Section 5: Constitution of fabriques

5. Constitution of fabriques (1) Each fabrique shall consist of a Chairperson, of an ex officio member and of such a number of other members not being less than 3 nor more than 7 as the Bishop may consider desirable, 2 of which other members as may be designated by the Bishop shall be the Treasurer and the Secretary, respectively, of the fabrique. (2) (a) The Curé of each parish shall be the ex officio member of the fabrique of that parish. (b) Where the Curé of the parish is unable to attend any meeting of the fabrique, his vicaire, or, when the Curé has more than one vicaire, any one of his vicaires delegated by him, may act on behalf of the Curé at such meeting, and while so acting, shall be deemed to be ex officio member of the fabrique. (3) (a) The Chairperson and the members of each fabrique, other than the ex officio member, shall be Roman Catholic laymen appointed by the Bishop. (b) They shall, in their respective capacity, hold office on such terms and conditions as may be determined by the Bishop at the time of their appointment. (c) Their tenure of office shall terminate at the end of the month of January in the year following that in which they are appointed, and they shall be eligible for reappointment. (d) They may resign their office by notice in writing under their hand given to the Bishop, and the Bishop may, if, in his opinion, it has become expedient to do so, remove them from office. (4) (a) Where a vacancy occurs through the death, resignation, removal or otherwise of the Chairperson or of a member of any fabrique, the Bishop may, where he thinks it necessary, fill the vacancy. (b) The newly appointed Chairperson or member shall hold office for the unexpired portion of the term of office of the person whom he replaces and on such terms and conditions as may be determined by the Bishop at the time of his appointment. (c) The Bishop shall advise the President of the composition of each fabrique and of any change in such composition and the President shall cause notice of it to be published in the Gazette. (d) Subject to section 9 (3), no proceeding or action of the fabrique shall be invalidated by reason of a vacancy subsisting in the composition of the fabrique at the time such proceeding or action. [S. 5 amended by Act 48 of 1991.]