Statute

MIPP STATUTE 2022 – Malta Institute of Professional Photography (VO 0438)

GENERAL
Clause 1(a)
Mission Statement
Our motto is professionalism and excellence in all aspects. The Institute’s main objectives are the furtherance and improvement of photography and photography practitioners together with the safeguarding of the profession. The MIPP is also pledged to providing valid vocational academic and non-academic training, education and certified Qualifications.
The official mailing address of the MIPP is 76, Triq Brittanja, Paola PLA1426, Malta.

Clause 1(b)
The official MIPP languages are Maltese and English. The official MIPP Statute is to be available in both versions.

Clause 1(c)
The MIPP is declared to be a Voluntary, Autonomous and Non-Profit Organization, as defined in the Voluntary Organisations Act (Chapter 492, the laws of Malta). It is officially registered as a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO – registration number 0438). The MIPP is also licensed with the National Commission for Further and Higher Education as a Further Education Institution (license number 2014-FH1013). No part of the organization’s income, capital or property shall be available directly or indirectly to any promoter, member, administrator, donor or other private interest.

Clause1(d)
The Institute shall be administered by an Executive Committee of 7 members. All those filling the official posts must be MIPP members. All elected executive committee members will have full voting powers. All members will have a designated role.

Clause 1(e)
At any time during tenure of office, the Executive Committee may choose any persons to assist and improve with the running of the Institute. These individuals will not have any voting powers but may be invited to attend official committees on an advisory basis.

Clause 1 (f)
All cheques issued by the Institute are to be signed by any two of the following three signatories – President, General Secretary, Treasurer. MIPP transactions or services pertaining to banking, (including electronic transactions via internet), must also to be authorized by the same three persons.

Clause 1 (g)
Should the M.I.P.P. be dissolved, any assets remaining after settling liabilities shall be disposed of in favour of another organisations with similar aims or as determined by a General Meeting. To be effective, such decisions require a two-thirds majority vote from members eligible to vote.

Clause 1(h)
Individuals may be appointed by the Executive Committee this individual will be responsible for MIPP related work and will be answerable to the Executive Committee. Payment for services will be agreed prior to agreement. This agreement, at the discretion of the Executive Committee, may be terminated or renewed after periods of six months. Executive Committee members are also eligible for this appointment but the work assigned and remunerated is to be outside the agreed Committee duties and responsibilities. At all times, the administrators must keep a register of associated members which shall be made available to any person authorised at law or by the Court.

Clause 1(i)
The Executive Committee representing and on behalf of all MIPP members is allowed to own immovable property, to borrow and raise money and secure or discharge any debt or obligation of or binding on the Institute in such manner as may be thought fit in particular by hypothecs, mortgages of or charges upon the assets present and future or by creation and issue of hypothecs, or other obligations or securities of any description where necessary and in relation to the aims and the official Statute of the Institute. In all such cases, a two-thirds vote in committee is needed.

Clause 1 (j) The MIPP may
(i) obtain a pecuniary gain from its activities when such gain is not received or credited to any private interest but is exclusively utilised for the purposes of the organisation;
(ii) buy or sell or otherwise deal in goods or services where such activities are exclusively related to its principal purposes.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Clause 2 (a)
The Executive Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting.

Clause 2 (b)
A member standing for election to the Executive Committee must be proposed and seconded by any two fully paid members. Nomination forms, signed by all three, shall be submitted by no later than two weeks prior to the Annual General Meeting. MIPP official sponsors andor their official representatives cannot apply to stand for election to the Executive Committee, but may be opted in as Consultants to the Committee by a majority vote from the Executive Committee. Consultants will not have voting powers in the Committee.

All applicants must have been fully paid up members of the MIPP for at least one year prior to that particular AGM before they can apply for committee.

Clause 2(c)
Members may also opt to contest one particular post in the Committee. In this case, the applicant must have been a fully paid up member of the MIPP for the last two years prior to that particular AGM. This option must be declared when submitting the nomination form.

Clause 2 (d)
Two tellers, (as well as a person appointed to record the official minutes), are to be nominated and seconded in order to run the voting process. These have all to be accepted by a majority vote from the eligible voting members.
Proceedings may also be recorded on audiovideo tape.

Clause 2 (e)
Any posts not decided by the AGM will be assigned by the newly elected Committee. To be elected for an Executive post, a member must first be voted in as an ordinary committee member and must obtain at least two thirds of the total number of the eligible votes at the actual AGM. All voting shall be done in one process and on one voting sheet. If less than the required number of members apply to contest Committee elections in an AGM or EGM, the meeting will still be held and the Committee formed by the contesting members. If, however, less than four members apply, the meeting will be postponed at intervals of fifteen days until enough nominations are submitted. During this further nomination period, which must not exceed two months, the outgoing Committee will retain its duties as a ‘Caretaker Committee.’ If after the two months not enough submissions are received, an EGM will be held in order to decide the future of the MIPP.

Clause 2 (f)
Members of the Executive Committee shall be elected for a term of one year. Outgoing members are also eligible for re-election. Should a Committee member resign from hisher post, but not from the Committee itself, the current Committee members will re-assign the particular post.

Clause 2 (g)
In the event of a vacancy occurring on the Executive Committee, this may be filled by the member obtaining the next highest number of votes in the previous election with the committee again reviewing all offices. When this option is not chosen, the Committee can either call an Extraordinary General meeting to specifically elect a new member, or operate with no less than 4 members till the end of that particular term.

Clause 2 (h)
The quorum of an Executive Committee meeting shall be three members. If this number is less, the meeting will be adjourned. Should the quorum not be attained at the next scheduled meeting, the Committee will commence fifteen minutes after the scheduled time and all decisions will be binding.

Clause 2 (i)
For the purpose and to conform with the Income Tax Law, the Hon. Treasurer shall be required to draw up a statement of Accounts for that current year ending 31st December. This statement shall be approved by a majority vote in committee, officially signed by two current committee members and presented for approval at the Annual General Meeting.

Clause 2 (j)
The outgoing MIPP Secretary General shall be responsible for chairing EGMAGM proceedings. He shall present the Annual Report of the Institute at the AGM. This report must be sent to all members at least two weeks prior to the AGM.

Clause 2 (k)
Any Executive Committee member failing to attend three consecutive meetings without justifiable reason may be required to resign from hisher post. During the period in office, an Executive Committee member has to attend 75% of the meetings in order to be allowed nomination for the next election.

Clause 2 (l)
The AGM shall be held by not later then March of each year. An Extraordinary General Meeting can be convened by the Executive Committee if considered necessary or if requested by not less than one-third of the current General membership eligible to vote.

Clause 2 (m)
The quorum for an AGM or EGM shall be one third of the current general membership eligible to vote. In the absence of such quorum, subject to the minimum attendance of four (4) Executive Committee members and not less than five (5) paid up members present, the AGMEGM shall be held, with the same agenda, fifteen minutes later and all decisions taken shall be binding on the Institute as a whole.

Clause 2 (n)
In the absence of such a quorum, the Chairman may decide to postpone the meeting by not more than 30 minutes and if no quorum is reached, postpone the meeting to another date.

Clause 2 (o)
In the further absence of such a quorum, as stated above, after the AGM andor EGM is postponed, the quorum shall be the number of eligible members present. The meeting shall be held, with the same agenda, fifteen minutes later and all decisions taken shall be binding on the Institute as a whole.
Clause 2 (p)
The Minutes of an AGM or an EGM are to be finalized and sent to all MIPP members by not later than one month from the completion of the AGM or EGM. Clause 2 (q) Members attending an EGMAGM are to be aware that their interventions together with their names will be recorded in the official minutes and can be made public.

Clause 2 (r)
Non-members may attend an AGMEGM strictly as observers but will not be accepted should any MIPP member present for the meeting object to their presence.

MEMBERSHIP

Clause 3 (a)
The MIPP has four categories of Membership
namely MEMBER, PENSIONER, OVERSEAS MEMBER and JOINT MEMBERSHIP.

‘MEMBER’ is any person whose objective is to attain a professional level in his photography.
‘PENSIONER’ is any member who has reached hisher pension age and has a 60 plus ID Card.
‘JOINT MEMBERSHIP’ are those members who are married or cohabiting in the same residential address.
‘OVERSEAS MEMBER’ are those members who are not residing in Malta.

All categories of Membership denote full acceptance and abidance of the MIPP Code of Conduct.

Clause 3 (b)
A person applying for membership to the Institute must have passed the age of consent on the application date as established by Maltese law.

Clause 3 (c)
Subscription shall be as follows:
• MIPP Member €40 annually
• MIPP Overseas Member €30 annually
• Members 61 years and over €25 annually Option A
• Members 61 years and over €200 one-time payment Option B
• Joint Membership
• (Married / cohabiting Couples) €60 annually ( ID card proof bearing the same residence is required.)

New member subscriptions that are paid in full after the 1st June will cover the member’s full dues for the following year. All subscriptions are to be paid in advance and fall due on the 1st of January of each year. All Executive Committee members are exempted from paying their subscription fee during their term of office.

Membership in the MIPP signifies the acceptance and adherence to the Institute’s Code of Ethics, Rules and Regulations as well as this official Statute.

Clause 3 (d)
A member whose subscription is still in arrears three weeks from the 1st of January shall be sent a reminder. The absence of payment by the date of the AGM will indicate the member’s voluntary resignation from the Institute.
The Executive Committee may, at any time, demand the return of any official certificates issued by the Institute. All MIPP Certificates remain the property of the Institute.

Clause 3 (e)
All new memberships are to be reviewed at an official Executive
Committee meeting and decisions are to be documented in the official minutes. For one to be accepted as an MIPP member, a majority vote is needed in the Committee.
The MIPP Executive Committee reserves the right to reject any application.
The MIPP Committee also reserves the right to revoke any membership at any time it may deem fit.
Such decisions have to carry a two thirds majority Committee vote.

Clause 3 (f)
All MIPP Members and one appointed representative from each of the major MIPP sponsors will have full voting powers as long as they have been members for at least three months prior to an EGM AGM.

DISCIPLINARY MEASURES

Clause 4 (a)
Any member alleged to have brought, or attempted to bring disrepute to the MIPP may be asked to appear before the Executive Committee. If the case is proven, necessary measures will be adopted. A member may be forfeited of hisher membership after being reprimanded, with no refunds given. The case can be made public if the reproved member does not remedy and prove to adhere strictly to the MIPP “Code of Ethics”. If the said member fails to appear before the Executive Committee without justification, a decision will be taken and communicated to the said member. Any membership can also be terminated with immediate effect if this said member is considered by the Executive Committee to be working against the interests of the MIPP andor Photography. For such decisions to be taken, a minimum two thirds majority vote of the Committee is necessary.

Clause 4 (b)
The MIPP strongly condemns in any form the copying of “Copyrighted” images or material from any source whatsoever. In such cases, when the infringement is proven, the Committee reserves the right to take any disciplinary action it deems fit.

AWARDS

Clause 5 (a)
The Executive Committee and Members may recommend the Honorary Life Membership of the Institute to those persons, who in their opinion deserve recognition for their special services to the MIPP. An Honorary Award can be awarded in recognition of outstanding contributions to the advancement of Photography. Honorary Life Awards can only be given to Members of the MIPP and are restricted to not more than one Award per year. Since personal achievement alone does not necessarily contribute to the advancement of photography, it does not qualify the candidate unless combined with outstanding elements of service in favour of the MIPP. Nominees must be MIPP members for at least five years and proposed and seconded by MIPP members.

Clause5 (b)
The Executive Committee and Members may also recommend persons (not necessarily MIPP members) for the “MIPP Photography Award of Recognition” for their outstanding service and support to Photography.

Clause5 (c)
All nominations for Awards are to reach the Executive Committee in writing by the end of September of each year.

Clause 5 (d)
The Executive Committee will take the responsibility to discuss, decide and vote on any nominations received. The panel must consist of 7 persons including the Committee. The committee will nominate persons from outside its ranks in order to make up the required number of persons on the adjudicating panel. Successful nominations, which need to have at least a three member majority in the panel, will be announced and awards given by the end of the nomination year. Nominees must be proposed and Seconded by MIPP members.

Should a current Committee member be nominated, the nomination would be decided in the absence of such member. The nominated member would, therefore, not have a vote on the decision.

Clause 5 (e)
The committee can also bestow an Honorary Membership to persons deemed to have assisted and helped the MIPP. Such memberships need at least 4 favourable votes out of the 5 executive committee eligible votes. Honorary Memberships are given for a limited period and can be withdrawn again through the same process.

ALTERATIONS ANDOR AMENDMENTS TO STATUTE

Clause 6
Alterations to this statue shall be subject to a two-thirds majority of the Eligible members present at the Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting. Only fully paid members may submit Statute amendments to the Executive Committee at least four weeks prior to such meetings. Such amendments must be submitted in writing. Members shall be sent copies of an AGM or EGM agenda at least two weeks before the date of such meetings.

Clause 7
Should the MIPP be dissolved, any assets remaining after settling liabilities shall be disposed of as determined by an Extraordinary or a General Meeting.

Revised and approved 21st February 2022 MIPP AGM

Download the official statute from here