Prof Melvin Mbao, an academic in the Faculty of Law at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) campus in Mahikeng, attended and delivered a paper at the 7th Annual International Conference on Law, Regulations and Public Policy that was held in Singapore from 24 to 25 June 2018.

This annual conference was organised by the Global Science and Technology Forum, a non-profit organisation formed in 2007. It is dedicated to promoting research and development and offers an interdisciplinary intellectual platform for scientists, researchers, academics and industry professionals in Asia Pacific to actively consult, network and collaborate with their counterparts across the globe.

The conference continuously aim at fostering the growth of law, regulations, public policy and its benefits to the community at large.

Prof Mbao presented a paper on “Vicissitudes of constitutional interpretation in Zambia”. This topic forms part of his on-going research on constitutionalism and good governance in Zambia. It focuses on the role of the Zambian Constitutional Court in fostering constitutionalism, while at the same time highlighting emerging challenges in the system such as perceptions of judicial incompetence and corruption.

“The paper was well received with participants wishing to know more about constitutionalism, rule of law and democracy in the English-speaking countries of Africa,” said Prof Mbao.

“I am very grateful to the university for allowing me to attend and participate in this very important conference. The depth and breadth of the papers presented, the robust discussions which followed every presentation and the wealth of information spread out over all the papers were extremely useful to all the participants.”

Other papers presented included the following: “How to mismanage organisations: A lawyer’s Perspective”, “Administrative Law with Chinese Characteristics: An analysis of China’s Administrative Law”, “Mandatory Sentencing Laws: A mere alternative to Human Rights”, “The future of Private International Law in the context of Global Legal Pluralism”, “Firm Culture and Corporate Governance in Australia: A paradigm Shift”, “Proselytising the Regulation of Religious Bodies in South Africa: Suppressing Religious Freedom”, “Marijuana: Legalisation and Sustainability”, and “Sex as a legal commodity: Decriminalising Prostitution in the Philippines”.

Prof Melvin Mbao.