BROADCASTING SERVICES ACT [CHAPTER 12:06] (as at 11th January 2008) within a reasonable time after being required to do so by the Minister; or (b) whether through disagreements amongst its members or otherwise, the Board is unable to carry out any of its functions in terms of this Act; and that it is in the national interest to do so, the Minister may, by written notice to the chairman copied to the chief executive of the Authority, dismiss all the members of the Board, and their offices shall become vacant as soon as the chairman receives the notice, and the Minister shall table a report on the matter in the House within the next fourteen days on which Parliament sits after the dismissal. (2) Before dismissing all the members in terms of subparagraph (1), the Minister shall consult the President and act in accordance with any directions the President may give him. Filling of vacancies on Board 5. On the death of, or vacation of office by, a member, the Minister may appoint a qualified person to fill the vacancy: Provided that if as a result of the vacancy the number of members falls below the minimum number specified in section four, the Minister shall fill the vacancy within three weeks. Chairman and vice-chairman of Board 6.(1) The Minister shall designate one of the members as chairman of the Board and another member as vice-chairman of the Board. (2) The vice-chairman of the Board shall perform the chairman’s functions whenever the chairman is for any reason unable to perform them. (3) The chairman or vice-chairman of the Board may at any time resign his office as such by one month’s notice in writing to the Minister. (4) Whenever the office of chairman or vice-chairman of the Board falls vacant, the Minister shall fill the vacancy within three weeks. Meetings and procedure of Board 7.(1) The Board shall hold its first meeting on such date and at such place as the Minister may fix, being not more than three months after the date of commencement of this Act, and thereafter the Board shall meet for the dispatch of business as often as is necessary or expedient and, subject to this paragraph, may adjourn, close and otherwise regulate its meetings and procedure as it thinks fit: Provided that the Board shall meet not less than six times in each year. (2) The chairman of the Board⎯ (a) may at any time convene a special meeting of the Board; and (b) shall convene a special meeting of the Board on the written request of ⎯ (i) the Minister, within such period as the Minister may specify; or (ii) not fewer than two members, not later than fourteen days after his receipt of such request. (3) Written notice of any special meeting convened in terms of subparagraph (2) shall be sent to each member not later than seven days before the meeting and shall specify the business for which the meeting has been convened: Provided that if, in the opinion of the chairman or Minister, as the case may be, the urgency of the business for which the meeting is to be convened so requires, notice of not less than forty-eight hours may be given. (4) No business shall be discussed at a special meeting convened in terms of subparagraph (2) other than⎯ (a) such business as may be determined by the chairman of the Board, where the chairman of the Board has convened the meeting in terms of paragraph (a) of subparagraph (2); or (b) the business specified in the request for the meeting, where the chairman of the Board has convened the meeting in terms of paragraph (b) of subparagraph (2). (5) The chairman or, in his absence, the vice-chairman shall preside at all meetings of the Board: Provided that, if the chairman and the vice-chairman are both absent from a meeting of the Board, the members present may elect one of their number to preside at that meeting as chairman. - 48 -