Six mediators with IT background received their Certificates of Accreditation and Appointment to the Singapore Mediation Centre's Panel of Mediators today. The certificates were presented by the Honourable Justice Goh Joon Seng, Chairman, Singapore Mediation Centre (SMC) ...
Singapore, 22 July 1999 | For Immediate Release
Six mediators with IT background received their Certificates of Accreditation and Appointment to the Singapore Mediation Centre's Panel of Mediators today. The certificates were presented by the Honourable Justice Goh Joon Seng, Chairman, Singapore Mediation Centre (SMC) at a seminar organised by the Singapore IT Dispute Resolution Advisory Committee (SITDRAC).
Five of the six new mediators are IT professionals in the public sector. The sixth is a State Counsel in the Attorney-General's Chambers. This brings the total number of mediators with IT background on the SMC's panel to 10.
The ceremony was held in conjunction with the seminar on "Understanding and Managing Y2K Liabilities" organised by SITDRAC. SITDRAC is an advisory committee under the National Computer Board (NCB), SMC and the Singapore International Arbitration Centre. SITDRAC also includes members from the Singapore Information Technology Federation, Singapore Computer Society and the Information Technology Management Association.
The seminar extensively covered Y2K legal issues such as avoiding liabilities in contracts, contractual and tortious liability in disputes, methods of dispute resolution, and also a mock mediation. The seminar held at the City Hall Chambers, was attended by about 200 lawyers, legal officers, in-house legal counsel, and management staff from IT service providers and IT users.
Said Mr Willie Cheng, Chairman, SITDRAC: "NCB has done much to create national Y2K awareness and readiness. Through this seminar, SITDRAC hopes to highlight the issues of Y2K liability and the alternative methods of dispute resolution available. While an explosion of Y2K lawsuits in Singapore is less likely given our operational readiness and less litigious environment, we believe, as always, in being proactive."
Said Mr Michael Yap, Chief Executive, NCB: "While Singapore is one of the first two economies in the world to receive the all-green rating on Y2K readiness from the Global 2000 Co-ordinating Group, we must be prepared for any possible problems or disputes that might occur. Businesses are urged to plan for contingency even though they are ready. I am pleased to announce that the Local Enterprise Computerisation Programme (LECP) has been extended to defray 70% of contingency planning consultancy costs for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises."
Information about the LECP grant and the application forms can be obtained by calling the Y2K hotline at tel: 838-4483. These can also be accessed via the NCB website at http://www.ncb.gov.sg/ncb/yr2000.
There have been ongoing efforts to raise public awareness of Y2K legal issues. Since March 1999, the NCB has been organising at least one seminar a month (with an average attendance of 150 per seminar) to address Y2K legal implications. Highlights of these seminars can be accessed from the NCB Y2K website.
In December last year, the SMC signed a Memorandum of Understanding with four overseas Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) institutions in the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia and Hong Kong to promote the Millennium Accord. The Millennium Accord is a set of principles and dispute resolution procedures that advocate the use of non-confrontational methods in resolving Y2K disputes by using firstly, management negotiation and, if that fails, mediation. To-date, more than 60 public sector organisations and 370 private sector organisations have signed the Millennium Accord.
ISSUED JOINTLY BY THE NATIONAL COMPUTER BOARD, SINGAPORE AND THE SINGAPORE IT DISPUTE RESOLUTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE
For media clarification, please contact:
Loong Seng Onn
Deputy Director
Singapore Mediation Centre
Tel: 332-4366
Fax: 334-4940
E-mail: sing_med_ctr@post1.com
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