Are Lions what they portray themselves to be?

 

Here are extracts from the Lions Handbook (indented) and my comments. Response from any Lion or anyone for that matter is welcome.

For those who do not have time, at least please read the sentences highlighted in red.

 

The Club Treasurer’s Constitutional Duties and Responsibilities

The following are 2 of the several constitutional duties and responsibilities of a Club Treasurer.

•Receive all monies and deposit the same in a bank or banks recommended by the finance committee and approved by the board of directors.

My comments: I have said this many times – monies received by the Lions Club of Kota Kinabalu was banked into secret bank accounts known only to a select few Past Presidents. These bank accounts were not approved by the Board of Directors. In fact, most directors were not even aware of such bank accounts.

Lions Clubs International (LCI) has repeatedly told me that this should be complained to the local Registrar of Societies (ROS) as Lions Clubs are autonomous.

I have reported the matter to ROS but to-date no action has been taken on my complaint.

•Pay out monies in payment of club obligations only on authority given by the board of directors.

My comment: Let us leave aside, for the time being, the many payments made out of the secret bank accounts without authority given by the BOD. As LCI has said, this is for the local ROS to deal with. I don’t agree with this notion as a complaint such as this can surely be investigated by the District Governor.

The club was de-registered on 28.6.2018 and club was reinstated on 2.7.2019. This was a result of an appeal by John S F Ho and Francis Liew to the Minister of Home Affairs. The Minister had instructed ROS to reinstate the club.

This means the club was defunct for a full financial year 1.7.2018 to 30.6.2019. 

On 18.7.2018 I wrote an email and informed the news of the de-registration to:

David Kingsbury (legal Department), Lions Clubs International, District Administration LCI, Lions clubs Finance LCI.

Let me make this clear – LCI was fully aware of the de-registration as I had informed them by email.

Here is part of an email I received from Mr. David Kingsbury of the Legal division of LCI on 8.2.2018 which is before the club was de-registered by ROS.

While you have shared substantial information alleging wrongdoing, it appears that this has been reviewed by both the local police and the ROS. As you have stated that no criminal wrongdoing has been found to date, no action may be taken at this time.

 

 

Please be advised that if this situation changes and either of the authorities that have been notified do find criminal behavior occurred, we would request the district governor or any other Lion notify this office and provide any relevant evidence to confirm such findings so that additional action may be taken. Although you are not a current member, should you be aware of such information and provide that to this office, the information will be reviewed and handled in the same manner.

 

Kindest regards,

David Kingsbury

Attorney

Legal Division

Did LCI request the district governor or any other Lion to notify and provide relevant information so that further action may be taken?

What further action was taken by LCI against the club members who had orchestrated the Past Presidents’ Council which operated 3 secret bank accounts unbeknown to most members including directors.

In addition to the statement ‘•Pay out monies in payment of club obligations only on authority given by the board of directors’, let us see what is says about Annual Membership Dues:

Setting Annual Member’s Dues

With advice from the Finance Committee and approval of the Board of Directors, the treasurer sets annual club members’ dues at an amount sufficient to efficiently operate the club and maintain its financial health. The dues amount must be approved by the Board of Directors and submitted to the club membership for approval. In setting club dues, the following should be included:

•LCI, Multiple District, District dues and fees

•Club office expenses which would include postage, stationery.

Members subscription was paid to LCI by John Ho and a few other members during the year the club had been de-registered.

A question that arises in my mind now is whether anyone should take action against LCI for non-compliance of local laws as well as going against the LCI constitution and Lions Handbook.

Being aware of the de-registration of the club, is LCI going against its own rules and regulations and LCI code of ethics by accepting membership subscription from a club that was deregistered?

i.                     How was payment of membership fee to LCI approved by the Board of Director when there was no board of directors meeting during the whole financial year?

ii.                   The handbook says ‘Pay out monies in payment of club obligations only on authority given by the board of directors’. Did LCI not know that there was no authority given by BOD’s?

iii.                 The handbook says, ‘With advice from the Finance Committee and approval of the Board of Directors, the treasurer sets annual club members’ dues at an amount sufficient to efficiently operate the club and maintain its financial health.’

 

How were the membership subscription dues fixed when there was not even a single meeting during the year? What amount was required to efficiently operate the club and maintain its financial health?

 

I understand that dues for 2018/2019 were demanded by the club from its members upon reinstatement of the club.

One member, Past President Chong Kui Loi who had been with the lions for more than 40 years was told to resign. (I am not sure if he was told to resign or was expelled from the club. I will get this information from him when I take this matter to court.) I understand that the reason was that he refused to pay for the 2018/2019 during which period the club was defunct.

From the above it does not appear that LCI portrays what it states in its website on ethics. Here are some extracts from a website on ethics on Lion’s website.

 

No act or request on the part of Lions clubs and their members, officers, board of directors or staff within our association with  whom,  or  the  community  for  whom,  we  render  services  can  justify  the  breach  of  this  guideline.    Honest  and  ethical  conduct  is  defined  by  four  core  values  that  serve  as  the  foundation  for  our  Ethical  Standards: Integrity  –  Lions  Clubs  International  insists  on  the  highest  standards  of  personal  and  professional  integrity.    We  must  all  make  every  possible effort to safeguard the association’s  assets.    We  must  also  comply with all association policies and applicable laws. Accountability  –  Lions  Clubs  International  expects  all  club  officers  to  honor  commitments  as  authorized  and  made  on  behalf  of  the  association  and  take  individual  responsibility  for  all  actions  and  outcomes.  It has no tolerance for ethical violations.

In many instances, ethical standards intersect legal requirements.  If an ethical or legal compliance issue arises that raises a question in your mind, you have a responsibility to bring that issue  to  the  attention  of  the  appropriate  International  Board  committee  or  International  Office  division  (for  example,  the  Finance  and  Headquarters  Operation  Committee  reviews  Conflict  of  Interest  issues;  the  Constitution  and  By-Laws  Committee  and/or  Legal  Division  review  Legal  issues).    You  may  also  bring  ethical  or  legal  concerns  to  the  attention  of  your  District  Governor,  the  International  Board  of  Directors, the Executive Officers, or the Administrative Officers of the association.