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89. |
A company
incorporated under this Act shall commence to wind up and dissolve by a
resolution of directors upon expiration of such time as may be prescribed by
its Memorandum or Articles for its existence or upon the happening of an
event which has been specified in the Memorandum or Articles as an event
that shall terminate the existence of the company. |
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90. |
(1) |
A company
incorporated under this Act that has never issued shares may voluntarily
commence to wind up and dissolve by a resolution of directors. |
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(2) |
Subject to
any limitations or provisions to the contrary in its Memorandum or Articles,
a company incorporated under this Act that has previously issued shares may
voluntarily commence to wind up and dissolve by a resolution of members or
by a resolution of directors. |
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91. |
Upon the
commencement of a winding-up and dissolution required under section 89 or
permitted under section 90, the directors may only |
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(a) |
authorize
a liquidator, by a resolution of directors, to carry on the business of the
company if the liquidator determines that to do so would be necessary or in
the best interests of the creditors or members of the company; and |
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(b) |
determine
to rescind the articles of dissolution as permitted under paragraph (a) of
subsection (1) of section 95. |
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92. |
(1) |
A
liquidator shall, upon his appointment in accordance with this Part and upon
the commencement of a winding-up and dissolution, proceed |
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(a) |
to
identify all assets of the company; |
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(b) |
to
identify all creditors of and claimants against the company; |
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(c) |
to pay or
provide for the payment of, or to discharge, all claims, debts, liabilities
and obligations of the company; |
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(d) |
to
distribute any surplus assets of the company to the members in accordance
with the Memorandum and Articles; |
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(e) |
to prepare
or cause to be prepared a statement of account in respect of the actions and
transactions of the liquidator; and |
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(f) |
to send a
copy of the statement of account to all members if so required by the plan
of dissolution required by section 94. |
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(2) |
A
transfer, including a prior transfer, described in subsection (2) of section
9 of all or substantially all of the assets of a company incorporated under
this Act for the benefit of the creditors and members of the company, is
sufficient to satisfy the requirements of paragraphs (c) and (d) of
subsection (1). |
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93. |
(1) |
In order
to perform the duties imposed on him under section 92, a liquidator has all
powers of the company that are not reserved to the members under this Act or
in the Memorandum or Articles, including, but not limited to, the power |
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(a) |
to take
custody of the assets of the company and, in connection therewith, to the
register any property of the company in the name of the liquidator or that
of his nominee; |
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(b) |
to sell
any assets of the company at public auction or by private sale without any
notice; |
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(c) |
to collect
the debts and assets due or belonging to the company; |
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(d) |
to borrow
money from any person for any purpose that will facilitate the winding-up
and dissolution of the company and to pledge or mortgage any property of the
company as security for any such borrowing; |
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(e) |
to
negotiate, compromise and settle any claim, debt, liability or obligation of
the company; |
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(f) |
to
prosecute and defend, in the name of the company or in the name of the
liquidator or otherwise, any action or other legal proceedings; |
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(g) |
to retain
solicitors, accountants and other advisers and appoint agents; |
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(h) |
to carry
on the business of the company, if the liquidator has received authorization
to do so in the plan of liquidation or by a resolution of directors
permitted under section 91, as the liquidator may determine to be necessary
or to be in the best interests of the creditors or members of the company; |
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(i) |
to execute
any contract, agreement or other instrument in the name of the company or in
the name of the liquidator; and |
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(j) |
to make
any distribution in money or in other property or partly in each, and if in
other property, to allot the property, or an undivided interest therein, in
equal or unequal proportions. |
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(2) |
Notwithstanding paragraph (h) of subsection (1), a liquidator shall not,
without the permission of the court, carry on for a period in excess of 2
years the business of a company that is being wound up and dissolved under
this Act.
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94. |
(1) |
The
directors of a company required under section 89 or proposing under section
90 to wind up and dissolve the company must approve a plan of dissolution
containing |
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(a) |
a
statement of the reason for the winding-up and dissolving; |
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(b) |
a
statement that the company is, and will continue to be, able to discharge or
pay or provide for the payment of all claims, debts, liabilities and
obligations in full; |
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(c) |
a
statement that the winding-up will commence on the date when articles of
dissolution are submitted to the Registrar or on such date subsequent
thereto, not exceeding 30 days, as is stated in the articles of dissolution; |
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(d) |
a
statement of the estimated time required to wind up and dissolve the
company; |
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(e) |
a
statement as to whether the liquidator is authorized to carry on the
business of the company if the liquidator determines that to do so would be
necessary or in the best interests of the creditors or members of the
company; |
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(f) |
a
statement of the name and address of each person to be appointed a
liquidator and the remuneration proposed to be paid to each liquidator; and |
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(g) |
a
statement as to whether the liquidator is required to send to all members a
statement of account prepared or caused to be prepared by the liquidator in
respect of his actions or transactions. |
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(2) |
If a
winding-up and dissolution is being effected in a case where subsection (2)
of section 90 is applicable, |
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(a) |
the plan
of dissolution must be authorized by a resolution of members, and the
holders of the outstanding shares of a class or series of shares are
entitled to vote on the plan of dissolution as a class or series only if
the Memorandum or Articles so provide; |
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(b) |
if a
meeting of members is to be held, notice of the meeting, accompanied by a
copy of the plan of dissolution, must be given to each member, whether or
not entitled to vote on the plan of dissolution; and |
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(c) |
if it is
proposed to obtain the written consent of members, a copy of the plan of
dissolution must be given to each member, whether or not entitled to consent
to the plan of dissolution. |
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(3) |
After
approval of the plan of dissolution by the directors, and if required, by
the members in accordance with subsection (2), articles of dissolution must
be executed by the company and must contain |
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(a) |
the plan
of dissolution; and |
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(b) |
the manner
in which the plan of dissolution was authorized. |
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(4) |
Articles
of dissolution must be submitted to the Registrar who must retain and
register them in the Register and within 30 days immediately following the
date on which the articles of dissolution are submitted to the Registrar,
the company must cause to be published, in the Gazette, in a publication of
general circulation in the British Virgin Islands and in a publication of
general circulation in the country or place where the company has its
principal office, a notice stating |
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(a) |
that the
company is in dissolution; |
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(b) |
the date
of commencement of the dissolution; and |
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(c) |
the names
and addresses of the liquidators. |
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(5) |
A
winding-up and dissolution commences of the date the articles of dissolution
are registered by the Registrar or on such date subsequent thereto, not
exceeding 30 days, as is stated in the articles of dissolution. |
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(6) |
A
liquidator shall, upon completion of a winding-up and dissolution, submit to
the Registrar a statement that the winding-up and dissolution has been
completed and upon receiving the notice, the Registrar shall |
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(a) |
strike the
company off the Register; and |
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(b) |
issue a
certificate of dissolution under his hand and seal certifying that the
company has been dissolved. |
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(7) |
Where the
Registrar issues a certificate of dissolution under his hand and seal
certifying that the company has been dissolved |
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(a) |
the
certificate is prima facie evidence of compliance with all requirements of
this Act in respect of dissolution; and |
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(b) |
the
dissolution of the company is effective from the date of the issue of the
certificate. |
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(8) |
Immediately following the issue by the Registrar of a certificate of
dissolution under subsection (6), the liquidator shall cause to be published
in the Gazette, a notice that the company has been dissolved and has been
struck off the Register. |
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(9) |
A company
that wilfully contravenes subsection (4) is liable to a penalty of $50 for
every day or part thereof during which the contravention continues, and a
director or liquidator who knowingly permits the contravention is liable to
a like penalty. |
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95. |
(1) |
In the
case of a winding-up and dissolution permitted under section 90, a company
may, prior to submitting to the Registrar a notice specified in subsection
(4) of section 94, rescind the articles of dissolution by |
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(a) |
a
resolution of directors in the case of a winding-up and dissolution under
subsection (1) of section 90; or |
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(b) |
a
resolution of members in the case of a winding-up and dissolution under
subsection (2) of section 90. |
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(2) |
A copy of
a resolution referred to in subsection (1) must be submitted to the
Registrar who must retain and register it in the Register. |
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(3) |
Within 30
days immediately following the date on which the resolution referred to in
subsection (1) has been submitted to the Registrar, the company must cause a
notice stating that the company has rescinded its intention to wind up and
dissolve to be published in the Gazette, in a publication of general
circulation in the British Virgin Islands and in a publication of general
circulation in the country or place where the company has its principal
office. |
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96. |
(1) |
Where |
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(a) |
the
directors or, as the case may be, the members of a company that is required
under section 89 or is permitted under section 90 to wind up and dissolve,
at the time of the passing of the resolution to wind up and dissolve the
company, have reason to believe that the company will not be able to pay or
provide for the payment of or discharge all claims, debts, liabilities and
obligations of the company in full; or |
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(b) |
the
liquidator after his appointment has reason so to believe, |
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then, the
directors, the members or the liquidator, as the case may be, shall
immediately give notice of the fact to the Registrar. |
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(2) |
Where a
notice has been given to the Registrar under subsection (1), all winding-up
and dissolution proceedings after the notice has been given shall be in
accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act relating to winding-up
and dissolution and those provisions shall apply mutatis mutandis to the
winding-up and dissolution of the company. |
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97. |
(1) |
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Act relating to winding-up and
dissolution, a company incorporated under this Act may be wound up by the
court under any of the circumstances, in so far as they are applicable to a
company incorporated under this Act, in which a company incorporated under
the Companies Act may be wound up by the court and, in that case, the
provisions of the Companies Act relating to winding-up and dissolution apply
mutatis mutandis to the winding-up and dissolution of the company. |
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(2) |
Any person
who, pursuant to the provisions of subsection (1), files, or causes to be
filed, a petition for the winding up of a company incorporated under this
Act, shall forthwith serve on the Registrar a notice that the petition has
been filed, and the Registrar must retain and register the notice. |
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98. |
(1) |
The
provisions of the Companies Act regarding receivers and managers govern
mutatis mutandis the appointment, duties, powers and liabilities of
receivers and managers of the assets of any company incorporated under this
Act. |
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(2) |
This
section comes into operation on such date as the Governor may appoint by
proclamation published in the Gazette. |
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99. |
(1) |
Notwithstanding section 6, where the Registrar has reasonable cause to
believe that a company incorporated under this Act no longer satisfies the
requirements prescribed for an International Business Company under section
5, the Registrar must serve on the company a notice that the name of the
company may be struck off the Registrar if the company no longer satisfies
those requirements. |
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(2) |
If the
Registrar does not receive a reply within 30 days immediately following the
date of the service of the notice referred to in subsection (1), he must
serve on the company another notice that the name of the company may be
struck off the Register if a reply to the notice is not received within 30
days immediately following the date thereof and that a notice of the
contemplated striking-off will be published in the Gazette. |
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(3) |
If the
Registrar |
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(a) |
receives
from the company a notice stating that the company no longer satisfies the
requirements prescribed for an International Business Company under section
5, in reply to a notice served on the company under subsection (1) or (2);
or |
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(b) |
does not
receive a reply to a notice served on the company under subsection (2) as
required by that subsection, |
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he must
publish a notice in the Gazette that the name of the company will be struck
off the Register unless the company or another person satisfies the
Registrar that the name of the company should not be struck off. |
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(4) |
At the
expiration of a period of 90 days immediately following the date of
publication of the notice under subsection (3), the Registrar shall strike
the name of the company off the Register, unless the company or any other
person satisfies the Registrar that the name of the company should not be
struck off, and the Registrar must publish notice of the striking-off in the
Gazette. |
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(5) |
If a
company fails to pay the increased licence fee due under subsection (3) of
section 105 on or before the expiration period of a period of 2 months from
the time specified in subsection (1) or (2), as the case may be, of section
105, the Registrar shall within 2 months from the expiration of the said
period of 2 months send to the registered agent of the company a written
notice that the name of the company will be struck off the Register if the
licence fee specified in subsection (4) of section 105 is not paid on or
before the next licence fee final payment date. |
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(6) |
If a
company fails to pay the increased fee stated in the notice referred to in
subsection (5) at or before the next licence fee final payment date, the
Registrar shall strike the name of the company off the Register on the date
immediately following the next licence fee final payment date. |
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(7) |
Within one
month following each licence fee final payment date, the Registrar shall
send to the registered agent of each company the name of which has been
struck off the Register notice of striking off. |
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(8) |
Within 2
months following each licence fee final payment date the Registrar shall
publish in the Gazette the names of all companies struck off the register on
the date immediately following the licence fee final payment date. |
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(9) |
A company
the name of which has been struck off the Register under this section
remains liable for all claims, debts, liabilities and obligations of the
company, and the striking off does not affect the liability of any of its
members, directors, officers or agents. |
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(10) |
The
striking off of a company shall not be affected by any failure on the part
of the Registrar to serve a notice on the registered agent or to publish a
notice in the Gazette. |
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(11) |
Subsections (5) to (8) do not apply to a company in the process of being
wound up and dissolved.
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100. |
(1) |
If the
name of a company has been struck off the Register under subsection (4) of
section 99, the company, or a creditor, member or liquidator thereof, may
apply to the court to have the name of the company restored to the Register. |
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(2) |
If upon an
application under subsection (1) the court is satisfied that |
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(a) |
at the
time the name of the company was struck off the Register, the company did
satisfy the requirements prescribed for an International Business Company
under section 5; and |
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(b) |
it would
be fair and reasonable for the name of the company to be restored to the
Register, |
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the court
may order the name of the company to be restored to the Register upon
payment to the registrar of all fees due under section 104 and all licence
fees due under section 105 without any increase for late payment, and upon
restoration of the name of the company to the Register, the name of the
company is deemed never to have been struck off the Register. |
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(3) |
If the
name of a company has been struck off the Register under subsection (6) of
section 99, the company, or a creditor, member or liquidator thereof, may,
within 10 years immediately following the date of the striking-off, apply to
the Registrar to have the name of the company restored to the Registrar, and
upon payment of |
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(a) |
all fees
due under section 104; |
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(b) |
the
increased license fee due under subsection (3) of section 105; and |
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(c) |
the
increased license fee due under subsection (3) of section 105 for each year
during which the name of the company remains struck off the Register, |
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the
Registrar shall restore the name of the company to the Register and upon
restoration of the name of the company to the Register, the name of the
company is deemed never to have been struck off the Register. |
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(3A) |
If the
name of the company has been struck off the Register under subsection (5) or
subsection (6) of section 40A, the company, or a creditor, member or
liquidator thereof, may apply to the Registrar to have the name of the
company restored to the Register. |
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(3B) |
If upon an
application under subsection (3A) the Registrar is satisfied that |
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(a) |
a licensed
person has agreed to act as registered agent of the company; and |
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(b) |
it would
be fair and reasonable for the name of the company to be restored to the
Register, |
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the
Registrar may restore the name of the company to the Register upon
satisfaction of the condition set forth in subsection (3C) and upon
restoration of the name of the company to the Register, the name of the
company is deemed never to have been struck off the Register. |
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(3C) |
The
conditions referred to in subsection (3B) are as follows: |
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(a) |
the
submission to the Registrar by the applicant for the restoration of a copy
of the resolution amending the Memorandum of the company to change the
registered agent; and |
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(b) |
payment to
the Registrar by the applicant for the restoration of: |
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(i) |
all fees
due under section 104, and |
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(ii) |
all
license fees due under section 105 without increase for late payment. |
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(4) |
For
purposes of this Part, the appointment of an official receiver under section
102 operates as an order to restore the name of the company to the Register. |
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101. |
(1) |
Where the
name of a company has been struck off the Register, the company, and the
directors, members, liquidators and receivers thereof, may not legally |
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(a) |
commence
legal proceedings, carry on any business or in any way deal with the assets
of the company; |
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(b) |
defend any
legal proceedings, make any claim or claim any right for, or in the name of,
the company; or |
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(c) |
act in any
way with respect to the affairs of the company. |
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(2) |
Notwithstanding subsection (1), where the name of the company has been
struck off the Register, the company, or a director, member, liquidator or
receiver thereof, may |
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(a) |
make
application for restoration of the name of the company to the Register; |
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(b) |
continue
to defend proceedings that were commenced against the company prior to the
date of the striking-off; and |
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(c) |
continue
to carry on legal proceedings that were instituted on behalf of the company
prior to the date of striking-off. |
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(3) |
The fact
that the name of a company is struck off the Register does not prevent |
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(a) |
the
company from incurring liabilities; |
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(b) |
any
creditor from making a claim against the company and pursuing the claim
through to judgement or execution; or |
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(c) |
the
appointment by the court of an official liquidator for the company under
section 102. |
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102. |
The court
may appoint a person to be the official liquidator in respect of a company
the name of which has been struck off the Register. |
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103. |
(1) |
If the
name of a company has been struck off the Register under section 99 and
remains struck off continuously for a period of 10 years, the company shall
be deemed to have been dissolved, but the Registrar may, if he determines
that it is in the best interests of the Crown to do so, apply to the court
on or before the expiration of the period of 10 years to have the company
put into liquidation and a person appointed by the court shall be the
official liquidator thereof. |
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(2) |
The duties
of an official liquidator in respect of a company in liquidation pursuant to
subsection (1) are limited to |
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(a) |
identifying and taking possession of all assets of the company; |
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(b) |
calling
for claims by advertisement in the Gazette and in such other manner as he
deems appropriate, requiring all claims to be submitted to him within a
period of not less than 90 days immediately following the date of the
advertisement; and |
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(c) |
applying
those assets that he recovers in the following order of priority: |
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(i) |
in
satisfaction of all outstanding fees, licence fees and penalties due to the
Registrar, and |
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(ii) |
in
satisfaction pari passu of all other claims admitted by the official
liquidator. |
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(3) |
In order
to perform the duties with which he is charged under subsection (2), the
official liquidator may exercise such powers as the court may as it
considers reasonable confer on him. |
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(4) |
The
official liquidator may require such proof as he considers necessary to
substantiate any claim submitted to him and he may admit, reject or settle
claims on the basis of the evidence submitted to him. |
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(5) |
When the
official liquidator has completed his duties, he shall submit a written
report of his conduct of the liquidation proceedings to the Registrar and,
upon receipt of the report by the Registrar, all assets of the company,
wherever situate, that are not disposed of, vest in the Crown and the
company is dissolved. |
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(6) |
The
official liquidator is entitled to such remuneration out of the assets of
the company for his services as the court approves, but if the company is
unable to discharge all of its claims, debts, liabilities and obligations,
payment of the official liquidator's remuneration shall be a charge on the
Consolidated Fund. |
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(7) |
No
liability attaches to an official liquidator |
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(a) |
to account
to creditors of the company who have not submitted claims within the time
allowed by him; or |
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(b) |
for any
failure to locate any assets of the company.
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