EXCO Announcement November 2004

From SI Exco News

From: Servas Int. President (Geoff Maltby) To: geoffmaltby@optusnet.com.au Sent: Thursday, November 25, 2004 10:20 AM Subject: EXCO ANNOUNCEMENT

Dear Servas friends

I wrote to you on 16 November 2004 advising you of the fact that at a meeting of Servas International Executive Committee (EXCO) in Paris 03 to 09 November 2004, Vice President Mr. Bibendra Pradhananga was asked to withdraw from his position as Vice President of Servas International in order that he take sufficient time to clear his travel accounts as set out in the Internal Audit Report dated October 2004.

Mr. Bibendra Pradhananga has declined to step down from his position as V.P. of S.I. and against our wishes, is continuing to carry out his work in his elected role of V.P. Unfortunately, the Statutes of S.I. do not provide any guidelines or answers to this type of situation. On close examination of the Statutes we find there are many ‘grey’ areas which need looking at and updating.

I have documented the case of Mr. Bibendra Pradhananga’s refusal to step down to demonstrate to you why we need to provide for changes in the Statutes, to give clear authority (to either the President of the GA) for suspension of an officer who cannot document clear compliance with acceptable operating standards; and also give authority to EXCO to sue through the Civil and/or Criminal Courts for restitution or to represent damages.

On the issue of the Statutes, it has also been brought to the attention of Exco that the conference agenda was not accepted by the GA on the very first day of the 2004 Conference in Spain. One may ask if the decisions made and voting procedures that took place at the 2004 GA were legal? Once again, the Statutes do not provide any answers.

The meeting of Exco in Paris was a most successful one. Many outstanding issues were discussed and to address these issues, it was decided that Exco would immediately formulate an ‘Action Plan’. I am listing below some of the issues included in the ‘Action Plan’ that Exco will be addressing:-

1. To have the current Statutes available to all NG’s by publishing it on our website, with the annotation “under review”.
2. To set up a ‘legal panel’ of Servas members whose responsibility will be to examine the Statutes and provide Exco with a clear and consistent set of Statutes for Exco to send out to all NG’s for their evaluation and have it voted on at the next GA.
3. To address and solve properly the issues raised by the Audit Committee.
4. To clearly define the content in detail which will be discussed and decided upon in the next GA, Exco will refine the Financial Operating Procedures proposal from the Audit Committee with developing and structural proposals.
5. An International Peace Plan and also a closer working relationship between Servas and the United Nations.
6. To correct the ‘incorrect’ 2004 GA minutes, Exco will produce a new concise rendering of the Barcelona minutes.
7. To specify clearly the scopes, motivations and guidelines/principles for GA organization.
8. Ensuring that nominations and elections made during the next GA will be workable and not arguable and useful to Servas.
9. An Educational Plan to ensure that all NG’s have had enough competence and preparation to Servas procedures and rules properly oriented for the next GA.
10. A Conference package providing a working 'kit' to ensure that the next GA will produce good results.

You will no doubt agree with me that there is a considerable amount of work for Exco to get through but before this can be accomplished, it is considered necessary that a General Assembly is required. With that in mind, Exco has decided to hold an additional General Assembly within the next twelve months.

For your information regarding holding an additional General Assembly, I have copied in a portion of the Servas International Statutes, Section IV under the heading of General Assembly :-

“The General Assembly shall meet as regular intervals as decided by each General Assembly. In addition to this, the General Assembly may be convened at any time when requested by one fifth of member groups. In such an event, at least three month’s written notice, including agenda, time and place, must be given to each member group”.

The proposed 2005 General Assembly will include nominations and elections for ALL positions including Exco.

Servas Germany has kindly offered to host the proposed 2005 General Assembly.

If you have any questions regarding the above 'announcement' - then please contact Exco at exco@servas.org

In peace and friendship

Geoff Maltby President - Servas International