After reading the newspaper about "Smoking still prevalent in restaurants" dated December 21, 2004, I completely agree with this finding and would also like to express my opinion.

During this long month holidays, my friends and I would usually meet up at this restaurant in Seria.

Surprisingly enough, this restaurant equipped with air-conditioners was still allowing their customers to puff smoke from their cigarettes.

If I am not mistaken, our country has already set up laws to ban smoking at all restaurant outlets especially those equipped with air-conditioners.

As my friends and I are non-smokers, we just have to bear the suffocating smoke. It creates an inconvenience to our chat and meal.

This is not only the problem. Sometimes, I feel sorry for families with small children having to have a meal in such situations.

Firstly, this shows a bad example to our future generations. Secondly, passive smokers are known to be at risk of diseases. Pregnant women who inhale this smoke also pose potential risks to their future children.

Eventually, even the workers who work at such restaurants are also facing the risks.

This restaurant has not even put up any 'no-smoking' sign, besides to make matters worse, it is not even installed with any exhaust fans or appropriate ventilation for the smoke to go away.

I am just wondering why there is no relevant food and health officers to check this outlet.

There was one Opinion some time ago that mentioned if laws are set up but are not enforced they would be meaningless after all.

Despite government efforts to educate the public through television, posters, newspapers and others, smoking is still an ever-increasing phenomenon due to easy availability, peer pressure and other factors.

Besides imposing fines and other penalties to these establishments, I think the root cause of smoking should be targeted that is, to stop the habit of smoking.

I hope the relevant authorities could take appropriate action as soon as possible before the existing facts become mere statistics.

- Disappointed Resident, Seria

It is ironic that Depressed Bruneian (BB 5/1/04) should advocate JTB improving its espeed2 services yet does not choose to be helpful and transparent but remains cloaked under a pseudo-name.

We take the allegation by the writer of his espeed2 complaint of not being attended to for a said period of time as being baseless and misleading as our investigation with the relevant units in JTB has proved otherwise.

We would like the writer to be forthcoming and to substantiate his assertions by contacting the undersigned, giving details of his espeed2 account number so that we can carry out a thorough investigation and hopefully to resolve his/her espeed2 problems at the soonest.

Our analysis of the monthly complaint statistic of espeed2 in JTB attributed to over 90% of the faults occurring in customer premises, remediable within the customers' jurisdiction if the instructions and standard installation procedures have been followed. This has proved to us that system-wise there is no distinctive difference between espeed1 and espeed2.

However, to make good of the writer's complaint, we need the writer's fullest cooperation by contacting us to 'help us to help you.'

To show our genuine concern to this writer's grievances, and that we are also not infallible, we are willing to pay three month of the espeed2 monthly rental (worth $ 294) to this writer if the case is proven to be bona-fide and that the faults lie on our part.

Lastly, we would like to inform our valued customers that we have a keen, competent and technical skill team at espeed 2 . We would remain committed to serve you even better in the future.

- Abdul Majid bin Hj Laman
Corporate Communication
Jabatan Telekom Brunei
Tel : +673 232 2225 (office)
e-mail :shl3400@brunet.bn
jtbpr@brunet.bn

I would like to thank JTB for promptly attending to my problem.

A friendly JTB personnel, Abdul Majid, gave me a call at home and told me the problem I was facing was caused by a rogue auto-dialer programs that had hijacked my modem.

Some auto-dialer programs change Internet users' dial-up settings to call an international number without their knowledge. Users are often unaware that they have been targeted until they receive exorbitant phone bills at the end of the month. This scam is also faced by other consumers in the country. I was satisfied with his explanation and the suggestion to register for an 'electronic lock-up' to thwart auto-dialers. JTB has indeed lived up to its vision of being a customer focused corporate entity by 2005".

- JTB Customer

We refer to Havana's "We don't want to drink rusty water" (BB, 18 December 2004), and we appreciate the writer for highlighting his/her predicament over the lack of good quality water in the apartment.

First and foremost, the Department of Water Services would like to highlight that water quality in the country is comparable to our neighbouring countries in the Asean region and that the department strictly adheres to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Guidelines for Drinking Water. Water Quality is being monitored every two-hours at the water treatment plants and water samples are collected on a daily basis at all strategic locations including water reservoirs and consumer premises.

To date, all laboratory results from our sampling activities including areas within close proximity to the Tasek Apartment have shown to be satisfactory according to WHO Guideline. The water is in fact safe for public use.

We also wish to emphasise that it is the responsibility of the building owner to make sure that all water supply infrastructures within the building compound such as water storage tanks and internal water pipelines are properly maintained.

The Department of Water Services has taken the initiative to investigate the complaint by taking water samples from the apartment water storage tank as well as from the main pipeline.

Laboratory results for the water samples are satisfactory. However, the Department of Water Services advises the owner or client of the building to regularly maintain (including cleaning) the water tank in the apartment (ie: every 4 months) to ensure disposal of any deposits accumulated in the tank.

In future, any complaint on the quality of water can be forwarded through the Departments Hotline 140. However, maintenance of water tanks will be channelled to the building owner of the client's department.

- Director of Water Services
Public Works Department
Ministry of Development

I really agree with United We Stand's suggestions regarding the peace and safety of our country.

And I think there should be a police post in each village and have police patrolling every village late at night.

This would make our neighbourhood safe so that we may not have to worry about our safety too much.

I also urge government and private sector to create more job opportunities for many of our unemployed youth.

Lastly, I hope the relevant authorities would take our suggestion seriously.

- Concerned

In reference to the queries made by curious Student and Concerned Parents published on December 22 and 29, 2004, Universiti Brunei Darussalam would like to clarify the situation.

The decision to offer various programmes is not solely based on meeting the academic interests of individuals in the country.

There are several factors which needs to be considered before introducing a new programme such as priority in terms of national needs, the demands for a particular programme in terms of the job market and the availability of resources required and issues of cost-effectiveness.

In addition there are administrative procedures that need to be adhered to before it can get approval by the different committees within UBD as well as the University Council.

The process may take up to two years as it involves carrying out market surveys to find out the demands for a programme followed by preparing a comprehensive proposal addressing the issues and other related matters.

Within the last two years, the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences has successfully introduced two new undergraduate programmes, BA majoring in Sociology and Anthropology and BA majoring in English Language studies.

Forthose interested, the Faculty is in its early stages of preparation offering BA (Hons) in Communication studies and BA (Hons) in Information Science.

Unfortunately we are unable to offer BA (Hons) in Psychology at this time due to current constraints as stated above.

UBD may be able to offer this programme in the future when the relevant factors and considerations are satisfied.

UBD appreciates your concerns and interests. For further inquiries please do not hesitate to contact the UBD Public Relations Office or email pro@admin.ubd.edu.bn.

- Public Relations Office, Universiti Brunei Darussalam

MOE on TV has recently expressed a keen interest to further develop the Technical Colleges under the 10th National Development Plan.

Commuting daily from KB to ITB in Bandar where I study for my HND, I feel that it is time MoE thought of offering HND courses at our local technical college in KB.

It would be a great advantage for people around here and Tutong.

Perhaps we could spare allowances for other important educational purposes rather than to buy fuel for our long journey to Bandar everyday.

I hope that the Public Relations Department of MoE could give this matter some thought.

Having HND classes in KB would also mean reducing study concentration at ITB and specialised HND programmes for example, engineering could be held at the Engineering College in Belait.

- AbA, Kuala Belait

Referring to Borneo Bulletin dated 20/12/04 written by Rosli Abidin Yahya on Page 3.

I wish to add on to the second part of the news item about legalising the sprint race.

I fully support the idea, which is now very popular in many Asean and other foreign countries.

If they can afford it, there are many youngsters interested in legal sprint races in Brunei Darussalam.

We will never know that someday one of our local boys or girls could be as famous as Schumacher in Formula 1, as a drag or sprint star in the world of motor sports.

Think about it.

- Motor Sports Fan, BSB