Monday, 3rd August 2009

The Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ADCCI) has called upon all its members who have valid memberships to participate in the process of nomination and voting as part of the ADCCI 2010 Board Election scheduled to be held in the first half of December this instant year, given that the term of the board will last for four years. The call came in a press release issued by the chamber on the occasion of its announcement opening the door for standing for membership of the ADCCI 2010 Board pursuant to the Law No. 27 of 2005 Re-organizing the ADCCI.

In its Article 7, the Law of 2005 denotes that the ADCCI General Meeting is composed of all Chamber Members, that attending and taking part in voting shall be confined to those who have paid their annual fees in a manner that the general assembly shall meet once every four years upon the election of a new board of directors, and that the general meeting may be convened at the request of the board or of 20% of Chamber Members if required, HE Mohammed Rashed Al Hameli, the ADCCI Director-General said, explaining that “It is enshrined in Article 9 of the Chamber Law that the ADCCI Board Chairman shall, at least one month prior to holding a general meeting, convene the general assembly, something which should be published in a local newspaper; and that in the absence of a fulfilled quorum at such meeting, a second one will have to be convened at least a fortnight posterior to the date of the previous meeting. The meeting shall be valid, regardless of the number of present members”.
Nomination for the ADCCI 4-year-term Board 2010 Election will kick-start on the 16th of this instant month of August and last until 15th September 2009, Mr. Al Hameli noted, calling upon the would-be candidates to report personally to the Election Affairs’ Office based on the first floor of the Chamber Tower for purposes of filling in a nomination form and of attaching necessary documents in accordance with Article 18 of the Chamber Law No. 27 of 2005.

Mr. Al Hameli stated that the said law provided that those who are desirous of running for membership of the ADCCI Board should be members registered with the chamber and ones who have paid their entire annual fees. Moreover, they should have been engaged in business or industrial activities for no less than three consecutive years, plus their being holders of a membership of a trade licence that is valid on the date of elections. In addition, they should enjoy full legal capacity, good conduct and be ones who have never been convicted in a crime of turpitude or dishonesty unless they have been rehabilitated. Similarly, a would-be candidate should be no less than twenty-one calendar years old with the business registered in his own name or in his capacity as partner.

As regards documents required for one to run for the ADCCI Board membership, the ADCCI Director-General mentioned that a would-be nominee will have to bring in copies of a valid passport, family registration (for UAE nationals only), an ID, a commercial membership renewed for three running years + trade licences and the last renewed membership + trade licence, along with 3 up-to-date personal photographs and a certificate of good conduct.

It is worthwhile that, within 60 days as from bringing nomination to a close on 15th September 2009, a list of candidates whose nomination would be approved will be announced in newspapers.