Antigua and Barbuda (CAP. 29 1
Red Cross Society

CHAPTER 29

T H E ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA RED CROSS
SOCIETY ACT

Arrangement of Sections
Section

1. Short title.
2. Interpretation.
3. Establishment of Society.
4. Society to be body corporate.
5. Objects of Society.
6. Recognition as a Voluntary Aid Society.
7. Independence of Society.
8. Emblem, use of, offence.
9. Power of Minister to make provisions for use of emblem.

10. General Assembly.
11. Power of General Assembly to make rules.

SCHEDULE.

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Antigua and Barbuda (CAP. 29 3
Red Cross Society

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA RED CROSS SOCIETY
An Act for the Incorporation of the Antigua and Barbuda
Red Cross Society and for matters incidental thereto and
connected therewith.

(1st November, 1983.)

1. This Act may be cited as the Antigua and Barbuda Short tit'e.
Red Cross Society Act.

2. In this Act, unless a contrary intention appears- Interpretation.

"Branch" means the Antigua and Barbuda Branch of
the British Red Cross Society that was in opera-
tion before the commencement of this Act;

"Constitution7' means the rules made by the General
Assembly in accordance with the powers given
under section 10;

"Schedule Conventions" means the conventions
specified in the Schedule;

"Society" means the Antigua and Barbuda Red Cross
Society;

"Minister" means the Minister charged with respon-
sibility for voluntary Organizations.

3. O n the commencement of this Act- Establishment of
Society.

(1) There shall be established and constituted the
Antigua and Barbuda Red Cross Society which shall be the
sole national Red Cross Society in Antigua and Barbuda.

(2) All assets and liabilities of the Branch shall be
deemed to have been transferred to and vested in the Society
by virtue of this Section and without further assurance, and
the Society shall have all the powers necessary to take posse-
ssion, recover and deal with such assets and discharge such
liabilities.

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4 CAP. 29) Antigua and Barbuda
Red Cross Society

(3) All deeds, bonds, instruments and contracts sub-
sisting immediately before the day on which this Act comes
into operation and to which the Branch is a party shall be
of as full force and effect against or in favour of the Society
and enforceable as fully and effectually as if instead of the
Branch the Society had been a party thereto.

( 4 ) Officers of the Branch shall hold corresponding
appointments in the Society until other provisions are made
in accordance with rules made under this Act, but subject
to any provision contained in the aforesaid rules.

Society to be
body corporate. 4. The Society shall be a body corporate under the

name of the Antigua and Barbuda Red Cross Society, hav-
ing perpetual succession and a common seal, with power
to sue and be sued, purchase, acquire, hold, manage and
dispose of movable and immovable property and to enter
into any such contracts and to do all such things as it may
consider necessary or expedient for the purpose of perform-
ing its functions or achieving its objects under this Act.

Objects of
Society. 5 . (1) The objects of the Society shall be-

(a ) to act in case of armed conflict, and in peace
prepare to act in all the fields covered by the Scheduled
Conventions and on behalf of all war victims, both
civilian and military;

(b ) to contribute to the improvement of health, the
prevention of disease and the mitigation of suffering by
programmes of training and services for the benefit of
the community, adapted to national and local needs and
circumstances;

(c) to organise, within the scope of the national
plan, emergency relief services for the victims of
disasters, howsoever caused;

(6) to recruit, train and assign such personnel as
are necessary for the discharge of its responsibilities;

( e ) to promote the participation of children and
young people in the work of the Red Cross;

(f) to propagate the Fundamental Principles of the
Red Cross and of International Humanitarian Law in
order to develop among the population, and in particular

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Antigua and Barbuda (CAP. 29 5
Red Cross Society

among children and youth, the ideals of peace, mutual
respect and understanding among all men and all
peoples.

(2) In pursuing the objects referred to in subsection ( 1 )
of this Section the Society shall not make any adverse distinc-
tion founded on sex, race, nationality, religion or political
opinions or any other similar criteria and shall act in accor-
dance with the spirit and principles of the Scheduled
Conventions.

6 . The Society is hereby recognised by the Govern- k;$z;: a
ment of Antigua and Barbuda as a Voluntary Aid Society society.
auxiliary to the public authorities and acting for the benefit
of the Civilian Population both for the purpose of the
Scheduled Conventions and otherwise and shall have the right
in conformity with the Scheduled Conventions to use the
hereldic emblem of a Red Cross on a white ground, as
hereinafter contained in Section 8.

7. The independent and voluntary nature of the Socie- Independence of
Society.

ty shall at all times be respected in accordance with the resolu-
tion relative to National Red Cross Societies adopted by the
General Assembly of the United Nations on the 19th
November, 1946.

8. (1) The Society shall have the right in conformity ,E;z:;> use of7
with the Scheduled Conventions to use the name and the
emblem of a Red Cross on a white ground, formed by rever-
sing the Swiss Federal colours.

( 2 ) (a) It shall not be lawful for any person other than
those authorised under the provisions of the Scheduled
Conventions to use for any purpose whatever the
emblem of the red cross on white ground, or any col-
ourable imitation thereof, or the words "Red Cross"
or the arms of the Swiss Confederation.

(b) Any person who contravenes the foregoing pro-
visions shall be guilty of an offence and liable to
imprisonment for six months and a fine of five hun-
dred dollars.

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6 CAP. 29) Antigua and Barbuda
Red Cross Society

Power of Minister 9. The Minister may by Statutory Instrument make
to make provisions
for use of emblem. provisions generally for the use of the emblem and the preven-

tion and repression of its misuse.

General
Assembly.

10. (1) The supreme authority of the Society shall
be a General Assembly in accordance with the Constitution
of the said Society. There shall also be a Central Committee
and Local Committees with such powers and duties as may
be prescribed by the said Constitution.

( 2 ) The first members of the General Asembly shall be
those persons who, immediately before the coming into opera-
tion of the Act, are members elected to the respective posi-
tions of the Branch.

Power of General 11. (1) The General Assembly shall frame and
Assembly to
make rules. establish a Constitution being rules for the management of

the affairs of the Society and the accomplishment of its
objects. Such Constitution shall provide, inter alia:

(a) that membership of the Society shall not be
withheld from any citizen of Antigua and Barbuda on
the ground of race, class, sex, religion, faith or political
opinion;

( b ) that all members of the Society shall have
representation on the General Assembly.

( 2 ) Rules made under this Section may from time to
time be altered, added to or repealed by the General
Assembly and new Rules may from time to time be made
in like manner.

(3) Rules made under this Section need not be published
in the Gazette.

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Red Cross Society (CAP. 29 7

SCHEDULE

1. Geneva Convention for the amelioration of the condition of
the wounded and sick in armed forces in the field, of
August 12, 1949.

2 . Geneva Convention for the amelioration of the condition of
wounded, sick and shipwrecked members of armed forces at
sea, of August 12, 1949.

3 . Geneva Convention relative to the treatment of prisoners of
war, of August 12, 1949.

4 . Geneva Convention relative to the protection of civilian per-
sons in time of war, of August 12, 1949.

5 . Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of
12th August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims
of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol I).

6 . Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of
12th August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims
of non-International Armed Conflicts (Protocol 11).