| Hakim Hayat |
BRUNEI’S newly established Commercial Court will help boost the country’s efforts in improving its ease of doing business through increased investors’ confidence, the British High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam, David Campbell said at a business forum yesterday.
Apart from supporting inward investment, Campbell said that its esta-blishment comes timely as globally, local businesses, entrepreneurs and foreign investors seek a predictable legal system with a robust and independent judiciary and assurances that their cases will be handled professionally and efficiently.
“Brunei’s legal system is based on English Common Law. Many of Brunei’s legal professionals have studied in the UK. This makes us natural partners to share Commercial Court experiences and learn from each other,” he added during a business forum hosted by the Arbitration Association Brunei Darussalam (AABD) and the Britain Brunei Business Forum (BBBF).
The event held at the Indera Motors’ Land Rover/Jaguar showroom in the Lambak Industrial Area drew together Brunei’s business community and entrepreneurs to discuss Brunei’s new Commercial Court, which began February this year and envisaged to expedite hearing of commercial cases.
Vice President of the Civil Division of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales, Lord Justice Sir Martin James Moore-Bick, shared his views on the important role the new court provides to the private sector in a keynote speech.
A forum discussing the new Commercial Court was held yesterday at the Indera Motors’ Land Rover/Jaguar showroom in the Lambak Industrial Area. – DEAN KASSIM
During the event, a panel moderated by the British High Commissioner discussed how the new court would benefit Brunei’s private sector and the wider economy. Shazali Sulaiman represented the BBBF and Dr Colin Ong represented the AABD.
President of the AABD, Dr Colin Ong, said, “The new Commercial Court in Brunei will certainly enhance Brunei’s ability to provide investors and commercial parties with a reliable and efficient way to resolve their disputes.”
Dr Ong said the court sends “a very positive message out to the world that Brunei is a safe jurisdiction” abiding by the rule of law and are business-friendly. This, she said, gives the potential to develop Brunei into a commercial hub.
Chairman of the BBBF, Andrew Varley, said that setting up a Commercial Court in Brunei is an “important part of its ability to assure investors that the country is serious about protecting investors and businesses”.
“This will be a major boost to Brunei’s ability to attract and retain Foreign Direct Investment in its continuing programme to increase the private sector’s contribution to the economy,” Varley said.
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