March 2021 • Issue No. 51
 

Upcoming Events

Date Title
24 March 2021 WEBINAR: The Law on Liability and Recourse for Defective Homes in Singapore 
 
21 April 2021 WEBINAR: Delay & Disruption – Have you been Disrupted? How do you prove it? 
 
19 May 2021 WEBINAR: The Law of Construction Insurance: A Primer 
 
28 July 2021 WEBINAR: Limitation Periods in Construction Disputes. An International Perspective 
 
23 Sept 2021 SAVE THE DATE! Annual Construction Law Conference 2021

View details of
SCL(S) Council 2020-2022

 Click here


Welcome to new SCL(S) Members

February 2021 to March 2021
 
1. Megan Mousdale
2. Akshay Kishore
3. Nirbhik Sengupta


Post Event Updates

WEBINAR: Annual Construction Law Update 2021 

(20 January 2021)



 

WEBINAR:  Making or Breaking Your Case - What Makes an Effective Expert Witness  

(8 October 2020)



 

WEBINAR: The Circuit Break - Picking up the Pieces  

(24 September 2020)



 


Council Member's Message - March 2021


Dear SCL(S) members,
 
A warm welcome to all. I last penned the opening message in the June 2014 issue of our newsletter - my last as SCL(S) chair during the 2012-14 term.
 
The world has changed dramatically since – including with immeasurable disruption that the COVID 19 pandemic has caused and continues to cause. In Singapore, there has been tremendous national support measures for the Built Environment firms including one off advance payments for contractors in public sector projects, no liability for non-performance of contracts for 6 months, extension of foreign workers levy payment timelines, and extension of time and cost sharing for non-manpower related costs between contracting under the COVID 19 (Temporary Measures) Act and its Amendment No 3 Act.
 
Many such initiatives both in Singapore and internationally are undertaken largely to ensure that the interest of all stakeholders are managed within a new operating environment, that could well ensure no single stakeholder bears more share of the burden than necessary, and to collectively be able to recover from the pandemic. Internationally too, many in the industry are accelerating consideration for greater collaborative contracting and far more appropriate conflict avoidance and dispute resolution mechanism, including with Dispute Boards, Mediation and Online Dispute Resolution.
 
SCL has internationally been growing in strength. In 2010, when SCL(S) initiated a meeting of 3 to 5 SCL chairs in Singapore in a lead up to the SCLs heads’ meeting at the SCL 3rd International Construction Law Conference hosted by SCL(HK), we had about 7 to 9 societies globally. We are currently at about 18 societies and in the last year or so have had SCL Vietnam and South Korea come onboard and potentially another 8 to 10 new societies in the initial stages of being established.
 
In the middle of these arduous times, SCL(S) continues tirelessly with its exciting programmes for its membership including (what I am sure will be) yet another exhilarating annual conference on the 23rd September (hybrid mix of live and virtual). Do look out for the publicity soon.
 
I am constantly reminded – ‘In The Middle Of Difficulty Lies Opportunity’, Albert Einstein.

Anil Changaroth,
Council Member, SCL (Singapore)

Article(s)

What a difference a day makes: When is a “day” a “day” in adjudication proceedings under the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 

“What a difference a “day” makes.” These were the pertinent observations of Andre Maniam JC in Trustee of the estate of Tay Choon Huat, deceased v Soon Kiat Construction & Maintenance Pte Ltd [2020] SGHC 212 (“Tay Choon Huat”) wherein he set aside an adjudication determination made under the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act (Cap. 30B, 2006 Rev. Ed.) for being a day late...

Contributed by: Monisha Cheong - TSMP Law Corporation, Ng Guoxi - Dentons

 

Latest Post Event Updates


WEBINAR: FIDIC 2021: Latest Developments and Updates 

(24 February 2021)

I had the privilege of chairing a webinar on a topic that is a must-know but that is not often delved into in Singapore construction jurisprudence – the FIDIC standard forms. International construction lawyers deal with these forms on a routine basis while practitioners who focus more on the domestic market encounter them less often.
We were fortunate to have Yvonne Foo from Harry Elias Partnership LLP and Joanna Seetoh from LVM Law Chambers LLC bring us through some of the latest developments in the FIDIC scene. From a refresher on the FIDIC Golden Principles to a discussion on interesting recent cases, the webinar gave many of the viewers a good look into a world that they may not venture into too often. For those who use the FIDIC forms regularly, the webinar provided an excellent update on the latest developments.
The webinar was also noteworthy for having the very first virtual networking session in SCL(S) history! It is a model that may remain with us for a while and one that the Society will work on in improving to allow members to keep in touch with others more easily at these webinars. All in all, it was an interesting webinar and I thank Yvonne and Joanna for giving up their time to speak at it.


Contributed by: Ashok Kumar Rai - Cairnhill Law LLC

















 
Newsletter Editors: Ashok Rai & Toh Chen Han

Society of Construction Law (Singapore)
12 Eu Tong Sen Street, #08-169, SOHO 2, Clarke Quay Central, Singapore 059819 • Tel: +65-65512783 & Fax: +65-6225 9426
www.scl.org.sg

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