The NPO Project No. 9
On 11 September, 2020 I started the The NPO Project No. 9 (Non-Profit Organisation Project No. 9).
This Project is a short term humanitarian based initiative geared toward helping existing Civil Society Organisations or Non-Profit Organisations in The Bahamas to complete their timely registration under the Non-Profit Organisation Act, 2019 (“the NPO Act”).
The deadline for registration was extended to 8 October, 2020.
Registration of non-profit orgnaisations are required under Bahamian law to allow the Registrar General to establish and maintain a register of non-profit organisations which will be open for inspection at the office of the Registrar by members of the public.
The significant of the NPO Act was set out in the Objects and Reasons of the Non-profit Organisation Bill, 2018, which revoked and replaced the Companies Non-Profit Organisation Regulations, was described as “… to provide for the regulation of non-profit organisations to ensure that such organisations are operating in a transparent manner and are not engaged in activities which constitute an identified risk.”
The definition of identified risk underscores the importance of the NPO Act, 2019 and the need for non-profit organisations to register. Under the NOP Act, 2019 “identified risk” in relation to a non-profit organisation means, ” … any act that involves corruption, cybercrime, human trafficking, money laundering, proliferation or financing of weapons of mass destruction, terrorism or financing of terrorism, or such other act that the Minister under the Proceeds of Crime Act may prescribe by Order …”. A more thorough definition can be found in the Proceeds of Crime Act (Ch. 93).
The NPO Project No. 9 will offer advice and research assistance to non-profit organisations exempted under section 19(3) of the NPO Act, 2019 and are having difficulties registering or those organisations not knowing how to register. The said services offered by Project No. 9 will be pro-bono for the duration of the project. These services will be offered effective immediately and until close of business 8 October, 2020.
If you have any questions or your organisation needs assistance with registering then feel free to contact me at kean@smithkas.com