8 16 Execution of contracts and instruments by Authority Any agreement, contract or instrument approved by the Board may be entered into or executed on behalf of the Authority by any persons generally or specially authorized by the Board for that purpose. 17 Minutes of proceedings of Board and committees (1) The Board shall cause minutes of all proceedings of and decisions taken at every meeting of the Board or of a committee of the Board to be entered in books kept for the purpose. (2) Any minutes referred to in subsection (1) which purport to be signed by the chairman of the meeting to which the minutes relate or by the chairman of the next following meeting of the Board or the committee concerned, as the case may be, shall be accepted for all purposes as prima facie evidence of the proceedings of and decisions taken at the meeting concerned. PART III FUNCTIONS OF AUTHORITY 18 Functions of Authority Subject to this Act, the functions of the Authority shall be— (a) to establish export processing zones wherein export-oriented industrial activities will take place whether by way of manufacturing, processing or assembling goods or providing services or otherwise for the purpose of exporting such goods or services; (b) to administer, control, and regulate all export processing zones; (c) to provide and maintain such services, facilities and structures as are in its opinion necessary or desirable for the efficient operation of any export processing zone; (d) to permit customs offices to be established in any export processing zone and to provide facilities for the purpose; (e) to ensure the provision of adequate fencing and enclosures to segregate an export processing zone from the customs territory, where necessary; (f) to approve and regulate activities which may be carried on in an export processing zone; (g) to grant investment licences for investment in export processing zones; (h) to grant permits to developers of export processing zone areas; (i) to constitute a single institution through which applications for the approval of investment in export processing zones may be made and through which all necessary approvals, licences and permits may be granted or issued in respect of approved investments; ( j) to monitor and evaluate the implementation of approved investments in export processing zones and to submit reports to the Board concerning such investments; (k) to advise the Minister on all matters relating to investment in export processing zones. 19 Powers of Authority Subject to this Act, for the better exercise of its functions the Authority shall have power to do or cause to be done, either by itself or through its agents, all or any of the things specified in the Schedule, either absolutely or conditionally and either solely or jointly with others. 20 Establishment of export processing zones (1) The Authority may, after consultation with the Minister and the Minister responsible for finance, by notice in the Gazette, declare any area or premises to be an export processing zone, the area of which shall be defined in the notice. (2) The Authority may at any time amend, add or abolish any export processing zone established in terms of subsection (1).