Conference to put Brunei on world arbitration map
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
THE Arbitration Association Brunei Darussalam (AABD) will be holding the inaugural Brunei International Arbitration Conference on August 16 and 17 this year in conjunction with the Conference of the Second Regional Arbitral Institutes Forum, the association announced yesterday.
It is expected to be attended by over 100 foreign participants including 20 of the most influential arbitration specialists in the world as speakers. Leading arbitrators from over 10 countries as well as leading arbitration counsels who comprise leading architects, engineers, lawyers, quantity surveyors and the foremost experts from different professions will attend.
The 30-plus speakers include the head of international organisations such as the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law; WIPO; International Chamber of Commerce; heads of over eight International Arbitration Centres and Organisations as well as senior judges from the region.
The conference will certainly put Brunei on the map and bring more attention to the rest of the World that Brunei has a developed arbitration regime and respects the rule of law, AABD said.
Professions Coordinator Dato Paduka Hj Hamdillah Hj Abd Wahab, who is also Deputy Minister of Industry and Primary Resources, said in a press conference yesterday that he wants to see the AABD work hand-in-hand with the MIPR in the development of human resources throughout the different professions and industries.
The encouragement of having domestic arbitration disputes to be heard in Brunei rather than abroad will save both government and private sector monies in not having to fly outside Brunei to resolve purely local disputes amongst industry players in the country such as those in the construction industry, the AABD said in a statement.
Where domestic arbitrations are heard in Brunei, it will assist in both the element of sustainability and the country's savings and contribute to the growth of the Sultanate's tourism industry and support the overall objective of Brunei's diversification agenda — increased use of local hotels as conference facilities; secretarial facilities and restaurants.
Dr Colin Ong, the AABD president, expressed hope for the unification of the very best of the different professions of Brunei and harnessing their respective strengths to assist in putting Brunei on the world map in terms of its arbitration standards.
"If it is able to attract more international arbitrations to come to Brunei as a neutral and safe forum, this will further assist in creating an alternative sustainable industry. It is a long term aspiration of AABD to encourage litigants within Asean to use Brunei as a possible alternative hub or centre of excellence for civil dispute resolution," said Dr Colin.
Lau Hang Chong, the Treasurer of the AABD, added that the promotion of an alternative and complementary system to the courts which may be more in line with the peaceful local culture and customs that is less formal in structure but even more specialised in content as it allows the leading architects, engineers, quantity surveyors, lawyers and other professions to interact on a level playing field.
"Unlike the more rigid court system, this alternative dispute resolution process allows all different professions to feel at par with each other and the participation of all the leading members in each of the respective professions will allow further development in the country," he said.
The conference is hoped to demonstrate the country's serious interests in the usage of arbitration and its respect for the rule of law as well as to allow international investors the option to arbitrate in Brunei. The Brunei Times
It is expected to be attended by over 100 foreign participants including 20 of the most influential arbitration specialists in the world as speakers. Leading arbitrators from over 10 countries as well as leading arbitration counsels who comprise leading architects, engineers, lawyers, quantity surveyors and the foremost experts from different professions will attend.
The 30-plus speakers include the head of international organisations such as the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law; WIPO; International Chamber of Commerce; heads of over eight International Arbitration Centres and Organisations as well as senior judges from the region.
The conference will certainly put Brunei on the map and bring more attention to the rest of the World that Brunei has a developed arbitration regime and respects the rule of law, AABD said.
Professions Coordinator Dato Paduka Hj Hamdillah Hj Abd Wahab, who is also Deputy Minister of Industry and Primary Resources, said in a press conference yesterday that he wants to see the AABD work hand-in-hand with the MIPR in the development of human resources throughout the different professions and industries.
The encouragement of having domestic arbitration disputes to be heard in Brunei rather than abroad will save both government and private sector monies in not having to fly outside Brunei to resolve purely local disputes amongst industry players in the country such as those in the construction industry, the AABD said in a statement.
Where domestic arbitrations are heard in Brunei, it will assist in both the element of sustainability and the country's savings and contribute to the growth of the Sultanate's tourism industry and support the overall objective of Brunei's diversification agenda — increased use of local hotels as conference facilities; secretarial facilities and restaurants.
Dr Colin Ong, the AABD president, expressed hope for the unification of the very best of the different professions of Brunei and harnessing their respective strengths to assist in putting Brunei on the world map in terms of its arbitration standards.
"If it is able to attract more international arbitrations to come to Brunei as a neutral and safe forum, this will further assist in creating an alternative sustainable industry. It is a long term aspiration of AABD to encourage litigants within Asean to use Brunei as a possible alternative hub or centre of excellence for civil dispute resolution," said Dr Colin.
Lau Hang Chong, the Treasurer of the AABD, added that the promotion of an alternative and complementary system to the courts which may be more in line with the peaceful local culture and customs that is less formal in structure but even more specialised in content as it allows the leading architects, engineers, quantity surveyors, lawyers and other professions to interact on a level playing field.
"Unlike the more rigid court system, this alternative dispute resolution process allows all different professions to feel at par with each other and the participation of all the leading members in each of the respective professions will allow further development in the country," he said.
The conference is hoped to demonstrate the country's serious interests in the usage of arbitration and its respect for the rule of law as well as to allow international investors the option to arbitrate in Brunei. The Brunei Times
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