Dear Members

The Management Committee will continue to keep Members informed of the activities of the Society through our regular updates on this website, and we ask you to keep in touch.


Projects for 2006 and 2007

The objective of the Society is to promote the education, study and research in the field of construction law for the benefit of the public and the construction industry.

The Office-Bearers and Committee and Members have met several times since the AGM in August 2006 to plan activities for the Society for the remaining year and for 2007, and Members will be kept informed via this website and mailers.

The International Construction Conference 2006

We are pleased that International Conference (www.scl.org.sg/conf2006) held on 15 to 17 October 2006, was an overwhelming success, as commented by many of you, the speakers and delegates who attended the Conference, and as testified in the feedback forms.

We congratulate and thank the Organising Committee, chaired by Michael Hwang SC, and the event organiser, Intellitrain Pte Ltd, for putting together an interesting programme of current subjects with an impressive list of well-qualified speakers from around the world. We also thank all the speakers and chairs of the various sessions for putting together their well-researched papers and very engaging panel discussions, as
well as all participants at the Conference.

The Conference was also a useful gathering, at the Conference itself and the enjoyable social events, of representatives of equivalent SCLs related organisations from the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates, India and New Zealand. The representatives of these SCLs are in communication to set up a proposed International Federation of Societies of Construction Law, with envisaged reciprocal benefits for members of the Federation societies, and we will keep Members informed of these developments as they take shape.

In particular, we wish to record our profound appreciation to the Attorney-General of Singapore, the Honourable Mr. Chao Hick Tin, for gracing the Conference Opening and delivering his Key-Note Speech.

In his Key-Note address, the Attorney-General emphasised the importance of the construction industry to the national economy, and that construction law and legal services were an indispensable part of that industry. He congratulated the Society for organising the Conference and other activities relating to construction law.

The Attorney-General invited the Society to look into certain current concerns in the construction industry – such as drawing up and re-looking at standard contracts so that they are clear, adequate, beneficial to the parties and reduce the number of disputes; standards of conduct and practice claims consultants and professionals in the industry; and reducing legal costs.

Steering Sub-committee

The Society has taken up the Attorney-General’s suggestions and invitation to form a working party on these concerns and has already started with a brainstorming discussion at its recent Management Committee meeting, at which we appointed a Steering Committee, chaired by Mohan Pillay, which will look into terms of reference for the proposed “Working Committee” to look into the matters and suggest reforms in relation to the matters commented by the Attorney-General, as well as other related matters of concern to the construction law industry.

In addition, we will be following up with the Attorney-General’s Chambers on this subject, and will keep Members informed of the formation of the Working Committee, and will be asking for your views and suggestions on the relevant subjects at that stage.

Upcoming Events

All Members are urged to support and attend our seminars and talks, including the events in the Events Calendar.

Members will be kept informed of new events, and they are welcome to introduce their guests and new members into the Society at these events.

In particular, please note the upcoming Seminar on “Letters of Intent” on 28 November 2006, at 9th floor, Capital Tower, 168 Robinson Road, with papers by Goh Phai Cheng SC and Gordon Smith, and chaired by Teresa Ee.

Newsletter

The next issue of the Newsletter is targeted for January 2007. Please do feel free to contribute news and articles to our publication. The Editor is Dr. Anne Netto. Please do contact her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with your contributions, news and ideas.

We will like to hear from Members who may be interested to join any project teams and activities, or who may know of any good speakers in town to speak at our seminars on subjects of current interest.

Please also do not hesitate to contact me or any of the Committee Members if there are any issues which you think the Society should address or other projects you think we should organise, or any ideas you may have.

Best Wishes,

Naresh Mahtani
Chairman, Society of Construction Law