Dear Members, Since outbreak of the third wave of Covid-19 infections in Hong Kong in mid-July, a number of stringent social distancing rules were put in place by the government to prevent the spread of the virus, including compulsory mask wearing in all indoor public venues.   To comply with the rules, the Institute has taken further precautionary measures that are consistent with government requirements, such as requiring members to wear masks when attending any Institute activities indoor, including professional assessment interviews and meetings as well as temperature screening and spatial separation of seating arrangement. In addition, the Institute has also adopted the use of on-line platform, such as ‘Webex’ or ‘Zoom’ for its CPD events and council meetings to achieve social distancing more effectively with a view to minimizing the spread of Covid-19.   Taking this opportunities, I would like to thank our council members for being accommodating and for making such special provisions so as not to risk the well-being of applicants and staff members as well as Council and Co-opted members, while striking a balance to avoid significant delay of the Institute’s activities which I’m pleased to report those major events and activities that have been accomplished during the past 3 months:

(1)	Membership As at 1 September 2020, the total membership reached 3,090 (of which 1,180 are Corporate Members), representing a moderate growth of 2.1% over the same period last year (3,026 as at 1 September 2019).   In order to facilitate Associate Members in upgrading to Member class, an upgrading workshop will be organized, depending on the then Covid-19 development, tentatively in late September 2020. This workshop aims to help candidates to better equip themselves in preparation for the Professional Assessment (PA), including familiarization with the PA process and procedures, a better understanding of the requirements and techniques in document submission as well as the presentation skills in response to the questions to be asked during the professional interview.
(2)	CPD and Training Events Despite the challenges in the face of this health crisis, the CPD Committee has managed to organize or jointly organize 8 successful on-line CPD events during the period from June to August 2020, including:
	•	Joint Seminar on "Exploration of the Modular Operating Theatre System in Hong Kong Hospital Development" on 5 Jun 2020;
	•	Seminar on "Making Sense and Making Use of the Contractual Framework and Process for Resolving Construction Claims and Disputes – A Legal Clinic" on 15 Jun 2020;
	•	Seminar on “Expert Witnesses related to Construction Management” on 30 Jun 2020;
	•	Joint Seminar on "Challenges for MiC Application in Rank and File Quarter for FSD at Pak Shing Kok" on 3 Jul 2020;
	•	Joint Seminar on “A New Approach to Community Development Projects in Practice – Opportunities for surveyors and other built-environment professionals” on 13 July 2020;
	•	Seminar on “Practical Considerations of Alternative Dispute Resolution” on 20 Jul 2020;
	•	Joint Seminar on “NEC4 – Old wine in new bottles?” on 4 Aug 2020; and
	•	Joint Seminar on “Transitional Housing with Modular Integrated Construction (MiC)” on 28 Aug 2020
	This is indeed a job well done by the CPD Committee, organizers, speakers and fellow members.

(3)	Connections with Mainland Counterparts It is my great pleasure to announce that a co-operation agreement〝粵港澳大灣區工程技術人才專業資格互認協議〞was entered between Hong Kong Institute of Construction Manager, Guangdong Society of Civil Engineering and Architecture（廣東省土木建築學會）and Guangdong Highway and Transportation Society（廣東省公路學會）during the official inauguration of the Guangdong Institution of Engineers（廣東省工程師學會）in Guangzhou on 11 July 2020. In addition, I am extremely honored being appointed as an Honorary Fellow of the Guangdong Institution of Engineers during the same occasion. In addition, Cr Chan Chi-man, Chairman of Public & Social Affairs Committee, was appointed by the General Council as the Institute’s Chief Liaison Officer in regards to Construction and Environmental Protection Bureau, Zhuhai Hengqin New District（珠海市橫琴新區建設環保局）, responsible for the preparation and promotion of the record preparation and promotion of Hong Kong and Macao construction and related engineering consulting companies and professionals of the Hengqin New District. The term of his office is up to 31 December 2021.
(4)	Promoting Our Profession and Members I was invited by the newsletter《ACE毅思》of Civil Engineering Society, The Hong Kong University Students' Union for an interview early this year to share my views on the responsibilities of and career development and prospects for construction practitioner in Hong Kong. The featured article was published on 26 Jul 2020 in the newsletter under the column of〝知名人士分享〞. In addition, HKICM is granted an ad hoc column in Hong Kong Economic Time（經濟日報）and Jiu Jik（招職）on monthly basis to uplift the image of the Institute and Construction Manager. The articles contributed by the Council Members during the past few months include:
	•	【招職專欄 -「營造師篇–巾幗不讓鬚眉」】on 7 Aug 2020 by Cr Dick Li;
	•	【招職專頁 -「營造師篇–建築成就人生」】on 24 July 2020 by Cr Dick Li;
	•	【香港經濟日報 -「沙中綫事故 宜提升工程管理水平」】on 27 May 2020 by Cr Daniel Shum; and
	•	【 招職專欄 -「認識營造師：建造工程的導演」】on 15 May 2020 by Cr Daniel Shum.
(5)	Social Events and Activities In view of the ripple effect of the novel coronavirus outbreak in Hong Kong and the government’s measures to contain the spread of the virus since early 2020, construction projects now facing labour shortages, supply chain issues and financing pressures. In addressing the above issues, we are pleased to have invited two LegCo Councilors, Ir Dr Hon LO Wai-kwok, SBS, MH, JP (Engineering Functional Constituency) and Sr Hon Tony TSE Wai-chuen, BBS (Functional Constituency - Architectural, Surveying, Planning and Landscape) to share their views on “Impacts of Novel Coronavirus on Hong Kong Construction Industry” with the topics of “Livelihood of our Construction Industry during Epidemics, and its Future Challenges and Opportunities” and “從政治角度思考如何改進建造業生態” respectively to our Council and Co-opted Members before and after our on-line General Council Meeting held on 5 August 2020 night.
(6)	Promoting Construction Management Excellence Construction Management Awards (CMA) 2020 nominations were officially closed on 22 June 2020. Responses so far are quite encouraging as a total of about 27 projects from 16 construction companies have been received while a total of 37 sponsorships have been committed or verbally confirmed. A total of 18 Assessors have been recruited for CMA 2020 first screening exercise started from 2 to 27 Jul 2020 while presentation of the 19 short-listed projects to the jury will be held on 18 & 19 Sep 2020. The results will be announced during the HKICM 23rd Anniversary Dinner cum CMA 2020 Awards Presentation Ceremony scheduled on 13 Nov 2020 (Friday) at the JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong in Admiralty area, Hong Kong.
(7)	Appointment of Honorary Advisors I am most delighted to announce the appointment of two Legislative Council Members of the HKSAR, Ir Dr Hon LO Wai-kwok, SBS, MH, JP (Engineering Functional Constituency) and Sr Hon Tony TSE Wai-Chuen, BBS (Architectural, Surveying, Planning and Landscape Functional Constituency) as our Honorary Advisors, both for a term of two years effective 1 September 2020. The Honorary Advisor Certificates will be presented during the HKICM 23rd Anniversary Dinner cum CMA 2020 Awards Presentation Ceremony scheduled on 13 Nov 2020 (Friday) at JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong in Admiralty, Hong Kong.
In the past month, we had seen the peak of the Covid-19 infections in Hong Kong. While everyone has been impacted to different extents in their daily lives, they have to accept this as a “new normal”. With an uncertain recovery process, the Institute will continue its efforts to support its members with new ideas.
With Warmest Regards, Cr SHUM Hau-tak, Daniel President 15 September 2020

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