It is far beyond my expectation that the General Practice Division has to take part in so many affairs and matters. Fortunately, we have many capable hands to help undertake the work and react on the various hot issues. Amongst all, I take this opportunity to report the following items which may be of interest to you.

Review of Urban Renewal Strategy The Government in mid 2008 had commenced its review of the Urban Renewal Strategy launched in 2001. The review was planned to be completed within two years in three phases, namely "Envisioning - July 2008 to January 2009", "Public Engagement - February 2009 to December 2009" and "Consensus Building -January 2010 to April 2010". Whilst the first and second phases as mentioned above have been completed, the Development Bureau and the Urban Renewal Authority have jointly kicked off the phase three work by hosting the "Urban Regeneration - District Aspirations Study Forum" in Noah's Ark in Ma Wan on 9 January 2010. In the forum, various consultants as appointed by seven district councils have presented their preliminary findings of the "District Aspirations Studies" for respective districts, i.e. Central and Western, Wan Chai, Tsuen Wan, Sham Shui Po, Yau Tsim Mong, Kowloon City and Kwun Tong. Our Immediate Past Chairman Dr Lawrence Poon and Honorary Secretary Mr Tony Wan attended this fruitful session on behalf of the GPD Council.

Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link - Meeting with Tai Kok Tsui Residents The Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link ("XRL"), a project of territory-wide significance, was authorised by the Chief Executive in Council on 20 October 2009. To make way for the XRL alignment, underground strata of private interest will have to be resumed. As such, residents of various buildings in Tai Kok Tsui where various underground strata will be resumed are very concerned about their rights and entitlement to compensations. At the request of the Highways Department, Dr Lawrence Poon, Immediate Past Chairman of the GPD Council, attended a forum held on 12 December 2009 at Mong Kok Kai Fong Association Service Centre to address the concerns of the residents on various land compensation issues under the Railways Ordinance by virtue of which the XRL was gazetted and authorised.

Membership Reciprocity with the China Institute of Real Estate Appraisers and Estate Agents (CIREA) The working group held its first meeting in late December 2009 and resolved to work out a timetable within the first quarter of 2010. As a training programme may have to be formulated for the HKIS GPD members, the earliest the reciprocity arrangement can be arranged is towards the end of the second quarter of 2010.

CPD Events Our newly appointed CPD Events Convenor, Mr Simon Poon has been actively organising some interesting events for our GPD members. Tentatively, he plans to organise a number of seminars in 2010 on topics such as "Light Pollution", "E-system in Building Services Operation and Maintenance", "Duty and Liability of Expert Witness, Independent Valuer and Arbitrator", "Surveyors to Apply Finance and Stock Market Knowledge in Daily Work", "Wine Knowledge and its Investment Opportunity" and etc. In addition to the aforesaid, we welcome suggestions and assistance. Kindly express your views by dropping an email to Simon's email address at [email protected].