About the Constitution

The first Constitution of the United Bermuda Party, together with a form of Branch Constitution, was adopted at a Meeting of the Central Council on 23rd April, 1965.

On 26th January, 1966 the Central Council amended the Party Constitution in several respects, and although the affairs of the Party were conducted in accordance with the provisions of the amended version thereafter, the amendments were not ratified by a sufficient number of Branch Executive Committees to allow them to become operative formally.

Further substantial revisions of the Party and Branch Constitutions were approved by the Central Council on 21 st July, 1971 and became operative on 29th October, 1971. The Central Council, at a meeting on 20th November, 1975 adopted further amendments to the Constitution, all of which were ratified on 13th February, 1976 when two further minor amendments were approved.

On 15th March, 1977, 23rd March, 1977 and 26th March, 1977 substantial revisions were adopted by the Central Council arising from recommendations of the 1976 Post Election Committee Report, all of which became effective on 28th March, 1977. Minor revisions were effected on 1ih March, 1983 and 5th December, 1985, altering the financial year end of the Party and increasing the number of Deputy Chairmen respectively.

The 1966 edition, as amended after four Special General Meetings of the Central Council, was formally adopted on 5th May, 1986. Amendments to Sub-clauses 8(3) and 8(4) of the Branch Constitution were formally adopted by the Central Council at a Special General Meeting on Thursday, 2ih April,1989.

At a Special General Meeting of the Central Council on 10th February, 1992 further amendments to Clauses 8(3) and 9(4) of the Branch Constitution were unanimously agreed.

At a Special General Meeting of the Central Council held on the 26th November 1996, a series of substantive amendments were made to Clauses 4(1),4(3),4(6) of the Party Constitution and Clause 3(3) and 4(1) of the Branch Constitution. A number of minor clarification amendments were also made to improve readability of the Constitution.

The Central Council, at a Special General Meeting held on 22nd November 1999 adopted a series of substantive amendments for the selection of candidates in bye elections and certain other circumstances. A number of minor amendments were also made.

At a Special General meeting held on 13th February 2001 and continued on 7th April 2001, the Central Council adopted reformatted and revised Party and Branch Constitutions, which introduced the concept of the Regional Organizations and the Disputes Tribunal, these amendments to have effect on 1st June 2001.

At a Special General meeting held on 22nd October 2009, the Central Council adopted a revised Party and Constitution, to have effect on 22nd October 2009.