The Malta Arbitration Centre has just published its latest management tool to assist arbitrators to carry out their duties effectively. It is a publication entitled Guideline on Costs, which Dr Max Ganado, previous chairman of the Board of Governors of the centre, describes in his preface as a guide that "will help arbitrators apply a broadly consistent approach to this important aspect of arbitration", and which is "a very delicate and sensitive issue in the development of arbitration as a viable method of dispute resolution in Malta".

The first Guideline for Arbitrators, published in 2001, dealt with the management and procedures of arbitration.

Arbitration as a means of solving disputes is slowly but steadily gaining ground as an alternative to court litigation. The number of cases being referred to the Malta Arbitration Centre is ever on the increase.

Last year the total amount of disputes referred to arbitration totalled almost Lm1 million, and 25 arbitrators were involved in hearing the various cases. This year, to date, the total amounts in dispute already topped Lm1.7 million.

Beside these guidelines, the board also took in hand a number of amendments to various provisions of the Arbitration Act which simplified certain procedures and allowed appeals from arbitral awards on points of law. In addition the Arbitration Rules were revised and a computer-generated Case Management System has been installed which produces a draft time-table for the various stages of the arbitration process.

The term of office of the first Board of Governors expired on February 22 and a new board was subsequently appointed by the President of Malta. It is now composed of: Dr George Hyzler, LL.D., as chairman, Dr Arthur Galea Salomone, LL.D., as deputy chairman, Dr Anthony Borg Barthet, LL.D., as attorney general and ex-officio member, and P. P. Darmanin, CPAA, and Mario C. Grech as members.