Exhibit 4
TRANSFER AGENCY AND SERVICE AGREEMENT
between
ORBITEX GROUP OF FUNDS
and
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
1C-Domestic Trust/Series
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
----
1. Terms of Appointment; Duties of the Bank. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
2. Fees and Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
3. Representations and Warranties of the Bank. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
4. Representations and Warranties of the Fund. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
5. Data Access and Proprietary Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
6. Indemnification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
7. Standard of Care. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
8. Covenants of the Fund and the Bank. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
9. Termination of Agreement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
10. Additional Funds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
11. Assignment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
12. Amendment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
13. Massachusetts Law to Apply. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
14. Force Majeure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
15. Consequential Damages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
16. Merger of Agreement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
17. Limitations of Liability of the Trustees
or Shareholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
18. Counterparts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
TRANSFER AGENCY AND SERVICE AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT made as of the 14th day of May, 1997 , by and between Orbitex Group of
Funds, a Delaware business trust, having its principal office and place of
business at 000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 (the "Fund"), and STATE
STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, a Massachusetts trust company having its
principal office and place of business at 000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000 (the "Bank").
WHEREAS, the Fund is authorized to issue shares in separate series, with each
such series representing interests in a separate portfolio of securities and
other assets; and
WHEREAS, the Fund intends to initially offer shares in five series, the Orbitex
Global Natural Resources Fund, Orbitex Info-Tech & Communications Fund, Orbitex
Growth Fund, Orbitex Asian High Yield Fund and Orbitex Select Advisers Fund
(each such series, together with all other series subsequently established by
the Fund and made subject to this Agreement in accordance with Article 10, being
herein referred to as a "Portfolio", and collectively as the "Portfolios");
WHEREAS, the Fund on behalf of the Portfolios desires to appoint the Bank as its
transfer agent, dividend disbursing agent, custodian of certain retirement plans
and agent in connection with certain other activities, and the Bank desires to
accept such appointment;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained, the
parties hereto agree as follows:
l. TERMS OF APPOINTMENT; DUTIES OF THE BANK
1.1 Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the
Fund, on behalf of the Portfolios, hereby employs and appoints the Bank
to act as, and the Bank agrees to act as its transfer agent for the
Fund's authorized and issued shares of beneficial interest ("Shares")
and dividend disbursing agent and agent in connection with any
accumulation, open-account or similar plans provided to the shareholders
of each of the respective Portfolios of the Fund ("Shareholders") and
set out in the currently effective prospectus and statement of
additional information ("prospectus") of the Fund on behalf of the
applicable Portfolio, including without limitation any periodic
investment plan or periodic withdrawal program.
1.2 The Bank agrees that it will perform the following services:
(a) In accordance with procedures established from time to time by
agreement between the Fund on behalf of each of the Portfolios,
as applicable, and the Bank, the Bank shall:
(i) Receive for acceptance, orders for the purchase of
Shares, and promptly deliver payment and appropriate
documentation thereof to the Custodian of the Fund (the
"Custodian");
(ii) Pursuant to purchase orders, issue the appropriate
number of Shares and hold such Shares in the appropriate
Shareholder account;
(iii) Receive for acceptance redemption requests and
redemption directions and deliver the appropriate
documentation thereof to the Custodian;
(iv) In respect to the transactions in items (i), (ii) and
(iii) above, the Bank shall execute transactions
directly with broker-dealers authorized by the Fund who
shall thereby be deemed to be acting on behalf of the
Fund;
(v) At the appropriate time as and when it receives monies
paid to it by the Custodian with respect to any
redemption, pay over or cause to be paid over in the
appropriate manner such monies as instructed by the
redeeming Shareholders;
(vi) Effect transfers of Shares by the registered owners
thereof upon receipt of appropriate instructions;
(vii) Prepare and transmit payments for dividends and
distributions declared by the Fund on behalf of the
applicable Portfolio;
(viii) Issue replacement certificates for those certificates
alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed upon
receipt by the Bank of indemnification satisfactory to
the Bank and protecting the Bank and the Fund, and the
Bank at its option, may issue replacement certificates
in place of mutilated stock certificates upon
presentation thereof and without such indemnity;
(ix) Maintain records of account for and advise the Fund and
its Shareholders as to the foregoing; and
(x) Record the issuance of shares of the Fund and maintain
pursuant to SEC Rule 17Ad-10(e) a record of the total
number of shares of the Fund which are authorized, based
upon data provided to it by the Fund, and issued and
outstanding. The Bank shall also provide the Fund on a
regular basis with the total number of shares which are
authorized and issued and outstanding and shall have no
obligation, when recording the issuance of shares, to
monitor the issuance of such shares or to take
cognizance of any laws relating to the issue or sale of
such Shares, which functions shall be the sole
responsibility of the Fund.
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(b) In addition to and neither in lieu nor in contravention of the
services set forth in the above paragraph (a), the Bank shall:
(i) perform the customary services of a transfer agent, dividend
disbursing agent and, as relevant, agent in connection with
accumulation, open-account or similar plans (including without
limitation any periodic investment plan or periodic withdrawal
program), including but not limited to: maintaining all
Shareholder accounts, preparing Shareholder meeting lists,
mailing proxies, mailing Shareholder reports and prospectuses to
current Shareholders, withholding taxes on U.S. resident and
non-resident alien accounts, preparing and filing U.S. Treasury
Department Forms 1099 and other appropriate forms required with
respect to dividends and distributions by federal authorities for
all Shareholders, preparing and mailing confirmation forms and
statements of account to Shareholders for all purchases and
redemptions of Shares and other confirmable transactions in
Shareholder accounts, preparing and mailing activity statements
for Shareholders, and providing Shareholder account information
and (ii) provide a system which will enable the Fund to monitor
the total number of Shares sold in each State.
(c) In addition, the Fund shall (i) identify to the Bank in writing
those transactions and assets to be treated as exempt from blue
sky reporting for each State and (ii) verify the establishment
of transactions for each State on the system prior to activation
and thereafter monitor the daily activity for each State. The
responsibility of the Bank for the Fund's blue sky State
registration status is solely limited to the initial
establishment of transactions subject to blue sky compliance by
the Fund and the reporting of such transactions to the Fund as
provided above.
(d) Procedures as to who shall provide certain of these services in
Section 1 may be established from time to time by agreement
between the Fund on behalf of each Portfolio and the Bank per the
attached service responsibility schedule. The Bank may at times
perform only a portion of these services and the Fund or its
agent may perform these services on the Fund's behalf.
(e) The Bank shall provide additional services on behalf of the Fund
(i.e., escheatment services) which may be agreed upon in writing
between the Fund and the Bank.
2. FEES AND EXPENSES
2.1 For the performance by the Bank pursuant to this Agreement, the Fund
agrees on behalf of each of the Portfolios to pay the Bank an annual
maintenance fee for each Shareholder account as set out in the initial
fee schedule attached hereto. Such fees and out-of-pocket expenses and
advances identified under Section 2.2 below may be changed from time to
time subject to mutual written agreement between the Fund and the Bank.
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2.2 In addition to the fee paid under Section 2.1 above, the Fund agrees on
behalf of each of the Portfolios to reimburse the Bank for out-of-pocket
expenses, including but not limited to confirmation production,
postage, forms, telephone, microfilm, microfiche, tabulating proxies,
records storage, or advances incurred by the Bank for the items set out
in the fee schedule attached hereto. In addition, any other expenses
incurred by the Bank at the request or with the consent of the Fund,
will be reimbursed by the Fund on behalf of the applicable Portfolio.
2.3 The Fund agrees on behalf of each of the Portfolios to pay all fees and
reimbursable expenses within five days following the receipt of the
respective billing notice. Postage for mailing of dividends, proxies,
Fund reports and other mailings to all shareholder accounts shall be
advanced to the Bank by the Fund at least seven (7) days prior to the
mailing date of such materials.
3. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE BANK
The Bank represents and warrants to the Fund that:
3.1 It is a trust company duly organized and existing and in good standing
under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
3.2 It is duly qualified to carry on its business in the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts.
3.3 It is empowered under applicable laws and by its Charter and By-Laws to
enter into and perform this Agreement.
3.4 All requisite corporate proceedings have been taken to authorize it to
enter into and perform this Agreement.
3.5 It has and will continue to have access to the necessary facilities,
equipment and personnel to perform its duties and obligations under this
Agreement.
4. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE FUND
The Fund represents and warrants to the Bank that:
4.1 It is a business trust duly organized and existing and in good standing
under the laws of the State of Delaware.
4.2 It is empowered under applicable laws and by its Declaration of Trust
and By-Laws to enter into and perform this Agreement.
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4.3 All corporate proceedings required by said Declaration of Trust and
By-Laws have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this
Agreement.
4.4 It is an open-end management investment company registered under the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
4.5 A registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended on
behalf of each of the Portfolios is currently effective and will remain
effective, and appropriate state securities law filings have been made
and will continue to be made, with respect to all Shares of the Fund
being offered for sale.
5. DATA ACCESS AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION
5.1 The Fund acknowledges that the data bases, computer programs, screen
formats, report formats, interactive design techniques, and
documentation manuals furnished to the Fund by the Bank as part of the
Fund's ability to access certain Fund-related data ("Customer Data")
maintained by the Bank on data bases under the control and ownership of
the Bank or other third party ("Data Access Services") constitute
copyrighted, trade secret, or other proprietary information
(collectively, "Proprietary Information") of substantial value to the
Bank or other third party. In no event shall Proprietary Information be
deemed Customer Data. The Fund agrees to treat all Proprietary
Information as proprietary to the Bank and further agrees that it shall
not divulge any Proprietary Information to any person or organization
except as may be provided hereunder. Without limiting the foregoing,
the Fund agrees for itself and its employees and agents:
(a) to access Customer Data solely from locations as may be
designated in writing by the Bank and solely in accordance with
the Bank's applicable user documentation;
(b) to refrain from copying or duplicating in any way the Proprietary
Information;
(c) to refrain from obtaining unauthorized access to any portion of
the Proprietary Information, and if such access is inadvertently
obtained, to inform in a timely manner of such fact and dispose
of such information in accordance with the Bank's instructions;
(d) to refrain from causing or allowing the data acquired hereunder
from being retransmitted to any other computer facility or other
location, except with the prior written consent of the Bank;
(e) that the Fund shall have access only to those authorized
transactions agreed upon by the parties;
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(f) to honor all reasonable written requests made by the Bank to
protect at the Bank's expense the rights of the Bank in
Proprietary Information at common law, under federal copyright
law and under other federal or state law.
Each party shall take reasonable efforts to advise its employees of their
obligations pursuant to this Section 5. The obligations of this Section shall
survive any earlier termination of this Agreement.
5.2 If the Fund notifies the Bank that any of the Data Access Services do
not operate in material compliance with the most recently issued user
documentation for such services, the Bank shall endeavor in a timely
manner to correct such failure. Organizations from which the Bank may
obtain certain data included in the Data Access Services are solely
responsible for the contents of such data and the Fund agrees to make no
claim against the Bank arising out of the contents of such third-party
data, including, but not limited to, the accuracy thereof. DATA ACCESS
SERVICES AND ALL COMPUTER PROGRAMS AND SOFTWARE SPECIFICATIONS USED IN
CONNECTION THEREWITH ARE PROVIDED ON AN AS IS, AS AVAILABLE BASIS. THE
BANK EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES EXCEPT THOSE EXPRESSLY STATED
HEREIN INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
5.3 If the transactions available to the Fund include the ability to
originate electronic instructions to the Bank in order to (i) effect the
transfer or movement of cash or Shares or (ii) transmit Shareholder
information or other information, then in such event the Bank shall be
entitled to rely on the validity and authenticity of such instruction
without undertaking any further inquiry as long as such instruction is
undertaken in conformity with security procedures established by the
Bank from time to time.
6. INDEMNIFICATION
6.1 The Bank shall not be responsible for, and the Fund shall on behalf of
the applicable Portfolio indemnify and hold the Bank harmless from and
against, any and all losses, damages, costs, charges, counsel fees,
payments, expenses and liability arising out of or attributable to:
(a) All actions of the Bank or its agents or subcontractors required
to be taken pursuant to this Agreement, provided that such
actions are taken in good faith and without negligence or willful
misconduct.
(b) The Fund's lack of good faith, negligence or willful misconduct
which arise out of the breach of any representation or warranty
of the Fund hereunder.
(c) The reliance on or use by the Bank or its agents or
subcontractors of information, records, documents or services
which (i) are received by the Bank or its agents or
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subcontractors, and (ii) have been prepared, maintained or
performed by the Fund or any other person or firm on behalf of
the Fund including but not limited to any previous transfer agent
or registrar.
(d) The reliance on, or the carrying out by the Bank or its agents or
subcontractors of any instructions or requests of the Fund on
behalf of the applicable Portfolio.
(e) The offer or sale of Shares in violation of any requirement under
the federal securities laws or regulations or the securities laws
or regulations of any state that such Shares be registered in
such state or in violation of any stop order or other
determination or ruling by any federal agency or any state with
respect to the offer or sale of such Shares in such state.
(f) The negotiation and processing by the Bank of checks not made
payable to the order of the Bank, the Fund, the Fund's management
company, transfer agent or distributor or the retirement account
custodian or trustee for a plan account investing in Shares,
which checks are tendered to the Bank for the purchase of Shares
(i.e., checks made payable to prospective or existing
Shareholders, such checks are commonly known as "third party
checks").
6.2 At any time the Bank may apply to any officer of the Fund for
instructions, and may consult with legal counsel with respect to any
matter arising in connection with the services to be performed by the
Bank under this Agreement, and the Bank and its agents or subcontractors
shall not be liable and shall be indemnified by the Fund on behalf of
the applicable Portfolio for any action taken or omitted by it in
reliance upon such instructions or upon the opinion of such counsel.
The Bank, its agents and subcontractors shall be protected and
indemnified in acting upon any paper or document furnished by or on
behalf of the Fund, reasonably believed to be genuine and to have been
signed by the proper person or persons, or upon any instruction,
information, data, records or documents provided the Bank or its agents
or subcontractors by machine readable input, telex, CRT data entry or
other similar means authorized by the Fund, and shall not be held to
have notice of any change of authority of any person, until receipt of
written notice thereof from the Fund. The Bank, its agents and
subcontractors shall also be protected and indemnified in recognizing
stock certificates which are reasonably believed to bear the proper
manual or facsimile signatures of the officers of the Fund, and the
proper countersignature of any former transfer agent or former
registrar, or of a co-transfer agent or co-registrar.
6.3 In order that the indemnification provisions contained in this Section 6
shall apply, upon the assertion of a claim for which the Fund may be
required to indemnify the Bank, the Bank shall promptly notify the Fund
of such assertion, and shall keep the Fund advised with respect to all
developments concerning such claim. The Fund shall have the option to
participate with the Bank in the defense of such claim or to defend
against said claim in its own name or in the name of the Bank. The Bank
shall in no case confess any claim or
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make any compromise in any case in which the Fund may be required to
indemnify the Bank except with the Fund's prior written consent.
7. STANDARD OF CARE
The Bank shall at all times act in good faith and agrees to use its best
efforts within reasonable limits to insure the accuracy of all services
performed under this Agreement, but assumes no responsibility and shall
not be liable for loss or damage due to errors unless said errors are
caused by its negligence, bad faith, or willful misconduct or that of
its employees.
8. COVENANTS OF THE FUND AND THE BANK
8.1 The Fund shall on behalf of each of the Portfolios promptly furnish to
the Bank the following:
(a) A certified copy of the resolution of the Board of Trustees of
the Fund authorizing the appointment of the Bank and the
execution and delivery of this Agreement.
(b) A copy of the Declaration of Trust and By-Laws of the Fund and
all amendments thereto.
8.2 The Bank hereby agrees to establish and maintain facilities and
procedures reasonably acceptable to the Fund for safekeeping of stock
certificates, check forms and facsimile signature imprinting devices, if
any; and for the preparation or use, and for keeping account of, such
certificates, forms and devices.
8.3 The Bank shall keep records relating to the services to be performed
hereunder, in the form and manner as it may deem advisable. To the
extent required by Section 31 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended, and the Rules thereunder, the Bank agrees that all such records
prepared or maintained by the Bank relating to the services to be
performed by the Bank hereunder are the property of the Fund and will be
preserved, maintained and made available in accordance with such Section
and Rules, and will be surrendered promptly to the Fund on and in
accordance with its request.
8.4 The Bank and the Fund agree that all books, records, information and
data pertaining to the business of the other party which are exchanged
or received pursuant to the negotiation or the carrying out of this
Agreement shall remain confidential, and shall not be voluntarily
disclosed to any other person, except as may be required by law.
8.5 In case of any requests or demands for the inspection of the Shareholder
records of the Fund, the Bank will endeavor to notify the Fund and to
secure instructions from an authorized officer of the Fund as to such
inspection. The Bank reserves the right,
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however, to exhibit the Shareholder records to any person whenever it is
advised by its counsel that it may be held liable for the failure to
exhibit the Shareholder records to such person.
9. TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT
9.1 This Agreement may be terminated by either party upon one hundred twenty
(120) days written notice to the other.
9.2 Should the Fund exercise its right to terminate, all out-of-pocket
expenses associated with the movement of records and material will be
borne by the Fund on behalf of the applicable Portfolio(s).
Additionally, the Bank reserves the right to charge for any other
reasonable expenses associated with such termination and/or a charge
equivalent to the average of three (3) months' fees.
10. ADDITIONAL FUNDS
In the event that the Fund establishes one or more series of Shares in
addition to Orbitex Global Natural Resources Fund, Orbitex Info-Tech &
Communications Fund, Orbitex Growth Fund, Orbitex Asian High Yield Fund
and Orbitex Select Advisers Fund with respect to which it desires to
have the Bank render services as transfer agent under the terms hereof,
it shall so notify the Bank in writing, and if the Bank agrees in
writing to provide such services, such series of Shares shall become a
Portfolio hereunder.
11. ASSIGNMENT
11.1 Except as provided in Section 11.3 below, neither this Agreement nor any
rights or obligations hereunder may be assigned by either party without
the written consent of the other party.
11.2 This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the
parties and their respective permitted successors and assigns.
11.3 The Bank may, without further consent on the part of the Fund,
subcontract for the performance hereof with (i) Boston Financial Data
Services, Inc., a Massachusetts corporation ("BFDS") which is duly
registered as a transfer agent pursuant to Section 17A(c)(2) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended ("Section 17A(c)(2)"), (ii)
a BFDS subsidiary duly registered as a transfer agent pursuant to
Section 17A(c)(2) or (iii) a BFDS affiliate; provided, however, that the
Bank shall be as fully responsible to the Fund for the acts and
omissions of any subcontractor as it is for its own acts and omissions.
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12. AMENDMENT
This Agreement may be amended or modified by a written agreement
executed by both parties and authorized or approved by a resolution of
the Board of Trustees of the Fund.
13. MASSACHUSETTS LAW TO APPLY
This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions thereof interpreted
under and in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts.
14. FORCE MAJEURE
In the event either party is unable to perform its obligations under the
terms of this Agreement because of acts of God, strikes, equipment or
transmission failure or damage reasonably beyond its control, or other
causes reasonably beyond its control, such party shall not be liable for
damages to the other for any damages resulting from such failure to
perform or otherwise from such causes.
15. CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
Neither party to this Agreement shall be liable to the other party for
consequential damages under any provision of this Agreement or for any
consequential damages arising out of any act or failure to act
hereunder.
16. MERGER OF AGREEMENT
This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties
hereto and supersedes any prior agreement with respect to the subject
matter hereof whether oral or written.
17. COUNTERPARTS
This Agreement may be executed by the parties hereto on any number of
counterparts, and all of said counterparts taken together shall be
deemed to constitute one and the same instrument.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed
in their names and on their behalf by and through their duly authorized
officers, as of the day and year first above written.
ORBITEX GROUP OF FUNDS
BY: /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
----------------------------------------
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
ATTEST:
/s/ Xxxx Xxxxxxx
------------------------------
Xxxx Xxxxxxx
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
BY: /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
------------------------------------------
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Executive Vice President
ATTEST:
/s/ Xxxxxxx Surprise
------------------------------
Xxxxxxx Surprise
STATE STREET BANK & TRUST COMPANY
FUND SERVICE RESPONSIBILITIES*
Service Performed Responsibility
----------------- --------------
Bank Fund
---- ----
1. Receives orders for the purchase
of Shares.
2. Issue Shares and hold Shares in
Shareholders accounts.
3. Receive redemption requests.
4. Effect transactions 1-3 above
directly with broker-dealers.
5. Pay over monies to redeeming
Shareholders.
6. Effect transfers of Shares.
7. Prepare and transmit dividends
and distributions.
8. Issue Replacement Certificates.
9. Reporting of abandoned property.
10. Maintain records of account.
11. Maintain and keep a current and
accurate control book for each
issue of securities.
12. Mail proxies.
13. Mail Shareholder reports.
14. Mail prospectuses to current
Shareholders.
15. Withhold taxes on U.S. resident
and non-resident alien accounts.
Service Performed Responsibility
----------------- --------------
Bank Fund
---- ----
16. Prepare and file U.S. Treasury
Department forms.
17. Prepare and mail account and
confirmation statements for
Shareholders.
18. Provide Shareholder account
information.
19. Blue sky reporting.
* Such services are more fully described in Section 1.2 (a), (b) and (c) of the
Agreement.
ORBITEX GROUP OF FUNDS
BY: /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
------------------------------------------
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
ATTEST:
/s/ Xxxx Xxxxxxx
------------------------------
Xxxx Xxxxxxx
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
BY: /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
------------------------------------------
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Executive Vice President
ATTEST:
/s/ Xxxxxxx Surprise
------------------------------
Xxxxxxx Surprise
