The ICA-AP Committee on University/Campus Co-operatives met for their 10th Annual meeting at the SeaCare Hotel, Singapore on October 4, 2018. Seacare Co-operative Limited was formed in May 1994 with the founding mission “to help and benefit Singapore seamen and their families through more work opportunities and appropriate investment projects”. The background to the setting up of Seacare was the growing number of Singapore seamen displaced from their sea jobs and the consequently adverse effect on the viability of the Singapore Organisation of Seamen (SOS). SOS then jointly with the National Trades Union Congress formed Seacare as a co-operative platform to both promote the welfare of Singapore seafarers and help itself. The landmark committee meeting was organized in collaboration with the Singapore National Co-operative Federation with the august presence of Ms. Dolly Goh, CEO of SNCF in the opening session. She welcomed all representatives and members, while asserting the faith that SNCF bestows on the youth. Members from India, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and The Philippines were present in the meeting and members from Republic of Korea, Pakistan and Palestine joined via video conferencing.
Members and observers along with Ms. Dolly Goh (CEO, SNCF) centre, and Dr. Mohd Azlan Yahya (VP, Angkasa Malaysia and Committee Chair) and Mr. Shinichi Maita (CEO, NFUCA) at the SeaCare hotel during the meeting.
The committee unanimously re-elected its board with Dr. Mohd. Azlan Yahya (Angkasa, Malaysia), Dr. Motoo Furuta (NFUCA, Japan) and Mrs. Indira Panta (NCBL, Nepal) retained their positions as chairperson, and vice chairpersons respectively. Members also took a decision to rename the committee as ICA-AP Committee on Co-operatives in Educational Institutions to reflect an inclusive approach and represent schools and other forms of educational institutions besides universities. This amendment to the committee’s constitution will be put to the regional board and the 13th ICA-AP Regional Assembly in Iran. The meeting also discussed the prospect of bringing out a research on the status of co-operatives in educational institutions in the Asia Pacific before the next annual meeting, and collaboration with ICA Africa to support the campus co-operative movement in the continent. Representatives from the Imus City Co-operative from the Philippines that houses several primary laboratory co-operatives that run in schools and comprise of student-membership attended the meeting as observers. Participants visited NTUC Warehouse club, the SNCF office and the Nangyang Technological University as part of a study visit organized by the SNCF on 5 October 2018. The meeting was staffed by Dr. Yashvantha Dongre, Member (NCUI, India) & Co-Secretary, and Dr. Zeniada Diola, Co-Secretary from the Philippines. Read more here http://scoop.coop/ica-ap-committee-on-university-campus-co-operatives-10th-annual-meeting/
