SCL now has a successful track record of joint conferences with both the Law Society and SIAC, giving us the necessary experience to decide, as we move forward, whether to partner compatible organisations for mutual benefit or whether to concentrate our efforts on SCL events for which we take the risk, responsibility and, hopefully, the credit.

Construction Law 101
This training workshop was mentioned in the previous chairman’s message, perhaps rather modestly because the workshop is being designed and run by Mohan Pillay, to whom we are again very grateful. Details of the programme are available elsewhere on the website and in this newsletter. I know this course will be well-attended so please send in your applications as soon as possible. Although the course is designed primarily for non-lawyers, I would encourage our lawyer members to spread the word to non-member lawyers who might sometimes become involved in construction law.

Social Events
Although it is not long since we held our 2nd Annual dinner, we will shortly be holding our next networking evening. Again, details are currently being circulated so it will suffice to say that I look forward to seeing many of you there. This will be an excellent opportunity for members to meet the new Council and vice-versa. Please do let us know if you have ideas for the future of the Society that you would like us to consider in our planning of forthcoming events, both educational and social.

SCL International Conference in Hong Kong
You will see that our calendar of events includes the forthcoming SCL International Construction Law conference which will be held in Hong Kong from 5th to 7th December. This is the 3rd International Conference and it is timely to remind members that this was originally an initiative by the SCL in Singapore during the chairmanship of Chow Kok Fong. With Kok Fong’s vision and some dedicated organizing, we hosted a very successful conference in 2006. As a result of our success, the SCL in the UK volunteered to host the 2nd International Conference in 2008. I know that Chow Kok Fong attended and presented a paper but we could not reasonably expect our members in Singapore to make the trip to London unless, by good fortune, they happened to be there on business.

My point, if you will forgive my long-winded introduction, is that Hong Kong is a good deal closer to Singapore than London and I think it is right that I should be attempting to ‘twist some arms’. I will be chairing one session and Mohan Pillay will be contributing too. Vice-chairman Anil has re-organised his travel plans so that he can also attend. It seems reasonable that I should ask you all, as members of the SCL, to consider the possibility of making the journey to Hong Kong to attend. Many of you should be in a position to combine this with other business in Hong Kong. I look forward to seeing many of you there!

Christopher Nunns
Chairman
2010 - 2012