Updates from the OGA Executive Committee

This statement is posted on behalf of the BBGS OGA Executive Committee 2009/2010

We are excited about how the event is coming along, we’re having good publicity, and almost 1000 students, teachers, family and friends are coming to the event! Thank you for all the enthusiasm and support!

As you know when this idea was mooted, Pavilion gave us 4th August, less than 8 weeks to mount the event which is a mega reunion and a massive publicity opportunity to gather all BBGSians to start the Elena Cooke Education Fund. We were indeed ambitious and went ahead in trust and faith that BBGS can do it! Because the intention was pure and good.

As the eventual Trust Fund is envisioned to come under the OGA, the new OGA exco needs first to be elected, which was done as soon as possible since the idea was first mooted. The new exco was properly nominated and elected at the AGM 11th July 2009. Since then we have already started a series of actions to establish a Trust and a separate Trust fund for this. The first action was to amend the existing OGA constitution to properly put an education fund as its objective, and to set this up as a Trust with a Board of Trustees. Thus the new OGA exco met recently to do all this. The proposal for amendments has been discussed and is being tabled for the coming EGM on 16 August 2009, the notice of which is being prepared by the Honorary Secretary. Then the actual scope of the Trust need to be legally set up and registered, the Board selected, all regulations and governance issues adhered to. We believe, as advised by relevant lawyers, that all this will take the OGA exco several months.

Until then, as the Fund under the auspices of the OGA, the OGA properly receives the moneys in its account. However, we hit a snag. The old OGA account which has been dormant for over 12 years is difficult to reactivate. Both the old and new OGAs committees have been chasing up with the ROS and the Bank to do this the last 2 weeks, needing to get 12 years worth of documents, minutes and audited accounts in order for the ROS who will then endorse the recent AGM and the new exco elected. Until then, the Bank will not reactivate or set up a new account as it cannot recognise the new committee members as its signatories.

Thus “Epitome Communications Sdn Bhd – E M Cooke Fund” account was set up quickly as the interim OGA working account for all the association’s purposes, including for the Back2BBGS event and the Education Fund. This working account needs at least 2 signatories for withdrawals, from 3 authorised signatories - the Event Treasurer/Honorary Auditor, the current OGA VP and the OGA Treasurer, all properly elected at the recent AGM. This account and its status was explained to the OGA at the AGM, who appreciates the time constraints, and the new exco approved this to be the legitimate and official OGA account at their inaugural meeting, until the original account is reactivated or a new account set up.

When the new or revived OGA account is set up, all moneys (from this current approved working OGA account) will indeed and properly go back to this account.

The entire new OGA exco are all involved in the event and we hope that all BBGS girls wholeheartedly support this good and noble cause, to honour our school, to honour Ms Cooke; and appreciate the fact that a few girls have given off their time, resources and energies to get this going. It is a huge undertaking in such a short time, and we thank Ms Cooke, Ms Moey and Ms Yeap and all others who’re supporting us with their prayers.

We hope to see everyone BACK2BBGS, coming for the Launch event in the morning, getting cocktail vouchers to attend the evening Gala Reunion, buying lots of wonderful souvenirs, contribute directly to the fund, and generally have a wonderful time sharing and caring.

The Elena Cooke Education Fund will define the BBGS alumni today, after the brick and mortar is gone - let us show our sisterhood, solidarity and service, as we’ve been taught.