Our Consultant Ms. Sylvia Siu JP is appointed to serve as the Chairman of the Appeal Tribunal Panel, Section 45 of Buildings Ordinance (Cap. 123) for a term of 3 years from 1 December 2021 onwards.
The Appeal Tribunal (Building) hears appeals against decisions made by the Building Authority on a wide range of building-related matters, e.g. unauthorized building works, mandatory building and window inspections, approval of plans and demolition works. Among these, the Chairman exercises her statutory powers to determine the procedures of hearing and lead the panel to hold hearings in public, receive and examine evidence, and make orders to confirm, vary or reverse the decisions of the Building Authority that is subject to appeal. The Chairman has the casting vote in such decisions.
Given the quasi-judicial nature of the aforesaid, the Chairman of the Appeal Tribunal Panel is required to be qualified for appointment as a District Court Judge, pursuant to Section 48(2) of the Buildings Ordinance (Cap. 123).
Apart from the above, Ms. Siu has extensive social services as well as official and professional recognitions. To name a few, Ms. Siu now chairs the Joint Mediation Helpline Office and Hong Kong Federation of Women Lawyers’ ADR Committee. On the community service area, Ms. Siu has been a council member of Hong Kong Family Welfare Society for over 23 years. This is not to mention her past and present involvements in many arbitration panels#, Government and Law Society committees. We especially congratulate Ms. Siu being recently elected as a member of the 2021 Election Committee in the legal subsector.
We share Ms. Siu’s dedication to the society, and shall continue to serve the public with our professional knowledge and experience.
# Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre, Law Society of Hong Kong, World Trade Centre Macau Arbitration Centre, Macau Arbitration Center, China International Economic & Trade Arbitration Commission, Guangzhou, Qingdao, Wenzhou, Wuhan, Zhuhai and Nansha International Arbitration Court, and Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration.
