Stanfield College versus CASE

Stansfield wins appeal to have NTUC Income added as 2nd defendant in CASE suit
By Margaret Perry, Channel NewsAsia Posted: 22 October 2008 2213 hrs

SINGAPORE : Stansfield College has successfully appealed to the High Court for NTUC Income to be added as a second defendant in a lawsuit it filed last year against the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE). Stansfield College is suing CASE for losses suffered after it suspended the college from its CaseTrust for Education scheme in 2006.

The CASE scheme is an accreditation programme which all private schools wishing to enrol international students are required to join. NTUC Income is the only provider of private school fee insurance for foreign students that is recognised by CASE. Stansfield College had earlier applied to add NTUC Income as a second defendant, but its application was disallowed. This was due to an existing arbitration clause in the policy between Stansfield College and NTUC Income.

In a statement, Stansfield said its lawyers had argued in the High Court before Justice Woo Bih Li that NTUC Income should be added as defendants despite the arbitration clause. Their reason was the risk of inconsistent findings if the lawsuit against CASE were to proceed in court while the claim against NTUC Income were to be arbitrated. The exchange of documents between Stansfield and CASE during the pre-trial process also revealed certain correspondence between CASE and NTUC Income.

Responding to Stansfield's statement to the media, CASE said the college's case in court had changed over time and that its latest allegations in its amended statement of claim were without merit, regardless of whether NTUC Income was made party to the suit. The case is expected to go to trial early next year. - CNA/ms