DEVB Launches Register of Adjudicator Nominating Bodies for Construction Payment Disputes

Adjudicator nominating bodies under Construction Industry Security of Payment Ordinance

The Development Bureau (DEVB) today (October 14) announced that it has established a register of adjudicator nominating bodies in accordance with the Construction Industry Payment Security Ordinance (Cap. 652). The register has been published on the DEVB website (www.devb.gov.hk/en/construction_sector_matters/adjudicator-nominating-bodies/under-ordinance-cap-652/index.html).

A DEVB spokesman said, "The establishment of the register of adjudicator nominating bodies marks an important step in the implementation of the Ordinance, which allows contracting parties to appoint suitable adjudicators through nominating bodies to conduct adjudication for payment disputes. Applications for adjudicator nominating bodies have been opened since February 10 this year. The feedback from the industry was positive. With consideration of the establishment, recognition, financial resources and implementation capabilities of the applicants, we now announce that we have accepted the registration applications of five nominating bodies. These organisations are professional institutions or institutions specialising in handling contract disputes and are familiar with the operation of the construction industry."

The five organisations registered as nominating bodies are Asian African Legal Consultative Organization - Hong Kong Regional Arbitration Centre, the Hong Kong Institute of Architects, the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors, the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers and the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre.

The Ordinance aims to improve the longstanding payment problems in the construction industry and provide better protection for the stakeholders in the supply chains of the construction industry to receive their entitled payments on time. The Ordinance improves contractual payment terms, prohibiting the use of unfair payment terms such as "pay when paid". It also introduces an adjudication mechanism to provide a speedy, cost-effective and binding resolution process for payment disputes in the interim. The Ordinance has come to full operation on August 28, 2025. Under the Ordinance, the claimant can initiate adjudication proceedings for a payment dispute, and the nominating body will appoint an adjudicator, as an independent third party, to determine a payment dispute.

Under the Ordinance, functions of a nominating body include establishing and maintaining a panel of adjudicators, formulating nomination procedures, appointing suitable adjudicators for payment disputes, setting appropriate adjudication rules for conducting adjudication proceedings, etc. To facilitate smooth implementation of the Ordinance, the DEVB will oversee the performance of the adjudicator nominating bodies to ensure that the operations of theadjudicator nominating bodies comply with the requirements of the Ordinance and relevant guidelines.

The DEVB welcomes other eligible organisations to apply for the adjudicator nominating bodies. Please refer to the DEVB website for the application details and relevant information:

(www.devb.gov.hk/en/construction_sector_matters/adjudicator-nominating-bodies/under-ordinance-cap-652/application/index.html).

Source: AI-found images

FEHD Sunlight Market stalls for rent on January 22, 23 and 26

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) announced today (January 14) that eight vacant stalls at the Sunlight Market will be available to the public for renting on January 22, 23 and 26 on a first-come, first-served basis.

The retail commodities allowed for sale in these stalls cover vegetables, seawater fish, frozen/chilled meat (excluding chilled poultry), other food-related wet goods, non-food-related wet goods and non-food-related dry goods. The licence agreement is a 25-month fixed term starting from February 1, with no right of renewal upon expiry of the licence agreement. The licence fee of the stalls varies depending on their sizes. Relevant information is available on the FEHD website.

Members of the public who are interested in renting a market stall should approach the Islands District Environmental Hygiene Office, Room 626, 6/F, Harbour Building, 38 Pier Road, Central (Tel: 2852 3606), to apply in person from 9.30am to 12.30pm or 2.30pm to 4.30pm during the abovementioned renting period.

A spokesman for the FEHD said, "Applicants for the market stalls must be at least 18 years old and ordinarily reside in Hong Kong. To allow more people to select stalls and increase customer choices by enhancing the diversity in terms of the variety of stalls, each applicant can only rent one stall in the Sunlight Market. The terms and conditions of renting market stalls on a first-come, first-served basis have been uploaded to the FEHD website, detailing the qualifications of the applicants."

Details of renting market stalls in the FEHD Sunlight Market on a first-come, first-served basis have been uploaded to the FEHD website (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/pleasant_environment/tidy_market/FCFS/index.html). Interested applicants may visit the department website or contact the Islands District Environmental Hygiene Office.

The Sunlight Market, Photo source: reference image