District Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of Jamaica and Cayman Islands
The District Grand Lodge
of
Mark Master Masons/Royal Ark Mariner
of
Jamaica & Cayman Islands
No. 45
BY - LAWS
2018
1. GENERAL
The District Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of Jamaica and Cayman Islands (hereinafter styled District Grand Lodge) shall meet annually on the 4th Saturday in June and shall also meet on such days and at such times and places to be appointed by the District Grand Master.
Emergency meetings of District Grand Lodge may be called by the District Grand Master or in his absence by the Deputy District Grand Master, at such place and time as either shall direct.
Notice of every meeting of District Grand Lodge shall be issued to all Mark Lodge Secretaries/Royal Ark Mariner (RAM) Lodge Scribes at least fourteen days before the date of such meeting; stating the date, time, and place of such meeting, a summary of the business to be transacted and propositions to be determined.
2. PROCEDURE AT ANNUAL MEETINGS
At the annual Meeting:
The District Grand Lodge having been opened, these By-Laws, or such of them as shall be decided by vote of the majority of members present, may be read.
The District Grand Treasurer shall be elected.
District Grand Officers shall be appointed and invested.
A Committee of three members shall be elected to audit the District Grand Treasurer’s accounts; two to form a quorum.
A Committee of three members shall be elected to examine and report on the condition of the property of the District Grand Lodge; two to form a quorum.
Reports of Committees, and such other matters as the District Grand Master shall direct, will be taken.
3. MARK BENEVOLENT FUND (MBF), JAMAICA-CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
A Mark Benevolent Fund, Jamaica and Cayman Islands District, hereinafter called Mark Benevolent Fund, shall be established and maintained for charitable purposes only.
The Mark Benevolent Fund shall operate as per the Rules annexed to these By- Laws as APPENDIX 1.
4. DISTRICT GRAND LODGE fund - FEES AND DUES
The District Grand Lodge may direct payment to be made by District Grand Officers on first appointment to Present or Past Rank or on promotion, and also by Lodges in the District.
A fee of honour shall be paid by every Brother upon first appointment to, or promotion in, District Grand Rank and is to be paid into the benevolent fund. Such fees shall be decided by resolution from time to time at a meeting of District Grand Lodge.
Lodge Fees: Each Mark/RAM Lodge within the District shall pay to the fund for general purposes fees listed below, as shall be decided by resolution from time to time at a meeting of District Grand Lodge. For each Advancement/Elevation in the Order
For each Joining or Re-Joining member
For every Dispensation (except those granted by the M.W. Grand Master)
For registering a new warrant
For registering new By-Laws
For every alteration of By-Laws
Annual Dues for each Brother who has been a Subscribing Member during any part of a year, such an amount as shall have been determined by resolution in accordance with these By-Laws at a meeting of District Grand Lodge.
DUES ARE LISTED IN APPENDIX 2.
5. DUTIES OF DISTRICT GRAND OFFICERS
The District Grand Treasurer and the District Grand Secretary, in the exercise of their respective offices, shall be governed by the regulations applicable to the similar offices in Grand Lodge.
The District Grand Treasurer shall be nominated for election to that office by two members of District Grand Lodge.
All monies received by the District Grand Treasurer shall be deposited as specified in the Constitutions and Regulations of the Order. Cheques drawn on these accounts, or withdrawals from other investments, shall be authorised and signed by TWO of the following District Grand Officers: the District Grand Master, the Deputy District Grand Master, the Assistant District Grand Master, the District Grand Treasurer, the District Grand Secretary.
No overdraft facilities shall be requested, and any casual overdraft rectified immediately and reported in writing to the District Grand Master, or his Deputy.
The District Grand Inner Guard shall be responsible for seeing that every Brother, before entering District Grand Lodge, has signed the attendance register giving his rank, the name and number of the Lodge to which he belongs and that he is properly clothed. He may be assisted in these duties by the District Grand Tyler.
6. STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS
The District Grand Treasurer shall prepare a Statement of Accounts for all District Grand Lodge Funds as at August 31st each year. These accounts shall be examined by TWO members of District Grand Lodge, nominated and elected at the previous Annual Meeting of District Grand Lodge, and these accounts shall subsequently be submitted to the next Annual Meeting for approval.
7. FURNITURE AND PROPERTY
The Books, Papers, Furniture, Jewels and other property belonging to District Grand Lodge shall be vested in the District Grand Master, the Deputy District Grand Master, and the Assistant District Grand Master for the time being in trust for District Grand Lodge; and shall be in the care of the District Grand Junior Warden, who will maintain an inventory of it.
8. DISTRICT GENERAL BOARD
There shall be a District General Board comprising the following:
Deputy District Grandmaster, Chairman
Asst. District Grandmaster
District Grand Treasurer
District Grand Registrar
District Grand Secretary
4 members appointed by the District Grandmaster at the Annual Communication
Ex officio members
District Grand Director of Ceremonies
District Deputy Grand Secretary who shall be Secretary to the Board
Each appointed member will be appointed for a term of two years. However, the first appointments shall be 2 members for one year and two members for two years. Subsequently two members will be appointed each year for a period of two years. Appointed members shall be members of District Grand Lodge qualified under the rules of the Constitutions and Regulations.
Minutes and other associated papers on the proceedings of the Board shall be circulated to the District Grand Master.
MEETINGS OF THE GENERAL BOARD
The General Board shall meet in March, September and December by notice issued at least 14 days prior to the date determined by the Chairman. Other meetings of the Board may be held at the discretion of the Chairman. Up to two members may be recorded as present and participate at a meeting of the Board using electronic media.
The Board shall regulate its own proceedings unless specific provisions are made in the By-Laws.
QUORUM
The quorum shall be a simple majority of the members excluding the Chairman and ex officio members
DUTIES/FUNCTIONS OF THE BOARD
The Board shall have the duties of general directions for the administrative and financial functioning of the District
To provide counsel to the District Grandmaster on the affairs of the District and to concern itself with the general welfare and good of the Order, including the RAM
To act on matters referred to it by the District Grandmaster
To approve the budgets of District Grand Lodge
To review the annual financial statements for submission to the annual communication of District Grand Lodge
To maintain a strategic vision and plan for the District Grand Lodge and guide the implementation and follow up of such plans
SUB COMMITTEES/AD HOC COMMITTEES
The Board may appoint subcommittees or ad hoc committees as may be needed, the members of which need not all be drawn from the membership of the Board.
REPORTS OF THE BOARD
The Board shall provide a report on its activities to each Annual Communication of District Grand Lodge.
9. DISPENSATION
Every application for a Dispensation shall be made in writing to the District Grand Master, through the District Grand Secretary, accompanied by the fee payable, together with a statement indicating clearly the object and reason for such.
10. ANNUAL RETURNS FROM LODGES
The Master of every Lodge in the District shall on or before the 31 of October in every year transmit to the District Grand Secretary the return prescribed in the Constitutions and Regulations together with all monies payable to the District Grand Lodge, and shall also on or before that date make a return to the District Grand Secretary as prescribed in the Constitutions and Regulations to be made to the Grand Secretary.
11. LODGE SUMMONSES
The Secretary/Scribe of each Mark/RAM Lodge shall send a copy of each Lodge Summons to the District Grand Master, the Deputy District Grand Master, the Assistant District Grand Master by email or otherwise, to the District Grand Secretary, at least seven days before the meeting.
12. CORRESPONDENCE
All communications from Masters/Commanders of Mark/RAM Lodges or others, intended for submission to the District Grand Master, or District Grand Lodge, shall be submitted through the District Grand Secretary.
13. NOTICE
All matters of business which a member of the District Grand Lodge wishes to be brought under the consideration of District Grand Lodge shall be communicated to the District Grand Secretary at least 45 days before the meeting of District Grand Lodge so that all the representatives of the Lodge may be appraised of such business and be prepared to decide thereon.
No other matter shall be discussed in District Grand Lodge without the express permission of the District Grand Master.
14. EXAMINATION OF BOOKS
The District Grand Registrar or the District Grand Secretary when directed by the District Grand Master shall examine the books of any Lodge in the District and report thereon to him.
15. ALTERATION OF BY-LAWS
These By-Laws shall be binding on all Mark/RAM Lodges in the District, unless the same be altered at any subsequent District Grand Lodge meeting, due notice of any such intended alteration being given in the Summons convening the meeting at which such an alteration may be intended to be brought for consideration.
16. DISTRIBUTION OF BY-LAWS
A copy of these By-Laws shall be presented by each Mark/RAM Lodge to each Master/Commander on his Installation, and to each candidate on his Advancement/Elevation or Joining. A copy shall be in the possession of the Treasurer and Secretary/Scribe of each Lodge.
