The Deputy Minister of Health said the level of infection of the Hand-Foot and Mouth disease in Brunei is not epidemic. As of Wednesday, 140 cases were reported. Pehin Dato Paduka Haji Hazair in the media briefing Thursday afternoon. He stressed that as a measure to contain the spread of Hand-Foot and Mouth disease, Primary and Religious schools in the country have been ordered close as of Thursday until further notice. A total of 21 schools in the sultanate have been affected with the disease.

The Deputy Minister of Health said the spread of Hand-Foot and Mouth disease in Brunei has not reach the level of Epidemic and the Ministry of Health will continue to monitor the situation closely. The Ministry of Health also advised public swimming pools in the country closed.

However, other public places do not fall under the jurisdiction. The Ministry of Health has taken necessary steps in dealing the disease including the setting up of a twenty four hour clinic. It has also set up an extra hotline to disseminate information regarding the Hand Foot and Mouth Disease to the public. The numbers to call are 2227785 or 2242424 extension 393.

The Minister of Education said enhancing Physical Education as complementary and supplementary to school programme and curriculum is one of the innovative components being implemented his Ministry aimed at creating positive changes to school environment.

The Minister of Education was speaking at the launch of the physical education curriculum for secondary schools, Thursday afternoon at the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien College. Pehin Dato Seri Setia Haji Abdul Rahman said that his Ministry is in the process of consolidating further the existing education programmes. This is one of the efforts to ensure the new mission of the ministry towards achieving quality education for progress, peace and prosperity can be attained as aspired. The minister said any programme of innovation requires careful consideration to meet its requirement and implementation goes orderly and properly. He pointed, as such any initiatives would involve all stakeholders of education in together supporting and implementing it in order to reap benefits.

The Minister stressed that one of the new changes which is being carried is to intensify physical education and co-curriculum programmes. It’s hoped that this will further enlighten the school environment making teaching and learning more interesting and conducive for students. The minister urged all concerned parties to shift their mindset and act as a team to ensure that any innovation made would run smoothly and produces the desired outcome.

At the function the Minister also presented the new physical education curriculum, as well sports equipment and certificates to principles. Thursday afternoon’s programme included a demonstration of physical performance by students. The highlight was the physical activities performance by teachers who are attending a course on Physical Education. The Minister also toured an exhibition jointly put up by the Ministry of Health, Youth and Sports Department, and the Co-Curriculum Education Department.

Losses due to fire on public building and private houses over a six year period from 2000 to 2005 had amounted to some fifty one million dollars. This was stated by the Minister of Home Affairs, Pehin Dato Paduka Haji Adnan, at a name changing ceremony for the Fire Services Department in Berakas, Thursday. He said most of the fires were due to human negligence, gas leakage and short circuit.

The Fire Services Department is now known as Fire and Rescue Department.The Minister said the new name is consistent with the ever-increasingly challenging role of the department, which includes rescue, which is a far cry from its conventional role of merely putting out fire outbreaks. He pointed the occurrences of natural disaster have tested the extent or preparedness of the relevant authorities. The department must not be complacent in the possibility of these occurrences happening and must be proactive in its strategies.

The Fire Services Department was established in 1960 with an initial intake of 36 personnel. Thursday, its manpower strength has grown to nearly one thousand five hundred including women personnel. The programme at the ceremony included a rescue
demonstration.

Present at the ceremony were the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Pehin Dato Paduka Haji Dani; the Permanent Secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office, Dato Paduka Haji Sulaiman bin Haji Ismail and Permanent Secretaries at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Dato Seri Setia Haji Yussof bin Haji Ismail and Dato Paduka Haji Idris bin Belaman.

An exhibition of various service vehicles and equipment with each describing its function is open for public viewing at the station’s premises until the 15th of this month from 9 in the morning until half past four in the afternoon daily.  

Thursday night,a Doa Kesyukuran or thanksgiving ceremony was held at the Headquarters of the Fire and Rescue Department at the Old Airport in Berakas inconjunction with Thursday’s name changing of the Department.Present at the ceremony were the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Pehin Dato Paduka Haji Dani.

The ceremony commenced with a mass Maghrib prayer followed by the recital of Surah
Yassin and a Doa Kesyukuran. Also present were Permanent Secretaries, Deputy Permanent Secretary, District Officers as well as officers and staff of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The Fire and Rescue Department was established since 45 years ago. With the new name, the department faces increasing challenges in its role including rescue, which is a far cry from its conventional role of merely putting out fire outbreaks.

Societe Generale Private Banking, Asia Pacific, through its legal entity, SG Financial Consulting Services has received the Investment Adviser’s Licence from Brunei International Finance Centre to operate wealth management activities in Brunei.

The Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports disclosed this at the opening ceremony of SG Financial Consulting Services Private Limited Brunei Branch this morning. Pehin Retired Major General Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Mohammad who is also the Chairman of the Employees Trust Fund, said it is no surprise that SG has qualified for the Investment Adviser’s Licence since it is one of the largest financial service groups in the euro-zone and employs more than 1 hundred and 3 thousand people worldwide.

Pehin is confident that the Brunei branch will prosper. The branch is located in Jerudong and managed by the Brunei Investment Agency, under the preview of the Ministry of Finance. It offers clients a broad range of sophisticated products and services that cover differing needs and include the best products available on the market, based on an open structure.

The ASEAN Social Security Association seminar continued Thursday with the presentation of working papers on social issues. Among the matters tabled included implementation of the Employees Trust Fund, programme and health insurance.

Brunei Darussalam’s representative, the Acting Manager of Employees Trust Fund,Dayang Faudziah Haji Ahmad in her working paper touched on the guideline of the
service saying that TAP has improved since the implementation of the integrated system. A representative from Vietnam Mr. Nguyen Ichang, touched on the history of development and expanding programme of voluntary health insurance in his country Umbu Marisi from Indonesia talked on experience of Indonesia in expanding membership through local community. The presentation of papers was followed by a Board Meeting.