50^th issue Jubilee Messages

from the President of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

Tony Canham CEng FICE FAE FCIArb MIH

In common with most other dispute resolution professionals, I daily receive too much printed information by post; some by choice, and some whether I like it or not. Most of that which is not binned is put aside for reading on that next train journey. Some publications travel with me on many train journeys before there is a gap in the work for them to be opened.

Why it is then, I ask myself, that I can never resist reading News and Views as soon as I receive it?

I suspect that the principal reason is that the articles speak direct to the practitioner Members with information that the Members are really interested in. I find that Members are always hungry for knowledge and personal experiences of speakers. The debates at Branch meetings add life to the practice of dispute resolution in a way that cannot be obtained from the study and reading of academic and learned papers.

This is good everyday coal-face stuff reminiscent of the Institute in its early days when meetings were held in coffee shops. The work of the Branches in spreading the word on Dispute Resolution is fundamental to the further development of the Institute. The production of News and Views is a credit to the South East Branch and I congratulate the Branch, and those who have given of time over the years to publish fifty editions.

Happy fiftieth!

Tony Canham

President