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 3^rd 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 23^rd 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)