As we approach the 21st century, the IT revolution will continue to make changes to Singapore life -- in the way we work, study and play. 2 "At the same time, the adoption of electronic commerce as a new way of doing ...
Singapore, 3 November 1998 | For Immediate Release
As we approach the 21st century, the IT revolution will continue to make changes to Singapore life -- in the way we work, study and play.
"At the same time, the adoption of electronic commerce as a new way of doing business in Singapore means that more and more transactions will be carried out electronically among multiple parties. The process of business negotiation will become increasingly complex and difficult as a result. Moreover, with the Year 2000 problem looming, the possibilities of IT disputes happening become ever more apparent", said Mr Thomas Yeoh, Assistant Chief Executive (Industry), National Computer Board (NCB).
It is with the purpose of resolving issues in IT disputes that the Singapore IT DisputeResolution Advisory Committee (SITDRAC) was set up in August 1997 by seven agencies representing the IT vendors, users, Government and the legal industry. SITDRAC is an advisory body under the NCB, the Singapore Mediation Centre (SMC) and the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), and comprises representatives from the Singapore Federation of the Computer Industry, the Microcomputer Trade Association of Singapore, the Singapore Computer Society and the Information Technology Management Association.
SITDRAC will advise on issues, practices and matters relating to IT disputes. It will also help the SMC and the SIAC on IT-related disputes and monitor, formulate and educate IT solution providers and users on the various dispute resolution approaches available.
To date, several mediators have been trained and are on the SMC's panel of mediators who are well-equipped to deal with IT disputes. In addition, SITDRAC has identified a list of 13 domain experts drawn from the various industries to assist the SMC and SIAC in their cases, if necessary. These experts come from sectors that include education, government, finance, legal, human resource, manufacturing and logistics.
One common source of IT disputes arise from a lack of understanding on the part of IT solution providers and corporate IT users, of the terms stated within a contract and their implications. To guide them towards better management of their contracts and smoother commercial dealings, the NCB and SITDRAC came up with four IT contractual checklists.
As a form of additional help, SITDRAC will hold a seminar on "Understanding and Managing IT Disputes". Targeted at IT solution providers and corporate IT users, the seminar aims to equip them with an understanding of the potential issues that can lead to IT disputes and the avenues available for resolving them.
Topics to be touched upon during the seminar include:
a) Findings of a SITDRAC study to understand the potential causes of IT disputes
and methods to prevent them;
b) How mediation can help resolve IT disputes before the parties involved resort to arbitration or litigation;
c) How arbitration can serve as a viable alternative to litigation; and
d) Key issues in Government IT contracts.
* Please see attached for more information on the speakers and talks
Said Assoc Prof Ho Peng Kee, Minister of State (Law and Home Affairs), who will be the Guest-of-Honour at the SITDRAC seminar: " The IT legal checklists serve as important tools to help IT solution providers and users understand the implied terms and conditions found in contracts. I strongly urge both groups to make use of these checklists to better prepare themselves for the process of contract negotiation. At the same time, I urge these parties to be more aware of the methods available for dispute resolution."
BACKGROUNDER
Mediation
Mediation is flexible and is carried out in confidence. As a means of dispute resolution, mediation offers advantages such as control over the outcome, and savings of money and time. Unlike litigation which is adversarial, mediation offers the disputants the opportunity to work together, thus allowing parties to maintain, restore or rebuild their relationships.
For more information on the Alternative Dispute Resolution Services, please contact:
Singapore Mediation Centre (SMC)
| Address | : | Singapore Mediation Centre 3rd Level, City Hall, St Andrew's Road Singapore 178957 |
| Hotline/Fax | : | 3324366 / 3344940 |
| : | sing_med_ctr@post1.com | |
| Homepage | : | http://www.mediation.com.sg |
| Operating Time Hours |
: | Mon to Fri : 8:30am - 5:15pm Sat : 8:30am - 1:00pm Arbitration |
Arbitration serves as a viable alternative to litigation where parties submit their differences to an arbitral tribunal for a final and binding decision. It is less formal than court proceedings and hearings are conducted in private with very limited recourse for appeal. An arbitral award made in Singapore is enforceable in 116 countries under the New York Convention. In this respect, an award is superior to a court judgement for purposes of international enforcement.
For more information on arbitration in Singapore, please contact:
Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC)
| Address | : | Singapore International Arbitration Centre 1, Coleman Street #05-07/08 The Adelphi Singapore 179803 |
| Hotline/Fax | : | 3341277 / 3342942 |
| : | Sinarb@singnet.com.sg | |
| Homepage | : | http://www.siac.org.sg |
| Operating Time Hours |
: | Mon to Fri : 9:00am - 5:30pm Sat : 9:00am - 1:00pm |
Released by Corporate Communication Department
NCB 2-05/002
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