NEWSFLASH JUNE 2, 2010
Dear Member, Stakeholder and Supplier
National Association of Dairy Farmers, Zimbabwe Crop Producers’ Assocition and Cattle Producers’ Association are now counting down the days to the Commodities Forum AGM 2010 meeting at Troutbeck, Nyanga from 5th to 7th July. We have had an overwhelming response regarding this function and it is promising to be the “meeting place” of the year.
Troutbeck Hotel is now fully booked as are the Blue Swallow Timeshares, so if you have not already secured your booking you may be able to do so at the following places :
Montclair : (029) 3001 / 2441-6
Rhodes Hotel : (0298)376/7 or (0298)425 or 0913 504 983 or Fax (0298)477 or
Inn on the Rupurara : (029)3021/3024 or fax – (029) 3025 or [email protected] or 0712 865 883
or book through Armadillo Travel (04)302261/67
If you have made payment to Troutbeck Hotel via RTGS, please take your proof of payment with you to the conference as it will assist the Hotel with recording payments accurately.
Sponsors, please also note to fax/e-mail a copy of your RTGS deposit slips to Debbie so that our accounts department at CFU can receipt and allocate your payments correctly.
Troutbeck have advised that if you have booked and paid and you do not attend the conference, there will be NO refund of any money paid to them.
PLEASE NOTE : If you have made a booking at the hotel and you have not arrived by 6.00p.m. on Monday 5th July, your room will be re-allocated to the next person on the waiting list. Should you experience any problems on your journey or should your arrival be delayed, please advise one of the following people and we will ensure that your room is not
re-allocated :
Rob Van Vuuren 0912 311 612 Debbie Mylroie 0914 177 447
Sue Bell 0912 239 996 Linda Nielsen 0913 478 943
Richard Taylor 0912 311 704 Clive Levy 0912 231 068
Pam Cooper 0912 248 730 Hendrik Olivier 0912 235 640
June Nicholls 0912 336 562
It is with pleasure that we advise that all meals have been covered by sponsorship, however the arrangement is that there will be a cash bar system. There will be a US$10.00 charge per person per day for attending the conference. On payment of this you will receive a name badge which must be worn at all times. This badge will permit you entry into the dining room at mealtimes.
The Cheese and Wine Cocktail Party on Monday evening is a sponsored event. If you require dinner, this will be for your own account.
Please note that the technical talks begin at 11.00a.m. on Monday 5th July, so please plan your journey accordingly.
Rob Van Vuuren visited Troutbeck last weekend and has advised that fuel supplies are not good at Troutbeck. There was some fuel available in Nyanga and at the Montclair, but please keep fuel in mind for your return journey.
Please remember to bring your sporting equipment with you; otherwise there will be a charge for hiring equipment at the Hotel.
The first Regional Mashonaland A AGM Meeting was cancelled due to non attendance by Farmers and stakeholders and the second meeting held at Commercial Farmers Union was also cancelled due to non attendance. We are planning to try to hold a Mashonaland Regional AGM prior to the National AGM at Troutbeck if there are enough Mashonaland A Farmers attending. Very sad indeed! NADF really needs your support.
We have received an e-mail from Rose Worthington in Nyanga and she has 4 cottages available to rent out at $15 per person per night. Should you wish to rent one of these cottages, please contact Rose on [email protected] Debbie has tried to obtain other contact details, but none have been forthcoming.
PROPOSED CONSTITUTION CHANGES
Having recently completed the Regional AGM meetings and having to postpone one region’s AGM due to lack of support, it is now very apparent that there is a need to re-visit our constitution and make amendments to accommodate reality as it exists. For example one nomination was received for 2 vacant National Member positions and the nominee declined.
Rob Van Vuuren has held discussions with the Chief Executive Officer of the Commercial Farmers’ Union, Mr Hendrik Olivier and our lawyer, Mr Kevin Arnott who redrafted our constitution a number of years ago.
It is well known that any constitution is a dynamic document that will require updating from time to time and it is expedient that NADF takes this course during the next year leading up to the 2011 AGM.
It has been decided to circulate notes from our lawyer to you our members, and this issue will be tabled at the AGM in Troutbeck on 6th July 2010. It is imperative that all members participate in this debate. Please see the below proposal :
PROCEDURE FOR AMENDMENT
1. Section 19.1 requires 30 days notice to each member of any proposed amendment. An amendment can take place at a special or Annual General Meeting.
2. By virtue of the same section a majority of two-thirds of votes cast by members present or by proxy is necessary to approve the amendment.
3. The Minister of Agriculture must also approve the amendment in terms of the Farmers Licensing and Levy Act 1971 as amended.
4. Any amendment is subject to ratification by the parent Union Annual Congress (see Section 19.2)
ISSUE REQUIRING AMENDMENT
1. Section 7.1 provides that the management of the Association shall be vested in an executive committee consisting of eight members.
2. 6 of the 8 “may” be elected from the parent Union regions.
3. 2 national members to the Executive Committee shall be elected by postal ballot of all members prior to and announced at an Annual General meeting.
PRINCIPAL CONCERNS AT THIS TIME
1. The extent and scope of illegal land acquisition has impacted adversely on the number of active dairy members of the NADF.
2. The position has reached a critical stage and one of the inevitable consequences is that it is both unrealistic and impractical to expect the management of the NADF to be the responsibility of 8 Executive Members. Moreover, it is equally unrealistic to expect all regions to nominate a member and it is becoming increasingly difficult to find nominations for 2 national members.
3. It is too late in terms of the provisions for amendment of the constitution to propose an amendment at the next AGM of the NADF. In addition the CFU requires to ratify any amendment before it is technically operative at their Congress. Again there is insufficient time to do this in the current year. It is in any event desirable that matters of this nature are fully debated to as to arrive at a reasonable consensus.
4. The further concern of the NADF is that the policy has been to ensure that those who are members of the Executive Committee of the NADF require to be paid up members of the CFU.
5. The Association believes that it is more practical to require only the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the NADF to be paid up members of the CFU.
SUGGESTION
1. Utilise the Any Other Business time at the forthcoming AGM of the NADF to debate reducing the number of Executive members that will manage the NADF say to FOUR.
2. Propose that these can be from any region and there need not be a member for each region and that it is possible to have more than one member from a particular region.
3. Existing members need to fully understand the full extent of the principal concern. i.e. this is not an attempt to make the NADF less democratic or transparent. It is a reality.
4. As an interim measure it can be contended that 6 of the members may (i.e. not shall) come from one region or several regions in terms of the existing constitution. Of course 2 national nominations must also be sought.
5. The debate should also deal with the issue of just who the Executive Committee of the NADF should be a paid up member of the CFU.
6. The Debate should conclude with approval to propose a formal amendment at the next AGM. i.e. the timing needs to be such that it can be sanctioned by the CFU. The amendment should, if agreed, incorporate the matter concerning who on the Executive Committee should be a paid up member of the CFU.
AJS KIRK
CHAIRMAN
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF DAIRY FARMERS