(1) A Non-Governmental Organization wishing to be recognised as a Non-Governmental Organization shall be registered in accordance with this Act.
(2) The rights or benefits conferred by this Act on a Non-Governmental Organization or its members may be exercised only if it is registered in accordance with this Act.
(3) Any three members or more of a Non-Governmental Organization may, by subscribing their names to the rules of the Non-Governmental Organization and otherwise complying with the provisions of this Act, apply to the Council for registration as a Non-Governmental Organization.
(4) Three copies of the founding document, duly authenticated by the signature of the President or Chairperson and Secretary and one copy of a disaster preparedness plan, shall be submitted by the Non-Governmental Organization to the Council along with the application.
(5) If the Council is satisfied in respect of an application made under this section that—
(a) the requirements of this section have been met;
(b) the founding document of the Non-Governmental Organization is consistent with this Act and the Constitution of Saint Lucia and the Charter of Civil Society for the Caribbean Community and does not contain provisions which are contrary to any law in force in Saint Lucia; and
(c) the name of the Non-Governmental Organization is not identical to that of any existing Non-Governmental Organization or so closely resembles such name as to be likely to deceive its own members or the members of the public,
the Council shall register the Non-Governmental Organization and furnish it with a certificate of registration in the form prescribed in Schedule 2.
(6) Any person aggrieved by a refusal or failure to register a Non-Governmental Organization is entitled to appeal to the Appeal Committee in accordance with section 47.
(7) All existing Non-Governmental Organizations which were recognised as Non-Governmental Organizations before the coming into force of this Act shall be deemed to be registered.
(8) A fee shall not be paid by any Non-Governmental Organization deemed to be registered under subsection (7).
(9) For the purposes of this section “recognised as Non-Governmental Organizations” includes a non-profit company registered under the Companies Act, and a Non-Governmental Organization registered by any Government Ministry.