Singapore Mediation Centre

Background

In 1996, a cross-profession committee on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) chaired by then Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Associate Professor Ho Peng Kee, was formed to study how mediation in Singapore could be promoted outside the courts. The Committee made two main recommendations. One of which was the creation of a commercial mediation centre under the Singapore Academy of Law. This centre, the Singapore Mediation Centre, was launched on 16 August 1997. SMC is limited by the guarantee of the Singapore Academy of Law, a body presided by the Chief Justice of Singapore and governed by a Senate, most of whose members are also judges of the Supreme Court.

Present Day

SMC is located within the Supreme Court's premises. Mediations at the SMC is usually held at the mediation chambers in the Supreme Court. Mediation provides strategic conflict management in which parties can resolve their own disputes, including commercial, contractual, or matrimonial disputes with the help of a neutral third party. The mediator acts only as a facilitator to guide and regulate the process. The outcome of the mediation is determined by the parties themselves. Mediation is an interest-based approach that is non-confrontational, and focuses on solving problems in regards to the parties' interest. Examples of mediation services are the Pilot Healthcare Scheme, which offers subsidised mediation services for disputes between patients and healthcare institutions, and mediation for disputes arising from the Personal Data Protection Act.

SMC is governed by a Board of Directors chaired by Justice Belinda Ang; and assisted by a Board of Advisors who provide strategic advice to enable SMC to achieve its mission. SMC has 3 panels of mediators, classed as International, Principal and Associate Mediators.

Recently, the organisation has published a news release, highlighting its record high of 499 matters handled in 2016, a 72% increase over 2015.