EX-2.4 2 ea020376401ex2-4_scien.htm DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

Exhibit 2.4

 

DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

 

The following summary of the material terms of our securities is not intended to be a complete summary of the rights and preferences of such securities. We urge you to our Memorandum and Articles of Association, as amended and restated from time to time (our “Memorandum and Articles of Association”) in its entirety fo a complete description of the rights and preferences of our securities. The summary below is also qualified by reference to the provisions of the BVI Business Companies Act, 2004 as amended (the “BVI Act”).

 

General

 

We are a company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands as a BVI business company (with company number 1977965) whose registered office is at Clarence Thomas Building, Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands, and our affairs are governed by our Memorandum and Articles of Association and the laws of the British Virgin Islands. For the purposes of the BVI Act, there are no limitations on the business that we may carry on. 

 

Pursuant to our Memorandum and Articles of Association, we shall issue registered shares only. We are not authorized to issue bearer shares, convert registered shares to bearer shares or exchange registered shares for bearer shares. We are currently authorized to issue an unlimited number of shares of Class A ordinary shares, 2,925,058 Class B ordinary shares and 50,000,000 Class A preferred shares, each with no par value. Shares may be issued in one or more series of shares as the directors may by Resolution of Directors determine from time to time. As of December 31, 2022, 36,684,668 Class A ordinary shares and 2,625,058 shares of Class B ordinary shares are issued and outstanding.

 

Class A Ordinary Shares

 

Pursuant to our Memorandum and Articles of Association, holders of Class A ordinary shares do not have any conversion, preemptive or other subscription rights and there will be no sinking fund provisions applicable to the Class A ordinary shares.

 

Each Class A ordinary share confers upon the shareholder:

 

the right to one vote at a meeting of the Shareholders or on any resolution of shareholders;

 

the right to an equal share in any dividend paid by us; and

 

the right to an equal share in the distribution of our surplus assets on our liquidation.

 

Class B Ordinary Shares

 

Pursuant to our Memorandum and Articles of Association, holders of Class B ordinary shares do not have any conversion, preemptive or other subscription rights and there will be no sinking fund provisions applicable to the Class B ordinary shares.

 

Each Class B ordinary share confers upon the shareholder:

 

the right to ten vote at a meeting of the Shareholders or on any resolution of shareholders;

 

the right to an equal share in any dividend paid by us; and

 

the right to an equal share in the distribution of our surplus assets on our liquidation.

 

 

 

 

Class A Preferred Shares

 

Our Memorandum and Articles of Association authorizes our board of directors to establish from time to time one or more series of Class A preferred shares and to determine, with respect to any series of preferred shares, the terms and rights of that series, including:

 

the designation of the series;

 

the number of shares of the series;

 

the dividend rights, dividend rates, conversion rights, and voting rights; and

 

the rights and terms of redemption and liquidation preferences.

 

Our board of directors may issue preferred shares without action by our shareholders to the extent authorized but unissued. Issuance of these shares may dilute the voting power of holders of Class A ordinary shares.

 

You should refer to the prospectus supplement relating to the series of Class A preferred shares being offered for the specific terms of that series, including:

 

title of the series and the number of shares in the series;

 

the price at which the preferred shares will be offered;

 

the dividend rate or rates or method of calculating the rates, the dates on which the dividends will be payable, whether or not dividends will be cumulative or noncumulative, and, if cumulative, the dates from which dividends on the preferred shares being offered will cumulate;

 

the voting rights, if any, of the holders of preferred shares being offered;

 

the provisions for a sinking fund, if any, and the provisions for redemption, if applicable, of the preferred shares being offered, including any restrictions on the foregoing as a result of arrearage in the payment of dividends or sinking fund installments;

 

the liquidation preference per share;

 

the terms and conditions, if applicable, upon which the preferred shares being offered will be convertible into our Class A ordinary shares, including the conversion price, or the manner of calculating the conversion price, and the conversion period;

 

the terms and conditions, if applicable, upon which the preferred shares being offered will be exchangeable for debt securities, including the exchange price, or the manner of calculating the exchange price, and the exchange period;

 

any listing of the preferred shares being offered on any securities exchange;

 

a discussion of any material federal income tax considerations applicable to the preferred shares being offered;

 

any preemptive rights;

 

the relative ranking and preferences of the preferred shares being offered as to dividend rights and rights upon liquidation, dissolution, or the winding up of our affairs;

 

any limitations on the issuance of any class or series of preferred shares ranking senior or equal to the series of preferred shares being offered as to dividend rights and rights upon liquidation, dissolution, or the winding up of our affairs; and

 

any additional rights, preferences, qualifications, limitations, and restrictions of the series.

 

Issuance of Class A preferred shares may dilute the voting power of holders of ordinary shares.

 

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Warrants

 

As of February 6, 2024, we have no warrants issued and outstanding. On February 5, 2024, the fifth year anniversary of the effectiveness of Wealthbridge’s registration statement relating to its initial public offering, all the warrants issued as part of the units issued in Wealthbridge’s initial public offering and the private placement consummated simultaneously with the initial public offering expired and were cancelled pursuant to the terms of the Warrant Agreement by and between Wealthbridge and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, dated February 5, 2019.

 

Key Provisions of Our Memorandum and Articles of Association and British Virgin Islands Laws Affecting Our Ordinary Shares or Corporate Governance

 

The following are summaries of material terms and provisions of our Memorandum and Articles of Association and the BVI Act, insofar as they relate to the material terms of our Class A and Class B ordinary shares or corporate governance. This summary is not intended to be complete, and you should read our Memorandum and Articles of Association.

  

Voting Rights

 

We have two classes of ordinary shares, namely, Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares. Both the Class A ordinary shares and the Class B ordinary shares will have the same rights except that the Class B ordinary shares will have weighted voting rights. Each Class B ordinary share shall have ten votes at a meeting of the shareholders or on any resolution of shareholders whereas each Class A ordinary share shall only have one vote. Each outstanding Class B ordinary share is convertible at any time at the option of the holder into one Class A ordinary share.

 

Under the BVI Act, the ordinary shares are deemed to be issued when the name of the shareholder is entered in our register of members. Our register of members is maintained by our transfer agent, Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, which will enter the name of our shareholders in our register of members. If (a) information that is required to be entered in the register of shareholders is omitted from the register or is inaccurately entered in the register, or (b) there is unreasonable delay in entering information in the register, a shareholder of ours, or any person who is aggrieved by the omission, inaccuracy or delay, may apply to the British Virgin Islands courts for an order that the register be rectified, and the court may either refuse the application or order the rectification of the register, and may direct us to pay all costs of the application and any damages the applicant may have sustained.

 

Subject to any rights or restrictions attached to any shares, at any general meeting on a show of hands every Class A ordinary shareholder who is present in person (or, in the case of a shareholder being a corporation, by its duly authorized representative) or by proxy will have one vote for each Class A ordinary share held on all matters to be voted on by shareholders. Subject to any rights or restrictions attached to any shares, at any general meeting on a show of hands every Class B ordinary shareholder who is present in person (or, in the case of a shareholder being a corporation, by its duly authorized representative) or by proxy will have ten votes for each Class B ordinary share held on all matters to be voted on by shareholders. Voting at any meeting of the ordinary shareholders is by show of hands unless a poll is demanded. A poll may be demanded by shareholders present in person or by proxy if the shareholder disputes the outcome of the vote on a proposed resolution and the chairman shall cause a poll to be taken.

 

There is nothing under the laws of the British Virgin Islands, which specifically prohibits or restricts the creation of cumulative voting rights for the election of our directors, but cumulative voting for the election of directors is permitted only if expressly provided for in a BVI company’s memorandum or articles of association. We have not made provisions in our Memorandum and Articles of Association for cumulative voting for such elections.

 

Under British Virgin Islands laws, the voting rights of shareholders are regulated by our Memorandum and Articles of Association and, in certain circumstances, the BVI Act. Our Memorandum and Articles of Association govern matters such as quorum for the transaction of business, rights of shares, and majority votes required to approve any action or resolution at a meeting of the shareholders or board of directors. Unless our Memorandum and Articles of Association otherwise provide, the requisite majority is usually a simple majority of votes cast.

 

Dividend Rights

 

Each ordinary share (including both Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares) is entitled to an equal share in any dividend paid by the Company. The Articles of Association provide that the directors of the Company may authorize a distribution (including a dividend) at a time and of an amount they think fit if they are satisfied that immediately after the distribution (or dividend) the value of the Company’s assets will exceed its liabilities and the Company will be able to pay its debts as they fall due.

 

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Preemption Rights

 

British Virgin Islands laws do not make a distinction between public and private companies and some of the protections and safeguards (such as statutory preemption rights, save to the extent that they are expressly provided for in our Memorandum and Articles of Association) that investors may expect to find in relation to a public company are not provided for under British Virgin Islands laws. There are no preemption rights applicable to the issuance of new shares under either British Virgin Islands laws or our Memorandum and Articles of Association.

 

Liquidation Rights

 

We may by resolution of shareholders or, subject to section 199(2) of the BVI Act, by resolution of directors appoint a voluntary liquidator.

 

Transfer of Shares

 

Any shareholder may transfer all or any of his shares by an instrument of transfer provided that such transfer complies with applicable rules of the SEC and federal and state securities laws of the United States. The instrument of transfer of any share shall be in writing in the usual or common form or in a form prescribed by the Designated Stock Exchange (such as Nasdaq Capital Market) or in any other form approved by the directors.

  

Share Repurchases and Redemptions

 

As permitted by the BVI Act and our Memorandum and Articles of Association, shares may be repurchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired by us. In addition, our directors must determine that, immediately following the redemption or repurchase, we will be able to pay our debts as they fall due and that the value of our assets will exceed our liabilities.

 

Share Redesignation, Reclassification or Conversion

 

As permitted by the BVI Act and our Memorandum and Articles of Association, a Shareholder holding Class B Ordinary Shares may at any time require the Company to convert all or a portion of the Class B Ordinary Shares held by that Shareholder for Class A Ordinary Shares. The Company may redesignate, reclassify or convert all or a portion of: (a) the Ordinary Shares held by a Shareholder into Class A Ordinary Shares; and (b) the Ordinary Shares held by a Shareholder into Class B Ordinary Shares with the consent of that Shareholder by Resolution of Shareholders.

 

Board of Directors

 

We are managed by a Board which currently consists of seven directors. Our Memorandum and Articles of Association provide that the minimum number of directors shall be two and there shall be no maximum number of directors. The term of the directors are two years.

 

The directors may by Resolution of Directors exercise all the powers of the Company to incur indebtedness, liabilities or obligations and to secure indebtedness, liabilities or obligations whether of the Company or of any third party. There are no share ownership qualifications for directors.

 

Meetings of our Board may be convened at any time deemed necessary by any of our directors.

 

A meeting of directors is duly constituted for all purposes if at the commencement of the meeting there are present in person or by alternate not less than one-half of the total number of directors, unless there are only 2 directors in which case the quorum is 2.

 

The directors may, by Resolution of Directors, fix the emoluments of directors with respect to services to be rendered in any capacity to the Company.

 

We do not have any age limitations for our directors, nor do we have mandatory retirement as a result of reaching a certain age.

 

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Meetings of Shareholders

 

Any of our directors of may convene meetings of the shareholders at such times and in such manner and places within or outside the British Virgin Islands as the director considers necessary or desirable.

 

Upon the written request of shareholders entitled to exercise 30 percent or more of the voting rights in respect of the matter for which the meeting is requested the directors shall convene a meeting of shareholders. 

 

Subject to our Memorandum and Articles of Association, the director convening a meeting of members shall give not less than 7 days’ written notice of such meeting to: (a) those members whose names on the date the notice is given appear as members in the share register of the Company and are entitled to vote at the meeting; and (b) the other directors. 

 

A meeting of shareholders held in contravention of the requirement to give notice is valid if shareholders holding at least 90% of the total voting rights on all the matters to be considered at the meeting have waived notice of the meeting and, for this purpose, the presence of a shareholder at the meeting shall constitute a waiver in relation to all the shares which that shareholder holds.

 

A meeting of shareholders is duly constituted if, at the commencement of the meeting, there are present in person or by proxy not less than 50% of the votes of the shares entitled to vote at the meeting. A quorum may be comprised of a single shareholder or proxy and then such person may pass a resolution of shareholders and a certificate signed by such person accompanied where such person is a proxy by a copy of the proxy instrument shall constitute a valid resolution of shareholders.

 

Differences in Corporate Law

 

We were incorporated under, and are governed by, the laws of the British Virgin Islands. The corporate statutes of the State of Delaware and the British Virgin Islands are similar, and the flexibility available under British Virgin Islands law has enabled us to adopt a memorandum and articles of association that will provide shareholders with rights that do not vary in any material respect from those they would enjoy if we were incorporated under Delaware law. Set forth below is a summary of some of the differences between provisions of the BVI Act applicable to us and the laws applicable to companies incorporated in Delaware and their shareholders.

 

Director’s Fiduciary Duties

 

Under Delaware corporate law, a director of a Delaware corporation has a fiduciary duty to the corporation and its shareholders. This duty has two components: the duty of care and the duty of loyalty. The duty of care requires that a director act in good faith, with the care that an ordinarily prudent person would exercise under similar circumstances. Under this duty, a director must inform himself of, and disclose to shareholders, all material information reasonably available regarding a significant transaction. The duty of loyalty requires that a director act in a manner he reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the corporation. He must not use his corporate position for personal gain or advantage. This duty prohibits self-dealing by a director and mandates that the best interest of the corporation and its shareholders take precedence over any interest possessed by a director, officer or controlling shareholder and not shared by the shareholders generally. In general, actions of a director are presumed to have been made on an informed basis, in good faith and in the honest belief that the action taken was in the best interests of the corporation. However, this presumption may be rebutted by evidence of a breach of one of the fiduciary duties. Should such evidence be presented concerning a transaction by a director, a director must prove the procedural fairness of the transaction, and that the transaction was of fair value to the corporation.

 

British Virgin Islands law provides that every director of a British Virgin Islands company in exercising his powers or performing his duties, shall act honestly and in good faith and in what the director believes to be in the best interests of the company. Additionally, the director shall exercise the care, diligence, and skill that a reasonable director would exercise in the same circumstances taking into account the nature of the company, the nature of the decision and the position of the director and his responsibilities. In addition, British Virgin Islands law provides that a director shall exercise his powers as a director for a proper purpose and shall not act, or agree to the company acting, in a manner that contravenes British Virgin Islands law or the memorandum and articles of association of the company.

 

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Amendment of Governing Documents

 

Under Delaware corporate law, with very limited exceptions, a vote of the shareholders of a corporation is required to amend the certificate of incorporation. In addition, Delaware corporate law provides that shareholders have the right to amend the corporation’s bylaws, but the certificate of incorporation may confer such right on the directors of the corporation.

  

Our Memorandum and Articles of Association can generally be amended by with the approval of the holders of a majority of our outstanding ordinary shares or by a resolution of the board of directors. In addition, pursuant to our Memorandum and Articles of Association, our board of directors may amend our Memorandum and Articles of Association by a resolution of directors without a requirement for a resolution of shareholders so long as the amendment does not:

 

restrict the rights or powers of the shareholders to amend our Memorandum and Articles of Association;

 

change the percentage of shareholders required to pass a resolution of shareholders to amend our Memorandum and Articles of Association; or

 

amend our Memorandum and Articles of Association in circumstances where it cannot be amended by the shareholders;

 

certain provisions that our Memorandum and Articles of Association specifies cannot be amended.

 

Written Consent of Directors

 

Under Delaware corporate law, a written consent of the directors must be unanimous to take effect. Under British Virgin Islands law and our Memorandum and Articles of Association, only a majority of the directors are required to sign a written consent.

 

Written Consent of Shareholders

 

Under Delaware corporate law, unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation, any action to be taken at any annual or special meeting of shareholders of a corporation may be taken by written consent of the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to take that action at a meeting at which all shareholders entitled to vote were present and voted. As permitted by British Virgin Islands law, our Memorandum and Articles of Association provides that a resolution of shareholders can be consented to in writing by a majority of in excess of 50 percent of the votes of ordinary shares entitled to vote thereon.

 

Shareholder Proposals

 

Under Delaware corporate law, a shareholder has the right to put any proposal before the annual meeting of shareholders, provided it complies with the notice provisions in the governing documents. A special meeting may be called by the board of directors or any other person authorized to do so in the governing documents, but shareholders may be precluded from calling special meetings. British Virgin Islands law and our Memorandum and Articles of Association provide that our directors shall call a meeting of the shareholders if requested in writing to do so by shareholders entitled to exercise at least 30% of the voting rights in respect of the matter for which the meeting is requested.

 

Dissolution; Winding Up

 

Under Delaware corporate law, unless the board of directors approves the proposal to dissolve, dissolution must be approved by shareholders holding 100% of the total voting power of the corporation. Only if the dissolution is initiated by the board of directors may it be approved by a simple majority of the corporation’s outstanding shares. Delaware corporate law allows a Delaware corporation to include in its certificate of incorporation a supermajority voting requirement in connection with dissolutions initiated by the board. As permitted by British Virgin Islands law and our Memorandum and Articles of Association, we may by resolution of shareholders or, subject to section 199(2) of the BVI Act, by resolution of directors appoint a voluntary liquidator.

 

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Redemption of Shares

 

Under Delaware corporate law, any stock may be made subject to redemption by the corporation at its option, at the option of the holders of that stock or upon the happening of a specified event, provided shares with full voting power remain outstanding. The stock may be made redeemable for cash, property or rights, as specified in the certificate of incorporation or in the resolution of the board of directors providing for the issue of the stock. As permitted by British Virgin Islands law and our Memorandum and Articles of Association, shares may be repurchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired by us. However, the consent of the shareholder whose shares are to be repurchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired must be obtained, except as specified in the terms of the applicable class or series of shares or as described under “—Compulsory Acquisition” below. In addition, our directors must determine that, immediately following the redemption or repurchase, we will be able to pay our debts as they fall due and that the value of our assets will exceed our liabilities.

 

Compulsory Acquisition

 

Under Delaware General Corporation Law § 253, in a process known as a “short form” merger, a corporation that owns at least 90% of the outstanding shares of each class of stock of another corporation may either merge the other corporation into itself and assume all of its obligations or merge itself into the other corporation by executing, acknowledging and filing with the Delaware Secretary of State a certificate of such ownership and merger setting forth a copy of the resolution of its board of directors authorizing such merger. If the parent corporation is a Delaware corporation that is not the surviving corporation, the merger also must be approved by a majority of the outstanding stock of the parent corporation. If the parent corporation does not own all of the stock of the subsidiary corporation immediately prior to the merger, the minority shareholders of the subsidiary corporation party to the merger may have appraisal rights as set forth in § 262 of the Delaware General Corporation Law.

 

Under the BVI Act, subject to any limitations in a company’s memorandum and articles of association, members holding 90% of the votes of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, and members holding 90% of the votes of the outstanding shares of each class of shares entitled to vote, may give a written instruction to the company directing the company to redeem the shares held by the remaining members. Upon receipt of such written instruction, the company shall redeem the shares specified in the written instruction, irrespective of whether or not the shares are by their terms redeemable. The company shall give written notice to each member whose shares are to be redeemed stating the redemption price and the manner in which the redemption is to be effected. A member whose shares are to be so redeemed is entitled to dissent from such redemption and to be paid the fair value of his shares, as described under “—Shareholders’ Rights under British Virgin Islands Law Generally” below.

 

Variation of Rights of Shares

 

Under Delaware corporate law, a corporation may vary the rights of a class of shares with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares of that class, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. As permitted by British Virgin Islands law and our Memorandum and Articles of Association, if at any time the Shares are divided into different classes, the rights attached to any class may only be varied, whether or not the Company is in liquidation, with the consent in writing of or by a resolution passed at a meeting by the holders of not less than 50 percent of the voting rights in that class.

 

Election of Directors

 

Under Delaware corporate law, unless otherwise specified in the certificate of incorporation or bylaws of a corporation, directors are elected by a plurality of the votes of the shares entitled to vote on the election of directors. As permitted by British Virgin Islands law, and pursuant to our Memorandum and Articles of Association, our first directors shall be appointed by the first registered agent within 6 months of the date of incorporation; and thereafter, the directors shall be elected by resolution of shareholders or, where permitted by our Memorandum and Articles of Association, by resolution of directors.

 

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Removal of Directors

 

Under Delaware corporate law, a director of a corporation with a classified board may be removed only for cause with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Similarly, as permitted by British Virgin Islands law, our Memorandum and Articles of Association provides that directors may be removed from office, (a) with or without cause, by resolution of shareholders passed at a meeting of shareholders called for the purposes of removing the director or for purposes including the removal of the director or by a written resolution passed by at least 50 percent of the votes of the shareholders of the Company entitled to vote, or (b) with cause, by Resolution of Directors passed at a meeting of directors called for the purpose of removing the director or for purposes including the removal of the director.

  

Mergers

 

Under Delaware corporate law, one or more constituent corporations may merge into and become part of another constituent corporation in a process known as a merger. A Delaware corporation may merge with a foreign corporation as long as the law of the foreign jurisdiction permits such a merger. To effect a merger under Delaware General Corporation Law § 251, an agreement of merger must be properly adopted and the agreement of merger or a certificate of merger must be filed with the Delaware Secretary of State. In order to be properly adopted, the agreement of merger must be adopted by the board of directors of each constituent corporation by a resolution or unanimous written consent. In addition, the agreement of merger generally must be approved at a meeting of shareholders of each constituent corporation by a majority of the outstanding stock of the corporation entitled to vote, unless the certificate of incorporation provides for a supermajority vote. In general, the surviving corporation assumes all of the assets and liabilities of the disappearing corporation or corporations as a result of the merger.

 

Under the BVI Act, two or more companies may merge or consolidate in accordance with the statutory provisions. A merger means the merging of two or more constituent companies into one of the constituent companies, and a consolidation means the uniting of two or more constituent companies into a new company. In order to merge or consolidate, the directors of each constituent company must approve a written plan of merger or consolidation, which must be authorized by a resolution of shareholders. One or more companies may also merge or consolidate with one or more companies incorporated under the laws of jurisdictions outside the British Virgin Islands if the merger or consolidation is permitted by the laws of the jurisdictions in which the companies incorporated outside the British Virgin Islands are incorporated. In respect of such a merger or consolidation, a British Virgin Islands company is required to comply with the provisions of the BVI Act, and a company incorporated outside the British Virgin Islands is required to comply with the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation.

 

Shareholders not otherwise entitled to vote on the merger or consolidation may still acquire the right to vote if the plan of merger or consolidation contains any provision that, if proposed as an amendment to the memorandum and articles of association, would entitle them to vote as a class or series on the proposed amendment. In any event, all shareholders must be given a copy of the plan of merger or consolidation irrespective of whether they are entitled to vote at the meeting or consent to the written resolution to approve the plan of merger or consolidation.

 

Inspection of Books and Records

 

Under Delaware corporate law, any shareholder of a corporation may for any proper purpose inspect or make copies of the corporation’s stock ledger, list of shareholders and other books and records. Under British Virgin Islands law, members of the general public, on payment of a nominal fee, can obtain copies of the public records of a company available at the office of the British Virgin Islands Registrar of Corporate Affairs, including the company’s certificate of incorporation, its memorandum and articles of association (with any amendments), records of license fees paid to date, any articles of dissolution, any articles of merger and a register of charges if the company has elected to file such a register.

 

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A shareholder of a company is entitled, on giving written notice to the company, to inspect:

 

a)the memorandum and articles of association;

 

b)the register of members;

 

c)the register of directors; and

 

d)the minutes of meetings and resolutions of shareholders and of those classes of shares of which he is a shareholder.

 

In addition, a shareholder may make copies of or take extracts from the documents and records referred to in (a) through (d) above. However, subject to the memorandum and articles of association of the company, the directors may, if they are satisfied that it would be contrary to the company’s interests to allow a shareholder to inspect any document, or part of any document, specified in (b), (c) or (d) above, refuse to permit the shareholder to inspect the document or limit the inspection of the document, including limiting the making of copies or the taking of extracts from the records. Where a company fails or refuses to permit a shareholder to inspect a document or permits a shareholder to inspect a document subject to limitations, that shareholder may apply to the court for an order that he should be permitted to inspect the document or to inspect the document without limitation. 

 

Where a company keeps a copy of the register of members or the register of directors at the office of its registered agent, it is required to notify the registered agent of any changes to the originals of such registers, in writing, within 15 days of any change; and to provide the registered agent with a written record of the physical address of the place or places at which the original register of members or the original register of directors is kept. Where the place at which the original register of members or the original register of directors is changed, the company is required to provide the registered agent with the physical address of the new location of the records within 14 days of the change of location.

 

A company is also required to keep at the office of its registered agent or at such other place or places, within or outside the British Virgin Islands, as the directors determine the minutes of meetings and resolutions of shareholders and of classes of shareholders, and the minutes of meetings and resolutions of directors and committees of directors. If such records are kept at a place other than at the office of the company’s registered agent, the company is required to provide the registered agent with a written record of the physical address of the place or places at which the records are kept and to notify the registered agent, within 14 days, of the physical address of any new location where such records may be kept.

 

Conflict of Interest

 

Under Delaware corporate law, a contract between a corporation and a director or officer, or between a corporation and any other organization in which a director or officer has a financial interest, is not void as long as (i) the material facts as to the director’s or officer’s relationship or interest are disclosed or known and (ii) either a majority of the disinterested directors authorizes the contract in good faith or the shareholders vote in good faith to approve the contract. Nor will any such contract be void if it is fair to the corporation when it is authorized, approved or ratified by the board of directors, a committee or the shareholders.

 

The BVI Act provides that a director shall, forthwith after becoming aware that he is interested in a transaction entered into or to be entered into by the company, disclose that interest to the board of directors of the company. The failure of a director to disclose that interest does not affect the validity of a transaction entered into by the director or the company, so long as the director’s interest was disclosed to the board prior to the company’s entry into the transaction or was not required to be disclosed because the transaction is between the company and the director himself and is otherwise in the ordinary course of business and on usual terms and conditions. As permitted by British Virgin Islands laws and our Memorandum and Articles of Association, a director interested in a particular transaction may vote on it, attend meetings at which it is considered, and sign documents on our behalf which relate to the transaction, and subject to compliance with the BVI Act shall not, by reason of his office be accountable to us for any benefit which he derives from such transaction and no such transaction shall be liable to be avoided on the grounds of any such interest or benefit.

 

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Transactions with Interested Shareholders

 

Delaware corporate law contains a business combination statute applicable to Delaware public corporations whereby, unless the corporation has specifically elected not to be governed by that statute by amendment to its certificate of incorporation, it is prohibited from engaging in certain business combinations with an “interested shareholder” for three years following the date that the person becomes an interested shareholder. An interested shareholder generally is a person or group that owns or owned 15% or more of the company’s outstanding voting stock within the past three years. This statute has the effect of limiting the ability of a potential acquirer to make a two-tiered bid for the company in which all shareholders would not be treated equally. The statute does not apply if, among other things, prior to the date on which the shareholder becomes an interested shareholder, the board of directors approves either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the person becoming an interested shareholder.

 

British Virgin Islands law has no comparable provision. However, although British Virgin Islands law does not regulate transactions between a company and its significant shareholders, it does provide that these transactions must be entered into in the bona fide best interests of the company and not with the effect of constituting a fraud on the minority shareholders.

  

Independent Directors

 

There are no provisions under Delaware corporate law or under the BVI Act that require a majority of our directors to be independent.

 

Cumulative Voting

 

Under Delaware corporate law, cumulative voting for elections of directors is not permitted unless the company’s certificate of incorporation specifically provides for it. Cumulative voting potentially facilitates the representation of minority shareholders on a board of directors since it permits the minority shareholder to cast all the votes to which the shareholder is entitled on a single director, which increases the shareholder’s voting power with respect to electing such director. There are no prohibitions on cumulative voting under the laws of the British Virgin Islands, but our Memorandum and Articles of Association does not provide for cumulative voting.

 

Shareholders’ Rights under British Virgin Islands Law Generally

 

The BVI Act provides for certain remedies that may be available to shareholders. Where a company incorporated under the BVI Act or any of its directors engages in, or proposes to engage in, conduct that contravenes the BVI Act or the company’s memorandum and articles of association, British Virgin Islands courts can issue a restraining or compliance order. However, shareholders can also bring derivative, personal and representative actions under certain circumstances. The traditional English basis for members’ remedies has also been incorporated into the BVI Act: where a shareholder of a company considers that the affairs of the company have been, are being or are likely to be conducted in a manner likely to be oppressive, unfairly discriminating or unfairly prejudicial to him, he may apply to the court for an order based on such conduct. In addition, any shareholder of a company may apply to the courts for the appointment of a liquidator of the company and the court may appoint a liquidator of the company if it is of the opinion that it is just and equitable to do so.

 

The BVI Act also provides that any shareholder of a company is entitled to payment of the fair value of his shares upon dissenting from any of the following: (i) a merger, if the company is a constituent company, unless the company is the surviving company and the member continues to hold the same or similar shares; (ii) a consolidation, if the company is a constituent company; (iii) any sale, transfer, lease, exchange or other disposition of more than 50% in value of the assets or business of the company if not made in the usual or regular course of the business carried on by the company but not including (a) a disposition pursuant to an order of the court having jurisdiction in the matter, (b) a disposition for money on terms requiring all or substantially all net proceeds to be distributed to the shareholders in accordance with their respective interest within one year after the date of disposition, or (c) a transfer pursuant to the power of the directors to transfer assets for the protection thereof; (iv) a redemption of 10% or fewer of the issued shares of the company required by the holders of 90% or more of the shares of the company pursuant to the terms of the BVI Act; and (v) an arrangement, if permitted by the court.

 

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Generally, any other claims against a company by its shareholders must be based on the general laws of contract or tort applicable in the British Virgin Islands or their individual rights as shareholders as established by a company’s memorandum and articles of association.

 

Rights of Non-resident or Foreign Shareholders and Disclosure of Substantial Shareholdings

 

There are no limitations imposed by our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association on the rights of non-resident or foreign shareholders to hold or exercise voting rights on our shares. In addition, there are no provisions in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association governing the ownership threshold above which shareholder ownership must be disclosed.

 

Anti-Money Laundering — British Virgin Islands

 

In order to comply with legislation or regulations aimed at the prevention of money laundering we are required to adopt and maintain anti-money laundering procedures, and may require subscribers or transferees to provide evidence to verify their identity. Where permitted, and subject to certain conditions, we also may delegate the maintenance of our anti-money laundering procedures (including the acquisition of due diligence information) to a suitable person.

 

We reserve the right to request such information as is necessary to verify the identity of a subscriber or transferee. In the event of delay or failure on the part of the subscriber or transferee in producing any information required for verification purposes, we may refuse to accept the application, in which case any funds received will be returned without interest to the account from which they were originally debited or refuse to amend the register of members to reflect the transferee’s ownership of the relevant shares.

 

If any person resident in the British Virgin Islands knows or suspects that another person is engaged in money laundering or terrorist financing and the information for that knowledge or suspicion came to their attention in the course of their business the person will be required to report his belief or suspicion to the Financial Investigation Agency of the British Virgin Islands, pursuant to the Proceeds of Criminal Conduct Act 1997 (as amended). Such a report shall not be treated as a breach of confidence or of any restriction upon the disclosure of information imposed by any enactment or otherwise. 

 

Exchange Controls.

 

No laws of the British Virgin Islands, decrees, regulations or other legislation that limit the import or export of capital or the payment of dividends to shareholders who do not reside in the British Virgin Islands.

 

Our Transfer Agent

 

The transfer agent for our securities is Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company.

 

Listing

 

Our Class A ordinary shares are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “SJ”.

 

 

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