Reciprocity Agreement between HKIS and ICES As noted in the President’s message, the HKIS signed a reciprocity agreement (RA) with the Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (CICES) on 7 April 2010. It signified a remarkable achievement after five years of negotiation between the two sides. The CICES is an International qualifying body with its headquarter in the UK dedicated to the regulation, education and training of surveyors working within the civil engineering field. It has two streams of specialization, the Geospatial Engineering and Commercial Management. The RA we signed on 7 April 2010 was for the CICES Commercial Stream and the HKIS Quantity Surveying Division (QSD). Our President, Prof Chau Kwong Wing, said in the signing ceremony, "It is a big day for the HKIS. The RA is one further step forward for us to go outside of Hong Kong." The President of the CICES, Mr Ken Hall, said, "The RA contributes to the benefit of both sides. It is a significant and historical document." Over 20 representatives from the HKIS and the CICES attended the signing ceremony and witnessed the memorable moment. The signing of the RA with CICES would benefit the members of the QSD from the sharing of knowledge and experience of CICES in the infrastructure works. With the increasing expenditure in infrastructure projects by the government, the member of QSD working in the infrastructure projects can certainly contribute more in providing their professional services in monitoring the cost of those projects and thus the money of the taxpayers. Sam Cheng, Dr Paul Ho, Spencer Kwan, Stephen Lai, and QSD Council Members Franki Yeung, Honby Chan, Alan Cheung, and many others for materializing this RA. Further, I would also like to thank the organizing committee comprising Thomas Ho, Honby Chan, Alan Cheung and Tzena Wong, for arranging the signing ceremony. PAQS 2010 The 14th Congress of the Pacific Association of Quantity Surveyors (PAQS) will be held in Singapore from 23 July to 27 July 2010. The theme is “Sustainable Cost Management: Borderless Innovation”. Details of the Congress are contained in http://www.paqs2010.com.sg. It will be an opportunity to keep abreast of the updated development of quantity surveying services in sustainable development. Members are encouraged to join the Congress. Assessment of Professional Competence (QSD) Final Assessment 2010 - Written Practice Problems The written practice problems of the Final Assessment 2010 of the APC(QSD) will be held on 13 and 14 September 2010 at the Hong Kong International Trade & Exhibition Centre (HITEC). Application shall be submitted to the HKIS Secretariat not later than 5:30 pm, 30 June 2010. Application form can be down-loaded from www.hkis.org.hk