'All Talk And No Action For Environment'
By Hadi DP Mahmud

Bandar Seri Begawan - Like other developing countries, Brunei has its fair share of environmental concerns which could prove detrimental for economic progression and more importantly, the well-being of its citizens.

There have been numerous talks and forums held in the past, intended to overcome the challenges, but yet the glaring eyesores are still there - be it at the beaches, roadsides, the landfill at Sungai Akar and even the famed Kampong Ayer.

Total E&P Borneo BV's General Manager, Louis Heuze, spoke to The Brunei Times yesterday on the country's environmental concerns, one day ahead of a forum organised by the French Brunei Business Association (FBBA) on World Water and Waste Management: An Environmental Challenge for Brunei Darussalam'. As the main sponsor, Total has brought in two experts from France to share their expertise and knowledge on how to overcome the country's water and waste management challenges, which is held today at the Jerudong Polo Club.

The main target for this forum, said Heuze, is two-fold.

"First, is to tell people, 'Okay, now stop talking. Stop chatting.' Because it looks like in Brunei, everybody likes to chat and talk. Newspapers here deliver pages of talks and lectures everyday, but I don't see anything happening after that. Now that you are aware of the problem, move! Do something! Also, this message will be sent to the government," he went on to say.

The second said the FBBA, vice-president, is to encourage the development of joint-ventures between Bruneian and French companies.

"Just go around, go to Kg Ayer, go to Tutong beach, and you will understand what the concern is right now. There is absolutely no sense - there is not enough civic sense. Some civic sense needs to be developed," he remarked, adding, "Because when you go to see the proboscis monkeys, you go up the river - you see plastic bottles gently floating on the surface of the water, and that is not acceptable," said the French national. But the country's start to recycle paper and plastics is a great step forward, said Heuze.

Proper collection of waste - separating them by aluminium, paper, plastics and glass - can help in identifying what can be recycled and what cannot be recycled. "I'm very much in favour of recycling. It is very important now, to take care of this recycling issue," said the general manager as he pointed to a water bottle, he said, "This bottle has travelled 20,000 kilometres just to get here. In terms of CO2 emissions, energy savings, saving the planet, you think, it is wise to have this? I don't think you should feel obliged to import French mineral water. We should be able to do a bit better than that."

Heuze, lamenting the state of Brunei's beaches, said: "Go to any beach if you need some plastic bottles, pens, even syringes - you can find anything you want there. How can you attract the tourists with this situation?" he asked. "In Kg Ayer, the rubbish should be removed - during low tide," he said light-heartedly. "There is also the problem of teaching the people how to dispose of their waste. There is a need to put it in appropriate bins. This should be done on an individual level, by each family."

He hopes today's forum, which would be attended by the Minister of Development as well as civil servants, would have fruitful results.

"I hope that at the end of the day some concrete action will have been decided - and not just see the people and say 'okay, bye-bye, jumpa lagi, and see you next time at the next forum."-- Courtesy of The Brunei Times

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