Brunei's Lost Information

The Brunei Government has commissioned several million dollars worth of projects and consultancy reports over the years and yet at the end of the day, these reports cannot be seen by the public, because these reports are owned by the certain department which commissioned the reports, and most do not want to release it for public viewing.

However, because these reports are sometimes worth millions, isn’t it worth to be viewed and research by the public. Who knows if such reports show damming evidence about the certain department, hence there’s a need to rectify problems? Such reports should lead to more investigation on why this and that happened and why the recommendations are not being followed.

One such report, which I have heard of, is the infamous development report of Brunei by the famous University of Manchester’s Business School, possibly commissioned during the 1980s. What happened to this report? I’m sure such report would cost millions of dollars and yet despite the report being made, nothing is heard of it. Once in a blue moon, people would make reference to it, saying that that report is not really practical for Brunei as it doesn’t take account of Brunei’s own local social and economic situation. If such report is worth millions and yet not implemented, then should someone ask question why this is so? Its “public” money afterall which is used to pay for such reports.

What happened to the report by BEDB’s Monitor Group? Is it open for the public to view it? How much did it cost to produce the report? Why cant the report be made several copies and put into the national library so that younger generations of Bruneians are aware of what was written years ago and to see if any of the recommendations being carried out and if not why?

Recent study commissioned by Department of Agriculture and given to the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) Australia in April 2006, on the Soil Fertility Evaluation / Advisory Service in Brunei, the public was not inform, how much it cost to commision the repot. Hopefully, once the report is completed, an extra copy of the report can be given to the natioanl libaray or the national archive for all to view and read on.