Page 31 - Issue 02

建造爭議 | Construction Disputes

‘Costs’ under this section should include the costs of the 此條所指的「費用」是裁決的訟費（即審裁處費用及
award (i.e. the tribunal’s fees and expenses), and the costs 開支），以及仲裁的費用（即各方的法律費用及 支
of reference (i.e. the parties’ legal fees and expenses) . In 3
3
general, an arbitrator has wide discretion in respect of caps 出） 。普遍來說，仲裁員對設定費用上限有廣泛的決
on costs. A cap can be imposed as long as it appears 定權。只要考慮過「爭議的規模及複雜程度後，認為
‘reasonable, having regard to the scale and complexity of 屬合理並可施加上限即可」 。有一些個案，申索人及
4
the dispute’ . In some cases, different limits can be 答辯人就可追討的費用分別設定不同限制。不過，在
4
imposed on the amount of costs to be recovered by the
claimant and respondent respectively. In court proceed- 法院訴訟時，門檻更高，因此法院對可追討費用設定
ings, however, the test is much higher, and it is unlikely that 上限的可能性不大。
the Court will impose a cap on recoverable costs.

Conclusion 結論
As outlined above, the beauty of arbitration is in its
仲裁的優點是靈活性。仲裁程序可根據事實的根源及
flexibility. Arbitration proceeding can be tailored made to
suit the facts and circumstances behind the issues in 技術和法律事宜，配合各方爭議事項的案情及情況而
dispute between the parties according to factual matrices 決定。
as well as the technical and legal matters.

However, the Court must not to be completely ousted from 不過，仲裁制度不能全面排除法院。法院仍有其 職
the regime of arbitration. Courts still have a role to play and 能，各方應根據與爭議相關的案情及情況，選取合適
the parties should choose their appropriate forum according
to the relevant facts and circumstances surrounding their 的方式。
dispute.

In fact, the Courts have recognized the importance of 事實上，2009 年 4 月的民事司法制度改革，反映到法
arbitration as a dispute resolution process as reflected in 院確認仲裁作為解決爭議方式的重要性。改革事項包
the recent Civil Justice Reform in April 2009 which have
括傳統訴訟的部分程序，現今鼓勵各方探討其他合適
revamped and updated some of the procedures in
traditional litigation which now encourage parties to look at 的解決爭議方法，包括仲裁。
other suitable alternative dispute resolution methods
including arbitration.

One anticipates that arbitration may be able to deliver a 預期仲裁可迅速而有效地解決建造爭議，讓各方專注
speedy and efficient resolution of construction disputes so 於擅長的工作 ── 履行商業合約協議。
that parties can focus on what they do best – deliver on their
commercial contractual arrangement.

3 Bank Mellat v Helleniki Techniki SA 3 WLR 783
4 Home of Homes Ltd v Hammersmith and Fulham London Borough Council [003] EWHC 807

參考資料
References :
1. Alastair Young and Gateley Wareing, "Cost Capping in Arbitration", Construction Law Journal, Volume 19 Issue 5 (2008)
2. "Chartered Institute of Arbitrators: Guidelines for Arbitrators dealing with Jurisdictional Problems in International Cases", Arbitration: the Journal
of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Volume 70 Number 4 (2004)
3. David G. Parratt, "Is Construction arbitration failing?", Construction Law Journal, Volume 17 Issue 3 (2001)
4. Ernest Enobun, "Arbitration as an alternative to litigation: does it preserve party relationship post awards?", International Energy Law Review,
Volume 8 (2008)
5. Harvey J. Kirsh, "The Arbitration of Contraction Disputes", Construction Law Journal, Volume 2 Issue 1 (1986)
6. Robert Morgan, The Arbitration Ordinance of Hong Kong: A Commentary (Butterworths, 1997), pp95-97
7. Dorter & Sharkey, Building and Construction Contracts in Australia, Second Edition, Chapter 14

CIC Newsletter Issue No. 2
建造業議會通訊 第二期 01 / 2010 31