Singapore legislation
Section 26
Section 26
Establishment of Compensation Board
(1)
For the purposes of this Act, there is established a Compensation Board consisting of a president and such number of members, not fewer than 2, as the Minister may think fit.
(2)
The president and every member of the Compensation Board must be appointed by the Minister and upon appointment the names of the president and every member of the Board must be published in the Gazette.
(3)
The president must possess the qualifications required for a District Judge under section 9(3) of the State Courts Act 1970 or be a District Judge appointed under section 9(1) of that Act, and must preside at all sessions of the Compensation Board.
(4)
Three members of the Compensation Board of whom the president is one, form a quorum, and the opinion of the majority of the Board present is decisive upon any matter, except that in the case of an equality the president decides which opinion prevails.
(5)
Every member of the Compensation Board, except where his or her appointment is revoked by the Minister under subsection (6) or he or she resigns during the period of his or her appointment, holds office for a period of 3 years or for such shorter period as the Minister may, in any case, determine but is eligible for re‑appointment.
(6)
The Minister may at any time revoke the appointment of a member of the Compensation Board.
(7)
Where a person ceases to be a member of the Compensation Board, the Minister must, as soon as is reasonably practicable, take steps to fill the vacancy but the existence of any vacancy in the Board does not invalidate the acts of the Board.
(8)
Every member of the Compensation Board when and so long as serving on the Board is deemed to be a public servant within the meaning of the Penal Code 1871 and the proceedings of the Board are deemed to be judicial proceedings.
(9)
There must be paid to the members of the Compensation Board such salaries, fees and allowances as the Minister may determine.
(10)
Any interested party may be represented before the Compensation Board —
by an advocate and solicitor of the Supreme Court;
subject to the provisions of the Legal Aid and Advice Act 1995, by the Director of Legal Aid or any of his or her officers; or
in any particular case in which the Board may at the request of that party and for good reason permit, by an agent acting without fee, gain, reward or any expectation thereof as that party may appoint.
(11)
Every summons and notice issued under the hand of the president is deemed to be issued by the Compensation Board.
(12)
The Minister may appoint a secretary of the Compensation Board and such other officers and employees of the Board as may be necessary.