Singapore, 18 August 2006 – The Singapore Mediation Centre (SMC) has launched the new Small Case Commercial Mediation Scheme (SCCMS) to provide mediation services for cases where the quantum of claim is S$30,000 or less.

SCCMS was officially launched by Justice Andrew Ang, Chairman of Singapore Mediation Centre today. Justice Ang said that SCCMS will provide a cost effective alternative for those who would like to use mediation as a first stop in resolving their disputes but do not
find it viable to do so because their claims are small.

Mediation is a voluntary process in which a third party (called the mediator) facilitates negotiations between the disputing parties with a view to resolving their differences privately and amicably.

The SMC currently provides the logistics and administrative support, including assisting to appoint mediators for all matters referred to it for mediation. Mediation fees start from $900 per party per day for claims up to $250,000. There is also an administrative charge of $250 to be paid by each party.

SCCMS was developed to complement the existing mediation services provided by SMC by providing a neutral forum for smaller commercial cases where claims are under $30,000.

Before they can use the SCCMS, all parties to the dispute should be willing and ready to mediate. The SMC will run weekly Mediation Advisory Clinics to help disputants ascertain whether their case is suitable for mediation.  If the case proceeds to mediation, the
mediation fees will only be $25 per party.

By providing this service at subsidised rates, SMC hopes to increase public awareness of the benefits of mediation. In time to come, these rates will be reviewed to make the service more commercially viable.

Mediation Advisory Clinics will be held on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Tuesdays of the month from 4.30pm-6.30pm and mediation sessions will be scheduled once a month on Saturdays for half a day.

SCCMS will not be offered to matters relating to neighbourhood and community disputes as these would be referred for mediation at the Community Mediation Centres.

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About SMC
The SMC is a non-profit organisation established in 1997 to provide commercial mediation services. It is structured as a company limited by guarantee of the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL). With the support of the Singapore Judiciary, the SAL, the Ministry of Law and various professional and trade organisations, the SMC has successfully spearheaded the mediation movement in Singapore and continues to promote the use of mediation and other non-confrontational dispute resolution methods. Over 1,300 civil disputes of all types and involving different quantum of claims (up to multi-million dollar disputes) have been referred for mediation at the SMC. An impressive 75% of these have successfully reached amicable settlements with more than 90% of these settled within one day. For more information on SMC, please log on to

http://www.mediation.com.sg/