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His Majesty arrives in Moscow for a 4 day official visit

 
    His Majesty Sultan Haj Hassanal Bolkiah Muizzaddin Waddaulah the Sultan and Yang DiPertuan of Brunei Darussalam has arrived in Moscow for a four-day official visit to the Russian Federation. On arrival at the Vnukovo-2 Airport, His Majesty was welcomed by the Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia, His Excellency Alexander Saltanov. Also present at the  
 

airport to greet His Majesty were Brunei Darussalam Ambassador to Russia, His Excellency Md Janin Bin Erih, Ambassador of Russia to Brunei Darussalam His Excellency Alexander Alexeevich Karchava and Head of Protocol at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr.Mikhail E Timoshkin.
 

 
 

His Majesty's official visit to Russia began with a welcoming ceremony at the airport where His Majesty received a guard of honour. His Majesty was then introduced to Heads of ASEAN Missions in Moscow.The Official Visit is upon the invitation of Russia's President His Excellency Vladimir V Putin during which His Majesty is scheduled to visit Moscow and Saint Petersburg.

   
   


The highlights of His Majesty's visit in Moscow will be a meeting with His Excellency President Putin at the Grand Kremlin Palace and the conferment of Honorary Doctorate from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. His Majesty is also expected to attend an official dinner hosted by the President in honour of His Majesty's visit.
 

 
 

While in Moscow His Majesty is also to visit the tomb of the Russian Unknown Soldier, the Special Weapons Firing Range, the Zhukovsky Airfield and the Bolshol Theatre.Meanwhile His Majesty's programmes in Saint Petersburg will include attending a luncheon hosted by Her Excellency the Governor of Saint Peterseburg and visiting the Hermitage Museum and the Mariinsky Theatre.

 
 

The Crown Prince visits departments under the Ministry of Health

 
  His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister's Office has consented to continue his working visit to departments under the Ministry of Health. His Royal Highness Monday visited the National Dental Centre in Berakas, the Children Development Centre in Kampung Kiarong and the Community Psychiatric Daycare also in Kampung Kiarong.
 
 
    His Royal Highness the Crown Prince first went to the National Dental Centre where His Royal Highness was welcomed on arrival by the Minister of Health, Pehin Dato Paduka Haji Suyoi; the Deputy Minister, Pehin Dato Paduka Haji Awang Hazair; the Permanent Secretary, Awang Serbini bin Haji Ali, and other senior officials. Also present during the visit was  
 

the Acting Permanent Secretary at the Prime Minister's Office, Awang Haji Ahmad bin Haji Abdul Rahman.
 

 
  The sections His Royal Highness visited included the Dental Health Education Section, responsible in providing dental services to children in schools nationwide and taught children on the importance of dental hygiene. During the visit, the Crown Prince viewed a puppet show which is one of the ways in which the Dental Health Education Section    
 

hopes to promote the proper ways of dental care among young children.

 
   
His Royal Highness then visited the laboratory of the National Dental Centre which among other things is responsible for making dentures and braces used in orthodontic treatments. The Pharmacy of the National Dental Centre, the Dental Nursing Services Section and the Specialist Treatment Centre also came under His Royal Highness's scrutiny.
 
 
  From the National Dental Centre, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince went to the Children Development Centre in Kampung Kiarong. The centre, which began its operation in October 1999, offers services in clinical psychology, speech therapy and treatment for those with hearing impairment. The Centre also provides physio-therapy services for    
 

patients with movement problems. In addition, the Child Development Centre provides community pediatric services aimed at the early identification of developmental problems so that early intervention can be provided. Here, His Royal Highness was briefed on the roles and functions of the child development centre.

 
 
His Royal Highness then proceeded to the Early Development Programme room. The programme, for children under 5 years old, started in February 2004 with the aim of improving a child's developmental progress so that they may enter mainstream education institutions.
 
   
    His Royal Highness proceeded to the Community Psychiatric Daycare Centre where His Royal Highness was briefed on the various rehabilitation programs before consenting to have a closer look at the various activities carried out by the Centre to provide guidance to psychiatric patients. Activities on occupational therapy were also exhibited. At the same  
 

time, His Royal Highness also had a chance to have a closer look at the roles and functions of the Pharmaceutical Preparation Section of the Pharmaceutical Services Department in the preparation of prescriptions for distribution to the various health centres and clinic throughout the nation.
 

 
  Before ending his visit, His Royal Highness stopped at the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Unit nearby. This unit is responsible for the packaging and manufacturing of various clinical drugs.
 
 
  His Royal Highness concluded his visit with a get-together with more than 450 local nurses and senior officers as well as members of the National Health Promotion Committee. The luncheon was also attended by the members of the National Health Promotion Committee. Prior to that, His Royal Highness performed the mass zohor prayer at the surau of the commercial centre.
 
 
  The visit of His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office shows His Royal Highness's concern on the roles and functions of Ministry of Health in providing proper, high quality health and medical services to citizens and members of the public of this country.
 
 
 

The visit is also a continuity and concerted support of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Dipertuan of Brunei Darussalam's efforts towards ensuring that all healthcare agencies are more responsive to current developments.

 
 

Minister of Education stresses the need to cater for special needs students

 
  The government of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Dipertuan of Brunei Darussalam places great emphasis on provision of education for every child in the country. This would include children with special needs, who have as much right as any others in being given the opportunity to learn to the best of their abilities. Therefore, there is a need to provide the right programmes and tools to cater for their development requirements.
 
 
 

The Minister of Education, Pehin Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Abdul Rahman was speaking at the launch of the three-day 2nd International Conference on Special Education at University Brunei Darussalam Monday. The Minister said this reflects the government's strong commitment in ensuring all children become educated citizens as spelt out in the national education policy and special education policy guideline.
 

 
 

More than 400 educators, experts, researchers and practioners are attending the conference, working under the theme, "Our Children, Our Future: Global Approaches". Four foreign speakers are invited to present their working papers besides local lecturers from UBD. One of the speakers, Professor Mary Ann Bibby, from the Department of Educational Psychology and the Coordinator of Deafness Studies in Education at University of Albert in Canada in her keynote address, said children in this region are very lucky to have relevant support by government to see that they are well looked after to have future education.

 
 

Education Minister launches Brunei Darussalam Journal of Special Education

 
 

The launching of the Brunei Darussalam Journal of Special Education marks another milestone in the development of Special Education in Brunei Darussalam. Officiating the launch was the Minister of Education, Pehin Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Abdul Rahman, at a dinner for participants of the 2nd International Conference on Special Education, Monday night.
 

 
 

The journal came in two volumes. Volume One among others contains reports of the effectiveness of the Learning Assistance Programme in Primary Schools in Negara Brunei Darussalam and perceptions of special education needs assistance teachers and regular teachers towards collaborative roles for delivering services to pupils with special education needs.
 

 
 

Meanwhile, the 2nd volume reflects some of the conference's sub themes on Inclusive Education, Adaptive and Assistive Technology and Early Intervention and Transition Programmes. The journal is published annually by the Special Education Unit of the Ministry of Education. They will serve as an important source of reference and will be of value to educational researchers, practitioners, ministry officials, post-graduate students and members of the public who may be interested in special education issues. Monday night's function was held in Jerudong.

 
 

His Majesty’s birthday committee aims higher this year

 
 

Members of executive committee of His Majesty's 59th birthday are urged to enhance the spirit of unity, cooperation and consultation in ensuring the celebration is running smoothly, properly and joyfully. The Minister of Home Affairs, made the call at a dialogue session with executive committee members for the upcoming birthday of His Majesty in the Belait District, Monday.
 

 
 

Pehin Dato Paduka Hj Adanan, in his remarks, expressed his optimism that a post-mortem carried out on the events of the previous year's celebration has shown some improvements that need to be revised and assessed on the same events for this year's celebration.
 

 
 

The meeting was presided over by the Belait District Officer, Dato Paduka Awang Haji Yussop bin Bakar. Held at the Dewan Santap, Kuala Belait, the meeting discussed several agendas including the Get-Together Ceremony, the highlight of the Royal Birthday celebration in the district.

 
 

Brunei to host 13th Meeting of ASEAN Directors-General

 
 

Brunei Darussalam is hosting the 13th Meeting of the ASEAN Directors-General of Customs. The Second Minister of Finance, Pehin Dato Paduka Awang Haji Abdul Rahman in his speech said that ASEAN cooperation in the area of customs has come a very long way particularly in the effort to strengthen ASEAN Economic Integration and in enhancing ASEAN competitiveness. In order for this initiative to be materialised, ASEAN Customs Administrations have a major role to play in facilitating the flow of goods in the region while at the same time combating smuggling, commercial fraud and terrorism.
 

 
 

The three-day meeting, hosted by the Royal Customs and Excise Department under the Ministry of Finance aims to find and implement a Strategic Plan of Customs Development with the integration of customs structures in ASEAN and setting up a harmonised customs environment for trade facilitation with the main goal to enhance customs control through customs modernisation and capacity building. This is the second Brunei Darussalam becomes a host to such meeting.

 
 

Training programme aims to implement ICT awareness

 
 

A total of 2.5 million dollars have been allocated for the implementation of ICT trainings for the period of 5 years. To date the Institute of Civil Service has carried out more than thirty types of ICT course involving more than two thousand officers and public service servants. And yesterday, the Institute of Civil Service in Kampung Rimba launched an IT Security Awareness Training Program.
 

 
 

In his welcoming speech the Director of the Institute of Civil Service, Doctor Awang Azaharaini Haji Mohd Jamil said this week alone, the Institute has planned programs on IT Awareness Training to be attended by several categories of ICT users comprising courses for executive management, IT professional and End-users. Officiating the launch was the Permanent Secretary at the Prime Minister's Office, Dato Paduka Awang Haji Sulaiman bin Haji Ismail.

 
 

Singapore bags top spot in 29th SEA Swimming Championship

 
 

Singapore emerged as the overall winner and best team at the 29th South East Asia Age-Group Swimming Championship held in Brunei Darussalam. The Prize presentation was held Monday night in Jerudong. Present was the Deputy Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Dato Paduka Awang Haji Yakub bin Abu Bakar.
 

 
 

The Singapore team bagged 32 gold, 34 silver and 21 bronze medals. More than two hundred swimmers from host Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore, Philippines and Vietnam aged between twelve to seventeen years took part in the three-day championship.
 

 
 

The championship aims to foster friendship and sportsmanship as well as to promote goodwill and understanding.