fit. Questions arising at any meeting
shall be decided by a majority of
20
votes of the Directors and alternate Directors present at a meeting at which
there is a quorum, the vote of an alternate Director not being counted if his
appointor be present at such meeting. In case of an equality of votes, the
Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.
85. A Director or alternate Director may, and the Secretary on the requisition
of a Director or alternate Director shall, at any time summon a meeting of the
Directors by at least two days' notice in writing to every Director and
alternate Director which notice shall set forth the general nature of the
business to be considered unless notice is waived by all the Directors (or their
alternates) either at, before or after the meeting is held and PROVIDED FURTHER
if notice is given in person, by cable, telex or telecopy the same shall be
deemed to have been given on the day it is delivered to the Directors or
transmitting organisation as the case may be. The provisions of Article 40 shall
apply mutatis mutandis with respect to notices of meetings of Directors.
86. The quorum necessary for the transaction of the business of the Directors
may be fixed by the Directors and unless so fixed shall be two, a Director and
his appointed alternate Director being considered only one person for this
purpose, PROVIDED ALWAYS that if there shall at any time be only a sole Director
the quorum shall be one. For the purposes of this Article an alternate Director
or proxy appointed by a Director shall be counted in a quorum at a meeting at
which the Director appointing him is not present.
87. The continuing Directors may act notwithstanding any vacancy in their body,
but if and so long as their number is reduced below the number fixed by or
pursuant to these Articles as the necessary quorum of Directors the continuing
Directors or Director may act for the purpose of increasing the number of
Directors to that number, or of summoning a general meeting of the Company, but
for no other purpose.
88. The Directors may elect a Chairman of their Board and determine the period
for which he is to hold office; but if no such Chairman is elected, or if at any
meeting the Chairman is not present within five minutes after the time appointed
for holding the same, the Directors present may choose one of their number to be
Chairman of the meeting.
89. The Directors may delegate any of their powers to committees consisting of
such member or members of the Board of Directors (including Alternate Directors
in the absence of their appointors) as they think fit; any committee so formed
shall in the exercise of the powers so delegated conform to any regulations that
may be imposed on it by the
Directors.
90. A committee may meet and adjourn as it thinks proper. Questions arising at
any meeting shall be determined by a majority of votes of the members present,
and in the case of an equality of votes the Chairman shall have a second or
casting vote.
21
91. All acts done by any meeting of the Directors or of a committee of Directors
(including any person acting as an alternate Director) shall, notwithstanding
that it be afterwards discovered that there was some defect in the appointment
of any Director or alternate Director, or that they or any of them were
disqualified, be as valid as if every such person had been duly appointed and
qualified to be a Director or alternate Director as the case may be.
92. Members of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof may
participate in a meeting of the Board or of such committee by means of
conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all
persons participating in the meeting can hear each other and participation in a
meeting pursuant to this provision shall constitute presence in person at such
meeting. A resolution in writing (in one or more counterparts), signed by all
the Directors for the time being or all the members of a committee of Directors
(an alternate Director being entitled to sign such resolution on behalf of his
appointor) shall be as valid and effectual as if it had been passed at a meeting
of the Directors or committee as the case may be duly convened and held.
93. (a) A Director may be represented at any meetings of the Board of Directors
by a proxy appointed by him in which event the presence or vote of the proxy
shall for all purposes be deemed to be that of the Director.
(b) The provisions of Articles 59-62 shall mutatis mutandis apply to
the appointment of proxies by Directors.
VACATION OF OFFICE OF DIRECTOR
------------------------------
94. The office of a Director shall be vacated:
(a) if he gives notice in writing to the Company that he resigns
the office of Director;
(b) if he absents himself (without being represented by proxy or
an alternate Director appointed by him) from three consecutive
meetings of the Board of Directors without special leave of
absence from the Directors, and they pass a resolution that he
has by reason of such absence vacated office;
(c) if he dies, becomes bankrupt or makes any arrangement or
composition with his creditors generally;
(d) if he is found a lunatic or becomes of unsound mind.
22
APPOINTMENT AND REMOVAL OF DIRECTORS
------------------------------------
95. The Company may by ordinary resolution appoint any person to be a Director
and may in like manner remove any Director and may in like manner appoint
another person in his stead.
96. The Directors shall have power at any time and from time to time to appoint
any person to be a Director, either to fill a casual vacancy or as an addition
to the existing Directors but so that the total amount of Directors (exclusive
of alternate Directors) shall not at any time exceed the number fixed in
accordance with these Articles.
PRESUMPTION OF ASSENT
---------------------
97. A Director of the Company who is present at a meeting of the Board of
Directors at which action on any Company matter is taken shall be presumed to
have assented to the action taken unless his dissent shall be entered in the
Minutes of the meeting or unless he shall file his written dissent from such
action with the person acting as the Secretary of the meeting before the
adjournment thereof or shall forward such dissent by registered mail to such
person immediately after the adjournment of the meeting. Such right to dissent
shall not apply to a Director who voted in favour of such action.
SEAL
----
98. (a) The Company may, if the Directors so determine, have a Seal which shall,
subject to paragraph (c) hereof, only be used by the authority of the Directors
or of a committee of the Directors authorised by the Directors in that behalf
and every instrument to which the Seal has been affixed shall be signed by one
person who shall be either a Director or the Secretary or Secretary-Treasurer or
some person appointed by the Directors for the purpose.
(b) The Company may have for use in any place or places outside the
Cayman Islands a duplicate Seal or Seals each of which shall be a facsimile of
the Common Seal of the Company and, if the Directors so determine, with the
addition on its face of the name of
every place where it is to be used.
(c) A Director, Secretary or other officer or representative or
attorney may without further authority of the Directors affix the Seal of the
Company over his signature alone to any document of the Company required to be
authenticated by him under Seal or to be filed with the Registrar of Companies
in the Cayman Islands or elsewhere wheresoever.
23
OFFICERS
--------
99. The Company may have a President, a Secretary or Secretary-Treasurer
appointed by the Directors who may also from time to time appoint such other
officers as they consider necessary, all for such terms, at such remuneration
and to perform such duties, and subject to such provisions as to
disqualification and removal as the Directors from time to
time prescribe.
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND RESERVE
------------------------------------
100. Subject to the Statute, the Directors may from time to time declare
dividends (including interim dividends) and distributions on shares of the
Company outstanding and authorise payment of the same out of the funds of the
Company lawfully available therefor.
101. The Directors may, before declaring any dividends or distributions, set
aside such sums as they think proper as a reserve or reserves which shall at the
discretion of the Directors, be applicable for any purpose of the Company and
pending such application may, at the like discretion, be employed in the
business of the Company.
102. No dividend or distribution shall be payable except out of the profits of
the Company, realised or unrealised, or out of the share premium account or as
otherwise permitted by the Statute.
103. Subject to the rights of persons, if any, entitled to shares with special
rights as to dividends or distributions, if dividends or distributions are to be
declared on a class of shares they shall be declared and paid according to the
amounts paid or credited as paid on the shares of such class outstanding on the
record date for such dividend or distribution as determined in accordance with
these Articles but no amount paid or credited as paid on a share in advance of
calls shall be treated for the purpose of this Article as paid on the share.
104. The Directors may deduct from any dividend or distribution payable to any
Member all sums of money (if any) presently payable by him to the Company on
account of calls or otherwise.
105. The Directors may declare that any dividend or distribution be paid wholly
or partly by the distribution of specific assets and in particular of paid up
shares, debentures, or debenture stock of any other company or in any one or
more of such ways and where any difficulty arises in regard to such
distribution, the Directors may settle the same as they think expedient and in
particular may issue fractional certificates and fix the value for distribution
of such specific assets or any part thereof and may determine that cash payments
shall be made to any Members upon the footing of the value so fixed in order to
adjust the rights of
24
all Members and may vest any such specific assets in trustees as may seem
expedient to the Directors.
106. Any dividend, distribution, interest or other monies payable in cash in
respect of shares may be paid by cheque or warrant sent through the post
directed to the registered address of the holder or, in the case of joint
holders, to the holder who is first named on the register of Members or to such
person and to such address as such holder or joint holders may in writing
direct. Every such cheque or warrant shall be made payable to the order of the
person to whom it is sent. Any one of two or more joint holders may give
effectual receipts for any dividends, bonuses, or other monies payable in
respect of the share held by them as joint holders.
107. No dividend or distribution shall bear interest against the Company.
CAPITALISATION
--------------
108. The Company may upon the recommendation of the Directors by ordinary
resolution authorise the Directors to capitalise any sum standing to the credit
of any of the Company's reserve accounts (including share premium account and
capital redemption reserve fund) or any sum standing to the credit of profit and
loss account or otherwise available for distribution and to appropriate such sum
to Members in the proportions in which such sum would have been divisible
amongst them had the same been a distribution of profits by way of dividend and
to apply such sum on their behalf in paying up in full unissued shares for
allotment and distribution credited as fully paid up to and amongst them in the
proportion aforesaid. In such event the Directors shall do all acts and things
required to give effect to such capitalisation, with full power to the Directors
to make such provisions as they think fit for the case of shares becoming
distributable in fractions (including provisions whereby the benefit of
fractional entitlements accrue to the Company rather than to the Members
concerned). The Directors may authorise any person to enter on behalf of all of
the Members interested into an agreement with the Company providing for such
capitalisation and matters incidental thereto and any agreement made under such
authority shall be effective and binding on all concerned.
BOOKS OF ACCOUNT
----------------
109. The Directors shall cause proper books of account to be kept with respect
to:
(a) all sums of money received and expended by the Company and the
matters in respect of which the receipt or expenditure takes
place;
(b) all sales and purchases of goods by the Company;
25
(c) the assets and liabilities of the Company.
Proper books shall not be deemed to be kept if there are not kept such books of
account as are necessary to give a true and fair view of the state of the
Company's affairs and to explain its transactions.
110. The Directors shall from time to time determine whether and to what extent
and at what times and places and under what conditions or regulations the
accounts and books of the Company or any of them shall be open to the inspection
of Members not being Directors and no Member (not being a Director) shall have
any right of inspecting any account or book or document of the Company except as
conferred by Statute or authorised by the Directors or by the Company in general
meeting.
111. The Directors may from time to time cause to be prepared and to be laid
before the Company in general meeting profit and loss accounts, balance sheets,
group accounts (if any) and such other reports and accounts as may be required
by law.
AUDIT
-----
112. The Company may at any annual general meeting appoint an Auditor or
Auditors of the Company who shall hold office until the next annual general
meeting and may fix his or their remuneration.
113. The Directors may before the first annual general meeting appoint an
Auditor or Auditors of the Company who shall hold office until the first annual
general meeting unless previously removed by an ordinary resolution of the
Members in general meeting in which case the Members at that meeting may appoint
Auditors. The Directors may fill any casual vacancy in the office of Auditor but
while any such vacancy continues the surviving or continuing Auditor or
Auditors, if any, may act. The remuneration of any Auditor appointed by the
Directors under this Article may be fixed by the Directors.
114. Every Auditor of the Company shall have a right of access at all times to
the books and accounts and vouchers of the Company and shall be entitled to
require from the Directors and Officers of the Company such information and
explanation as may be necessary
for the performance of the duties of the auditors.
115. Auditors shall at the next annual general meeting following their
appointment and at any other time during their term of office, upon request of
the Directors or any general meeting of the Members, make a report on the
accounts of the Company in general meeting
during their tenure of office.
26
NOTICES
-------
116. Notices shall be in writing and may be given by the Company to any Member
either personally or by sending it by post, cable, telex or telecopy to him or
to his address as shown in the register of Members, such notice, if mailed, to
be forwarded airmail if the address be outside the Cayman Islands.
117. (a) Where a notice is sent by post, service of the notice shall be deemed
to be effected by properly addressing, pre-paying and posting a letter
containing the notice, and to have been effected at the expiration of sixty
hours after the letter containing the same is posted as aforesaid.
(b) Where a notice is sent by cable, telex, or telecopy, service of the
notice shall be deemed to be effected by properly addressing, and sending such
notice through a transmitting organisation and to have been effected on the day
the same is sent as aforesaid.
118. A notice may be given by the Company to the joint holders of record of a
share by giving the notice to the joint holder first named on the register of
Members in respect of the share.
119. A notice may be given by the Company to the person or persons which the
Company has been advised are entitled to a share or shares in consequence of the
death or bankruptcy of a Member by sending it through the post as aforesaid in a
pre-paid letter addressed to them by name, or by the title of representatives of
the deceased, or trustee of the bankrupt, or by any like description at the
address supplied for that purpose by the persons claiming to be so entitled, or
at the option of the Company by giving the notice in any manner in which the
same might have been given if the death or bankruptcy had not occurred.
120. Notice of every general meeting shall be given in any manner hereinbefore
authorised to:
(a) every person shown as a Member in the register of Members as
of the record date for such meeting except that in the case of
joint holders the notice shall be sufficient if given to the
joint holder first named in the register of Members.
(b) every person upon whom the ownership of a share devolves by
reason of his being a legal personal representative or a
trustee in bankruptcy of a Member of record where the Member
of record but for his death or bankruptcy would be entitled to
receive notice of the meeting; and
27
No other person shall be entitled to receive notices of general meetings.
WINDING UP
----------
121. If the Company shall be wound up the liquidator may, with the sanction of a
Special Resolution of the Company and any other sanction required by the
Statute, divide amongst the Members in specie or kind the whole or any part of
the assets of the Company (whether they shall consist of property of the same
kind or not) and may for such purpose set such value as he deems fair upon any
property to be divided as aforesaid and may determine how such division shall be
carried out as between the Members or different classes of Members. The
liquidator may with the like sanction, vest the whole or any part of such assets
in trustees upon such trusts for the benefit of the contributories as the
liquidator, with the like sanction, shall think fit, but so that no Member shall
be compelled to accept any shares or other securities whereon there is any
liability.
122. If the Company shall be wound up, and the assets available for distribution
amongst the Members as such shall be insufficient to repay the whole of the
paid-up capital, such assets shall be distributed so that, as nearly as may be,
the losses shall be borne by the Members in proportion to the capital paid up,
or which ought to have been paid up, at the commencement of the winding up on
the shares held by them respectively. And if in a winding up the assets
available for distribution amongst the Members shall be more than sufficient to
repay the whole of the capital paid up at the commencement of the winding up,
the excess shall be distributed amongst the Members in proportion to the capital
paid up at the commencement of the winding up on the shares held by them
respectively. This Article is to be without prejudice to the rights of the
holders of shares issued upon special terms and conditions.
INDEMNITY
---------
123. The Directors and officers for the time being of the Company and any
trustee for the time being acting in relation to any of the affairs of the
Company and their heirs, executors, administrators and personal representatives
respectively shall be indemnified out of the assets of the Company from and
against all actions, proceedings, costs, charges, losses, damages and expenses
which they or any of them shall or may incur or sustain by reason of any act
done or omitted in or about the execution of their duty in their respective
offices or trusts, except such (if any) as they shall incur or sustain by or
through their own wilful neglect or default respectively and no such Director,
officer or trustee shall be answerable for the acts, receipts, neglects or
defaults of any other Director, officer or trustee or for joining in any receipt
for the sake of conformity or for the solvency or honesty of any banker or other
persons with whom any monies or effects belonging to the Company may be lodged
or deposited for safe custody or for any insufficiency of any security upon
which any
28
monies of the Company may be invested or for any other loss or damage due to any
such cause as aforesaid or which may happen in or about the execution of his
office or trust unless the same shall happen through the wilful neglect or
default of such Director, Officer or trustee.
FINANCIAL YEAR
--------------
124. Unless the Directors otherwise prescribe, the financial year of the Company
shall end on 31st December in each year and, following the year of
incorporation, shall begin on 1st January in each year.
AMENDMENTS OF ARTICLES
----------------------
125. Subject to the Statute, the Company may at any time and from time to time
by Special Resolution alter or amend these Articles in whole or in part.
TRANSFER BY WAY OF CONTINUATION
-------------------------------
126. If the Company is exempted as defined in the Statute, it shall, subject to
the provisions of the Statute and with the approval of a Special Resolution,
have the power to register by way of continuation as a body corporate under the
laws of any jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands and to be deregistered in
the Cayman Islands.