Forced mediation for neighbours
Government considering setting up a body with
power to order neighbours locked in difficult disputes to go for
mediation. -TNP
Sat, May 18, 2013
The New Paper
SINGAPORE - The Government is considering setting up a body with
the power to order neighbours locked in difficult disputes to go
for mediation.
Such a body may also be able to prosecute people who do not
follow orders set out after mediation, Acting Minister for
Community, Culture and Youth Lawrence Wong said on Sunday.
This would strengthen community dispute resolution in dealing
with particularly difficult cases, where going for mediation is
voluntary now.
"We are looking at how to have a more robust community
resolution framework," Mr Wong told reporters on the sidelines of a
ministerial visit to Admiralty ward.
The Government is studying systems in other jurisdictions such
as Britain and Hong Kong, and also looking at local examples to
have a better understanding of dealing with these disputes.
Mr Wong did not give an exact time frame, but said the
Government will be studying how to put the measure in place "over
the next few months".
The idea of a tougher framework for settling neighbourly
disputes was first put forward by Law Minister K. Shanmugam last
August.
Besides strengthening the legal framework, another approach has
been suggested to deal with the issue. This is to develop norms for
conduct between neighbours.
The new Community Mediation Centre (CMC) Central was officially
opened Friday, March 9 by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Law,
Mr K Shanmugam, at The Treasury.
The new centre, which commenced operations on Feb 12 this year,
consolidates the operations of the CMCs at Regional North
(Woodlands) and Central (URA Centre).
It will be the primary location to mediate all family, social
and community disputes. Cases referred by the Courts will continue
to be mediated by the CMC at the Subordinate Courts.
With bigger and better facilities for mediation and caucus
sessions, it can hold up to three mediation sessions concurrently,
compared to the maximum of two that could be held at the two
centres in Woodlands and URA Centre.
At full capacity, CMC Central may see up to nine mediation
sessions per day. Mediation rooms are outfitted with soundproof
features to assure greater privacy.
Mediation training for volunteer mediators, referral partners
and other interested agencies can now be conducted under one roof
at the new centre.
Guests at the opening of the new centre included former Senior
Minister of State for Law and Home Affairs, Associate Professor Ho
Peng Kee. He is now the Chairperson of the Advisory Committee on
Community Mediation, which looks into improving the effectiveness
of community mediation services and the mediation profession.