3 - Seeing the Bigger Picture

Summary

I was appointed Justice of the Peace in 1979. I am still a JP. As you may know, a JP is appointed by the Prime Minister's Office through the Ministry of Home Affairs. Now, when I am eighty years old, a lot of my time is used advising young couples and marrying them. I take that job very seriously, as you might expect.

There are two or three tasks a JP has the authority to carry out. Of course, there are some other things you have to do as well, for example, when the registrar of the subordinate court allocates cases for mediation to you. Mediation is held in chamber at the Subordinate Court on Havelock Road. I have been happy with this position because of the connection it allows me to have with common people. My other positions — in SCORE, SANA, the HDB, St John or NTUC FairPrice — have all given me a deep understanding of the problems faced by Singaporeans, which comes in useful in my position as a JP.

For instance, I have sometimes to ask the lawyers in mediation cases that have been allocated to me to leave the chamber. With all due respect to them, lawyers are always in a fighting mode. I prefer having a discussion with only the two parties directly. Their problems can be issues such as someone placing a flower pot at the common corridor. This leads to a neighbour who knows the rules regulating that to call the Town Council to complain. The council responds, and things get personal. Pride is hurt, egos are bruised. So, as JP, I have to talk them to their senses, deflate their egos with practical and economic considerations such as the costs of a civil suit.

Most of these cases involve young people, who seem easily offended nowadays, who know their rights, and who tend to get a bit too cocky too quickly.

Nevertheless, I love mediating. I take my time with them, getting to know the situation, and convincing them about what I think is best. With lawyers around, you cannot convince anybody in a peaceful manner. With them, it is about winning, not about getting along.