Revised Laws of Saint Lucia (2021)

5.   Societies to which this Act applies

  1.  

    (1)   The following societies shall be societies to which this Act applies—

    1.  

      (a)     societies (in this Act called friendly societies) for the purpose of providing by voluntary subscriptions of the members thereof, with or without the aid of donations, for—

      1.  

        (i)     the relief or maintenance of the members, their husbands, wives, children, fathers, mothers, brothers or sisters, nephews or nieces, or wards being orphans, during sickness or other infirmity, whether bodily or mental, in old age (which shall mean any age after 50) or in widowhood, or for the relief or maintenance of the orphan children of members during minority,

      1.  

        (ii)     insuring money to be paid on the birth of a member's child, or on the death of a member, or for the funeral expenses of the husband, wife, child, ward, father, mother, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, nephew or niece of a member, or of such other relation of the member's family as is wholly or in part dependent upon the earnings of the member for the ordinary necessaries of life, or of the widow of a deceased member. However, a person is considered to be the child, father, mother, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece or other relation as aforesaid of the member, although he or she is not a legitimate relative of such member,

      1.  

        (iii)     the relief or maintenance of the members when on travel in search of employment, or when in distressed circumstances, or in case of shipwreck, or loss or damage of or to boats or nets,

      1.  

        (iv)     the endowment of members or nominees of members at any age,

      1.  

        (v)     the insurance against fire, to any amount not exceeding $72, of the tools or implements of the trade or calling of the members,

      1.  

        (vi)     the insurance against fire, to any amount not exceeding $240, of the household furniture, goods and effects of the members, or

      1.  

        (vii)     insuring money to be paid in the event of the marriage of members.

    1.  

      However, this Act shall not apply to a friendly society which contracts with any person for the assurance of an annuity exceeding $240 per year, or of a gross sum exceeding $2,400;

    1.  

      (b)     societies (in this Act called benevolent societies) for any benevolent or charitable purpose;

    1.  

      (c)     societies (in this Act called working-men's clubs) for purposes of social intercourse, mutual helpfulness, mental and moral improvement, and rational recreation;

    1.  

      (d)     societies (in this Act called specially authorised societies) for any purpose which the Minister may authorise as a purpose to which the provisions of this Act, or such of them as are specified in the authority, ought to be extended. However, where any provisions of this Act are so specified those provisions only shall be so extended.

  1.  

    (2)   For the purposes of subsection (1)(a)(ii) the expression “funeral expenses” is considered to include all incidental and ancillary expenses which the member may incur in connection with the death and is not restricted to the payment of the funeral.