MMA Annual Celebrations 2006
The Annual Conference of the Association was held on the last Saturday in September. This was the second annual conference that amalgamated the previous biannual functions, which were the Onam celebration with Entertainment and the Association’s AGM, scientific session and dinner.
This conference was attended by over three hundred and fifty people (members & guests). It was widely considered to have gone well despite the not altogether surprising development of a last minute visa refusal for artists from Kerala and the resulting hasty arrangement of alternative entertainment. The Executive Committee deserve Members’ appreciation for the success of this function. Whilst we have a long way to go in order to establish a precedence of conducting Annual Conferences of the Association in such style, commensurate with the lifestyle, financial standing and professional status of its members, it is gratifying to note that we are moving in the right direction.
The annual general body meeting was lively and decisive. The members appreciated unreservedly the Executive Committee’s dedication, burden of responsibility and the tedium of having to plan and execute the affairs of the Association. Nevertheless, the members were reminded that any policy decisions, changes in direction and/or amendments to the constitution must be left in the collective hands of members. The formation of the Executive Committee is by election, an election not based on any manifesto and therefore without any clear mandate from the membership authorising it to take major decisions.
Having reminded themselves of the respective rights and responsibilities of the Members and the Executive Committee, the Annual General Body, with absolute majority, took the following decisions.
- Membership Fee is set at £25 per annum with effect from October 2006. There was a substantial minority supporting the proposition of increasing the Membership fee to £50 per annum but this was defeated.
- Anyone paying less than the prescribed annual membership fee may remain on the mailing list but will not be considered as a fully paid up Member of the Association and should be treated as a “guest” as far as the Registration Fee (the amount charged for the annual conference) is concerned. Guests (other than the spouse of members and their sons or daughters, who are eligible for member rates) will pay a Registration Fee which will be about 20% higher than the standard member rate.
- Annual Conferences of the Association will be held in September with the exception of the Association’s silver jubilee which will be held on 14th July 2007, in view of the already advanced stage of arrangements for this event.
- The month of September, even if it is not ideal, is the least inconvenient month, as found by similar organisations. In addition, September historically has great significance to the Association where the founding members (48 members) signed the Memorandum & Articles of Association on the 19th of September 1982 and formed the company, MMA (UK), limited by guarantee but not having a share capital. The Onam festival also falls in the month of September.
- Adequate time must be allowed during the Annual Conference of the Association for the Annual General Body Meeting which is of utmost importance among the four different aspects of the Annual Conference – AGM, Onam Celebration & Dinner, Entertainment and Scientific Session.
The Hon. Treasurer was congratulated for the healthy balance shown in the year’s accounts with a particular recommendation to spend more, collect more and balance the books. It was evident that the majority of members at the Conference were in favour of such a course of action. This might be a big leap forward for the Association. Without such a decisive move the Association may not survive much beyond its Silver Jubilee. The flow of doctors from Kerala to UK will continue to dwindle which will affect MMA and similarly all other Kerala Medical College Associations.
A good dinner by itself or entertainment on its own would cost more than what is charged as Registration Fee at present. The establishment of well organised Annual Conferences of MMA (UK) could eventually turn MMA (UK) into an “umbrella organisation” where other Kerala Medical College Associations might wish to join us for entertainment, dinner and scientific sessions whilst holding their separate and respective AGM’s. Good quality food is important. It is even more important that the food is served well. Similarly, the function must be held at a suitable venue with easy access, where there are rooms for overnight stay and ample seating arrangements outside the conference hall. This will have resource implications and financial consequences. However, it would be successful and once established, that pattern will continue well beyond the Silver Jubilee celebration. It needs courage to take that plunge and requires the provision of financial safeguards. There must be at least ten or fifteen members of MMA (UK) with sufficient determination, resource and passion to underwrite any possible though unlikely loss that the Association may incur in such a venture.
Besides the factual recording of the business transacted at the AGM, the observations made, concerns expressed and the solutions recommended here are one member’s perception of the spirit of what transpired at the AGM on 30th September 2006 and his reaction to them. They are not part of an official report.
Dr S Jayarajan
October 2006