SL NAC to attract int’l arbitrations to Lanka

The long serving Chief Executive Officer/Legal Advisor of the Sri Lanka National Arbitrations Centre, eminent lawyer, Edgar Cooray has relinquished from his duties’ Cooray served in the capacity of CEO/Governor from its inception. However, at the request of the Board of Governors, he would continue to serve as a Governor.

The Sri Lanka National Arbitration Centre (SLNAC) is the oldest Institution in the country in the administration of arbitrations for the resolution of commercial disputes having been established and incorporated in the year 1985.

At the request of the Board of Governors Hiran de Alwis was appointed Chief Executive Officer/Legal Advisor of the Sri Lanka National Arbitration Centre. De Alwis is a legal practitioner holding a Post Graduate Diploma in Law (International Dispute Resolution) from the University of London and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators London (MCI Arb.).

Asoka Casiechetty was also appointed as the Chief Operations Officer of the SLNAC.

The Arbitration Centre’s future role includes efforts to attract international arbitrations to Sri Lanka as a service provider and to make commercial dispute resolution by arbitration expeditiously, cost effective and under the due process of law.

Institutional Members of the Centre include

International Chamber of Commerce Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Institute of Architects, Sri Lanka Gem and Jewellery Association, The Ceylon Hardware Merchants Association, Bar Association of Sri Lanka, Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, Sri Lanka Bank’s Association (Gte) Ltd., Ceylon National Chamber of Industries, National Chamber of Commerce Sri Lanka, Womens’ Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Institute for Construction Training & Development, Institute of Quantity Surveyors of Sri Lanka and National Construction Contractors Association of Sri Lanka.

The documentation of the arbitral hearings are safely preserved and systematically maintained by the Registrar, certified copies of which could be produced for Court hearings and similar purposes. An achievement of the Centre is the timely dispatch of the records of proceedings to the Arbitrators, Counsel and parties, within three days or most rarely within a week from the date of sitting, ensuring accuracy, speed and complying with directions and instructions.