Quantity surveyors host global confab in Colombo

Shirajiv SIRIMANE

Sri Lanka will gain publicity as a destination when the country hosts the 15th edition of the Pacific Association of Quantity Surveyors annual global conference from July 25 to 27 in Colombo.

The Board meeting will be held on July 22 also at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel in Colombo.

Institute of Quantity Surveyors, Sri Lanka President Prof. Chitra Weddikkara said selecting Sri Lanka to host this prestigious event is a rare honour bestowed to Sri Lanka. "This is the first time that the event is being hosted in the region."

She added that when the committee decided to award the hosting of the event to Sri Lanka the separatist war was raging.

"We are all thankful for the trust they had in Sri Lanka to host an event of this magnitude and we would not leave a stone unturned to make this event a success."

"Sri Lanka is a new member of the Association and was confined as a full member only two years ago and awarding the hosting of the conference to Sri Lanka is an honour to the country," she said.

This year members from 14 countries including Australia, Canada, Japan, Myanmar, Hong Kong, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Sri Lanka and South Africa will attend the event.

"We look forward to this Congress which we see as a splendid opportunity for Sri Lankan Quantity Surveyors to exchange and network with other fellow members of the Pacific Association of Quantity Surveyors. Further it will enable us to share the best practices around the Asia Pacific region and the successes and achievements of the other fellow members. Equally valuable is the fact that the Congress will enable us to get acquainted with Quantity Surveying Institutes in the PAQS, enhancing cooperation and synergy between and among our institutes," Prof. Wedikkara said.

"The theme of the Congress has emerged from the realities we find ourselves today. The theme has evolved as a challenge to developing nations of Asia Pacific Region.

"Therefore, we hope to deliberate on the theme based on the common issues and problems pivoted on the Sri Lankan experience.

It is of importance for us to identify solutions and develop a common goal and agendas for future developments of our professions. The theme the Institute of Quantity Surveyors has chosen is 'Cost management in a world emerging from Adversity'.

Right throughout history, mankind has been subjected to the menace of threats such as natural disasters, conflicts and economic crises to name a few. Natural disasters result from natural hazards like, cyclonic storms, tsunamis, floods, droughts, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes leads to financial, environmental and human losses. Moreover, conflicts such as wars, revolutions and other struggles are intertwined with the economy and society and the result is low growth in the construction sector.

As efforts are under way to minimize the effects of natural hazards and conflicts, a phenomenon of more recent origin has arisen in the form of economic crises. In the aftermath of the global financial crisis, re-thinking of new cost management models has become imperative; however the limited availability of project financing is a vital challenge, which demands effective cost planning and control.

Beyond these common themes of key challenges faced by the construction industry, there are many challenges specific to certain construction industries from which lessons can be learned.

Cost management is therefore a highly demanded function in the world emerging from adversity.

Recalling the history of the association she said in the 1970s no education was offered in this subject and it was the Commonwealth Association of Land Surveyors that suggested a education stream of this nature and the British Council played a key role in this regard. Weddikkara who is also Moratuwa University's Building Economics Professor said the campus offers a degree program and there are several other institutions that offers higher education in this field.

"This area is very lucrative as a student is guaranteed of high return employment both locally and overseas as soon as the student completes the education," she said.

"The students do not need to wait for results as this sector has many vacancies." She said in a bid to woo more regional countries to the association both India and Pakistan too have been invited to attend the event as observers.

The event will also be an educational and networking platform for young and aspiring Quantity Surveyors as they could gain knowledge of the field they want to surge ahead. "The best students essay too would be selected." The President said the event will also see over 200 members and their family members in Sri Lanka for almost one week which would give a boost to the country. "In terms of tourism this will generate revenue and publicity to the nation as they are scheduled to travel all over the country and stay for nearly one week.

The Association in a bid to equally distribute benefits from the event to the local hotels sector has equally distributed the guests into all the five star hotels in the City.

A golf tournament too will be held at the Royal Colombo Golf Club during the event. SriLankan Airlines is the main sponsor of the event while Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited is the media sponsor.

[email protected]