By Lyna Mohamad
In the final series of the working visit of HRH Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah The Crown Prince, Senior Minister at the Prime Minister's Office, to the Ministry of Finance and the departments under it, HRH yesterday visited several more departments under the ministry and subsidiary companies under the Brunei Investment Agency.
The Crown Prince's working visit began at the Store Section of the Information Technology and State Store Department in Gadong where HRH was greeted by Minister of Finance II, Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Paduka Hj Abd Rahman Hj Ibrahim and Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister's Office, Dato Paduka Hj Eusof Agaki Hj Ismail.
Also greeting the royal arrival were Permanent Secretaries of MoF, Dato Paduka Awg Hj Ali Apong and Dato Paduka Awg Hj Metassan Momin, Deputy Permanent Secretary of MoF, Awg Hj Mohd Rozan Dato Paduka Hj Mohd Yunos, Director of Information Technology and State Store as well as senior officers at the ministry.
Present at yesterday's working visit were Permanent Secretary at Prime Minister's Office, Pg Dato Paduka Hj Abu Bakar Pg Seri Indera Pg Hj Ismail and Deputy Permanent Secretary at Prime Minister's Office, Dyg Hjh Salbiah Hj Sulaiman.
HRH toured various sections of the Store Section and also viewed an exhibition on the activities that took place at the department including its current developments and achievements.
The Senior Minister then visited the rice and sugar storage warehouses which is used for fulfilling the country's supply needs of basic foods and was also briefed on plans for an Electronic Government Centre of the department.
From the State Store, HRH then proceeded to the Cargo Section of the Brunei International Airport that is part of the Berakas Customs branch. Here, the Controller of Royal Customs and Excise, Awg Hj Ibrahim Hj Ismail greeted HRH on arrival.
During the visit to the Cargo Section, HRH toured the various operational sections that deal with declaration of goods imported by air freight and then proceeded to the Arrival Section of the Berakas Customs branch at the airport's terminal.
At this visit, HRH was briefed on the activities at the branch and its roles and functions in the control on restricted and prohibited goods brought in by air freight.
The working visit continued with a visit to the Jerudong Park Medical Centre where on hand to welcome HRH's arrival were the Chairman of the JPMC Board of Directors, Dr Hj Amin Liew Abdullah, members of the board of Directors and senior officers at the centre.
At the centre, HRH visited the Medical Centre which is a private medical centre using the latest and sophisticated medical and health equipment.
Among others, the centre operates in providing medical services and includes facilities such as a gymnasium, swimming pool and other equipment used for the rehabilitation of patients and which is also open for use by the public members.
The working visit concluded at the Gleneagles JPMC located in the same premises with JPMC, which is a Cardiac Centre managed by Gleneagles JPMC, a joint venture company between JPMC Sdn Bhd and Gleneagles International Pte Ltd.
This centre, amongst others, provides medical services and treatment, cardiac cases in particular, including heart surgery and HRH's visit here began with a briefing on the roles and functions of the centre and its current developments and achievements.
HRH then proceeded to the Empire Hotel and Country Club to perform the mass Zohor prayers, prior to a luncheon and a get-together with members of the board of directors and senior officers of JPMC and Gleneagles JPMC.
The luncheon at the hotel's nearby restaurant was also attended by officers and staff of the Information Technology and State Store Department and Royal Customs and Excise Department and senior officers at the Ministry of Finance.
HRH's working visit yesterday illustrates his concern on the agencies under the Ministry of Finance's implementation of its roles and functions that play a key role in contributing to the country's economic activities including the safeguarding of the government's interests.
It is also a continuity and concerted support to His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam's efforts towards ensuring that government agencies are more aware of and responsive to current developments in order to ensure the country's prosperity and harmony whilst jointly upholding the nation's aspirations.
- Borneo Bulletin
(22nd Jan 2006)
