SINGAPORE — High Court judge Quentin Loh has been appointed a Judge of Appeal of the Supreme Court of Fiji on the non-resident panel for three years.

For three weeks every year, he will spend time in the Melanesian country in the South Pacific Ocean, where he is expected to hear mainly commercial and civil appeal cases. He will sit together with the judges of the Supreme Court of Fiji.

Announcing his appointment in a press release on Tuesday (Aug 21), the Supreme Court of Singapore said Justice Loh will hold the position — which took effect from Aug 15 — concurrently with his appointment as full-time judge of the High Court here in Singapore.

The move follows a similar appointment of Justice Judith Prakash as a judge of appeal on a part-time basis in the Dubai International Financial Centre Courts in March last year.

“Such appointments of our judges to foreign courts reflects the high regard in which the Singapore Judiciary is held,” said Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon.

“It will enhance our standing as a legal and judicial centre in Asia … (and is) a reflection of the excellent relations between our two countries and our courts,” he added.

CJ Menon added that he had worked closely with the CJ Anthony Gates of Fiji to “bring this initiative to fruition”.

“We see this as an important step in contributing to the development of the rule of law internationally,” said CJ Menon.

CJ Anthony Gates of Fiji added: “We are very fortunate to have Justice Loh on Fiji’s Supreme Court. His appointment follows our intention of involving senior judges from a variety of jurisdictions to share their jurisprudence.”

Responding to the appointment, Justice Loh said he was honoured and grateful for the opportunity to “experience a different judicial environment and to help enhance the warm relations between Singapore and Fiji and between our courts”.

Late last year, the Supreme Court announced the extension of Justice Loh’s appointment as High Court judge. He had been due to retire after his two-year appointment in December 2015.

Justice Loh was first appointed to the Bench as a Judicial Commissioner on Sept 1, 2009 and became a High Court judge less than a year later, on June 1, 2010.

He specialises in construction, commercial litigation, domestic and international arbitration, and hears matters of public law.

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