Board Reports and Messages from Board Chairpersons of IQSSL for 2020

I am hereby delighted to provide a brief report on the activities carried out by the Board of Quantity Surveying Publications (BQSP) during the last year that was quite eventful. With the objective of effectively communicating the IQSSL’s information to the membership as well as to the public in an accurate and timely manner, several initiatives were taken by the BQSP during the start of the year. I am happy to inform you that, with the help of my dynamic board members and sub-committee members, we managed to successfully meet the targets set.

With the valuable input from the President of IQSSL, the BQSP managed to publish a comprehensive corporate profile for the Institute of Quantity Surveyors Sri Lanka. It was heartening to see that this profile was effectively used in many occasions to effectively communicate the services of the Institute to the government and private sector.

Further, the BQSP started the initiative of creating an innovative new Website for IQSSL with the aim of providing enhanced services to the membership. The new website now facilitates all the corporate and non-corporate members to pay the annual subscriptions online through the website. In addition, all the corporate members can record the Continuous Professional Development (CPD) through the web site using their own and innovative user profile. The new website also provides a user forum and a blog so that the members as well as the public can maintain a direct interaction with the IQSSL. We are delighted to launch this new website today (20th March 2020) during the Annual General Meeting.

The BQSP also continued the publication of quarterly e-journal “Focus” during the last year and we successfully issued four (04) publications as planned. We sincerely thank Ch. QS Prof. (Mrs) Kanchana Perera, Ch. QS. Dr. (Mrs) Udayangani Kulathunga and Mr. Dharshaan Vijayanandha for their invaluable contribution as the Editorial Board of Focus Journal. I take this opportunity to invite all our readers to send your valuable articles to be published in our journal so that we can be a platform for you to disseminate your valuable knowledge and experience.

We highly appreciate the contributions from Ch. QS Suranga Jayasena and Ch. QS Majith Rasila for their assistance to disseminate IQSSL’s notices and information in a timely manner through the website and Facebook. I personally thank my dynamic board members (namely, Ch. QS Mahinda Gunawardena, Ch. QS. Prasad Dissanayake, Ch. QS Buddhika Perera, Ch. QS Amali Perera, Ch. QS Dhamisha Sriyananda) and sub-committee members (namely, Dharshaan Vijayanandha, Eranda Mendis, Isuru de Alwis, Dinuka Maduraga, G.L.A. Buddhika) for their unstinting cooperation for the activities of the BQSP. Also I take this opportunity to thank Mr. Mahinda Gunathilake and the staff of the Secretariat for assisting the BQSP in numerous ways.

Ch.QS. Duleesha Wijesiri
B.Sc. (QS) Hons, MBA (PIM-SJP),
A.I.Q.S.SL, MRICS, Dip (Arb)
Chairman
Board of Quantity Surveying Publications
IQSSL

I consider myself privileged to provide this message on the occasion of Annual General Meeting 2019/2020 and Annual Forum 2020 to be held at the Grand Ballroom, Galle Face Hotel Colombo 3.

As the Chairman of Financial Affairs Board I have the pleasure to state that under the dedicated commitment of board members & governing council, IQSSL had succeeded in further strengthening the stability of our financial reserves during the financial year beginning 1st April 2018 to 31st March 2019. Although majority of our members were employed and residing in overseas, collection of membership subscription fees had been enhanced comparatively, during this financial year. Fixed financial reserves also had improved as a result of income generated from College of Quantity Surveying and annual subscription fees from the membership. We have also initiated a fund management process to enhance & improve the financial strengthening of the Institute which had continued during current 2019-2020 financial year with the concurrence of the new council which took office from April 1st 2019.

During the current 2019-2020 financial year, IQSSL has appointed an Internal Auditor, new Auditors Ernst & Young Sri Lanka, after getting the membership approval at the October 3rd 2019 EGM. Further, due to financial regulation changes enacted by the GOSL for 2018-2019 financial year, IQSSL had paid an income tax of Rs.2,665,562.00. In addition, IQSSL had also paid an amount of Rs.1,155,546.00 being the estimated tax amount for two quarters in the 2019/2020 financial year. During the same financial year, IQSSL has also rigorously pursued with Urban Development Authority for the allocation of 27 perches of land from Colombage Mawatha, Kirulapone on a 30-year lease period. Rs.500,000.00 has been paid to the UDA as the processing fee, which was inclusive of NBT and withholding taxes.

As a Chairperson of the Financial Affairs Board, I hereby appreciate all the work done and advices given by all FAB board members namely Ch.QS Rasila Majith Kodithuwakku (Assistant Treasurer), Ch. QS. Rajitha Dasanayake, Ch.QS. Jagath Basnayake, Ch.QS A N Jayadeva, Ch.QS Shammi F. Hanna,n and Accounting and secretariat staff at IQSSL, the President IQSSL, the Honorary Secretary IQSSL and other members of Governing Council of IQSSL. They had given me remarkable assistance in performing my activities to achieve a successful financial year for IQSSL.

Ch.QS. Indunil Seneviratne
B.Sc (QS) Hons, M.Sc (Construction Management) USA, F.I.Q.S.SL.
Chairman
Financial Affairs Board
IQSSL

Membership Affairs Board (MAB) during the period 2018/2019 worked towards continuation of the institute’s goal of congregating all Sri Lankan Quantity Surveyors under the national institute.

Primary function of the board is to advice the Governing Council on matters relating to the membership including granting new memberships and membership upgrades. During this period, MAB took action to update the details of memberships across all membership categories. In addition to soft copy advancements, hardcopies of membership registers have been updated as Fellow, Associate and Graduate.

As the Chairperson of MAB, I am pleased to note that there is a significant interest among non - member Sri Lankan Quantity Surveyors practicing in Sri Lanka as well as abroad to join the institute. Existing members have also shown keen interest in upgrading their membership to match their acquired qualifications and current experience on par with their professional development objectives.

Our present membership strength as at 31st December 2019 is:

Underlying functions and tasks have been successfully undertaken and performed during the past period. Suspension notices have been sent to the associate members who have not paid membership subscription from the year 2009.Based on the updated lists, student members who have not paid their membership subscription fees from the year 2009 had been suspended.

Country representatives have been appointed as official representative from each country of Sri Lanka, Oman, Dubai, Qatar, Australia (Sydney, Perth and Melbourne separately) and New Zealand. During the period of review, the coordination process among country representatives were further streamlined.

Identity card issuance process for Fellow members were revived and necessary steps were taken to issue the identity cards for Associate members by March 2020. Membership route was updated to suit latest developments which took place during the last period. Drafting assistance was provided to other boards for Quantity Surveying Register Board Act.

A gathering of Associate and Technical members was successfully conducted at Organisation of Professional Associations (OPA) and Waters Edge, Battaramulla.

I would also like to thank the members of Membership affairs Board, namely Ch.QS (Mrs.) Devika Liyanage, Ch.QS Indunil Seneviratne, Ch.QS Mahinda Gunawardena, Ch.QS. Sanjeewa Dasanayaka, Ch.QS (Ms.) Heshani Gamage and Ch.QS Nuwan Thilakaratne who worked tirelessly to make the board’s affairs a success.

Ch.QS. Rajitha Dasanayake
B.Sc (QS) Honours, M.Sc (Project Management) SL,
F.I.Q.S.SL, RICS, AAIQS
Chairman
Membership Affairs Board
IQSSL

Among many others, PAB is primarily entrusted with tasks related to professional development of IQSSL members including their continuing professional development, adherence with professional ethics etc., and to advise the Governing Council on such matters.

PAB successfully completed implementational procedures of mandatory minimum CPD hours requirement relevant to Corporate members with descriptive guides, submission formats and adequate awareness programmes. This process is now ready to be implemented from year 2020/2021 and will be a key driver to enhance continuing professional development of Corporate members.

Eight CPD seminars were conducted during the year on current and much needed topics, with highly recognized resource persons drawn from construction industry as well as outside of it. Almost all such CPD seminars were well attended. Due to increased number of CPD seminars and related activities, a Sub Committee on CPD was formed comprising of 6 active members whose contributions were very valuable and much appreciated.

A few Roundtable Discussions were arranged among interested smaller groups of Corporate members to share practical knowledge, gain insights in to unique issues and facilitate common approaches on critical issues among practitioners across industry. Discussion Forums were also started to be conducted on various practical and current topics for the benefit of non-corporate members. Programme contents and syllabi have been finalized for a number of short courses on key topics related to QS profession, which will be launched soon for the benefit of all interested members.

With the advent of new regulatory regime for construction industry professionals through the Construction Industry Development Act of 2015, IQSSL is being tasked with an exclusive role related to the QS profession, of which most functions are within scope of PAB. They include definition of QS practitioner/qualified person categories with classification criteria and distinctive work scopes for both member and non-member categories which had successfully been completed within the year. PAB is closely interacting with government bodies and regulatory authorities towards establishment of professional and technical Service Minutes for QSs in the state sector.

Drafting of new legislation and other related documents for establishment and operation of proposed QS Registration Board and a company limited by Guarantee to conduct enhanced functions of College of Quantity Surveying as an independent body has also been successfully completed.

Initial development of an Estimating guide has been completed and is being evaluated on a test basis with the active assistance of a selected group of Corporate members. It will officially be published in due course. Discussions on reciprocity with the Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (CIQS) is successfully proceeding with the active involvement of CIQS.

A process has also been initiated to revisit and revise if necessary, the Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics, with due consideration being paid to current developments, industry needs and practices of other industry professionals.

All of above activities have been effectively facilitated and made possible by a dedicated group of PAB Members to whom my heartfelt gratitude is extended. A special appreciation is also due to members of IQSSL staff for their support towards PAB activities.

Ch.QS. Nandun Fernando
BSc (QS) (Hons), F.I.Q.S.SL,
Attorney at Law Chairman
Professional Affairs Board
IQSSL