In reference to the letter by Disappointed Supplier published in BB dated September 21, 2005, "Slow Payments Frustrate Food Suppliers".

While we are sympathetic to his concerns, one must not rush to conclusions or blame the newly introduced Tafis system for delay in payments.

In fact, the Tafis, computerise system of payments, is fast and modern, and meets with the aspirations of e-government initiatives.

If there is any delay in payment, it might be due to some other reasons.

Payments are authorised only after thorough checking of suppliers' details which conform to the Ministry's guidelines, etc.

Sometimes, these need manual scrutiny. We, however, would appreciate if the disappointed supplier would directly contact the relevant department in the Ministry of Education to examine the cause of delay and thus rectify any problems that may hinder due payments on time.

- Head of Public Relations Unit
- Public Relations Unit
- Ministry of Education
- Bandar Seri Begawan

I have just completed a journey together with my friend on your country's wonderful airline - RBA.

We both work in the airline industry as passenger service quality controllers. I have to say your airline is the best airline we have ever flown on.

Our job is to test the quality and comfort of passenger airline seats and we are pleased to say that RBA has the most comfortable and clean seats of all the airlines we have flown recently.

Keep up the good work and the pleasant seating arrangements.

- Fitz Matush and Wilma Butfit
- Germany

We would like to relate an unpleasant encounter with a public servant.

We are a new establishment at Manggis.

Being new, our vendors and we were unaware that we had to have a permit for sales.

On the September 22, 2005, Thursday, a public servant visited our shop.

On seeing some promotional sales display banner by one of our vendors, this person raised his voice & gesticulated to us to "take away, keep it, keep it now, NOW, NOW!"

His uncalled for behaviour attracted the attention of the shopping crowd, much to our embarrassment.

We would have appreciated had he done so in a more civilised manner, much expected from a government officer.

We would like to ask the relevant authority, what right has this officer to 'shout and gesticulate' in public when a gentle notification would have sufficed?

- Disappointed

My nine year old daughter was given a project in School to make a lantern in conjunction with the Moon cake festival this year.

We, as parents took much of our time to assist her in her lantern making.

We made a beautiful "Donald Duck" Lantern and finally handed it over to her Art teacher in School on September 8, 2005.

On September 18, 2005, all the lanterns made by the students were displayed in the Bandar Seri Begawan temple to celebrate the Moon cake festival.

My husband went earlier to the temple and saw the "Donald Duck" lantern being displayed there too.

My daughter's lantern was selected and won a Consolation Prize in the lantern competition.

When I went to the temple with my daughter the same evening, we were told by the people in the temple that all the lanterns were taken away and we found out that my daughter's lantern was taken away by someone even though we had pasted her name on it.

My daughter is very sad as we took so much time to help her make the lantern.

We hope that the person who has taken the lantern would please return the lantern to Chung Hwa Middle School immediately.

- Disappointed Parents, BSB

Why must we put lives at risk by tolerating terrible drivers?

I think that "New Driver" knows that his list of terrible driving crimes is illegal in Brunei. I believe that he is sarcastically asking why all of these crimes go unpunished in Brunei.

With the exception of drunk drivers (luckily), it is possible to see every one of the horrendous driving offences he listed on a daily basis on Brunei's roads and very often right in front of Police officers.

If we have the laws in place, why do we still allow parents to endanger their children's lives (no child restraints) or allow drivers to beat red lights (remember the Sg Akar deaths).

I could go on but what is the point, this will only fall on deaf ears anyway.

- Old Driver

I am a permanent resident who has just completed my course at one of the government technical colleges in Brunei.

Most of my friends have even intended to further their studies in Brunei and so do I.

Sadly I have to pay for monthly college fees as I am a PR, and I have given up trying to further my studies because of the expenses.

Are Permanent Residents and Brunei Citizens really so different?

I will be very happy if PRs can study in Brunei government colleges or university for free, too. Can someone really change this rule?

- Student

Read deeper.

This is in response to Mustapha Ankar and Unhappy Anak Kampong Bruneian's retort to New Driver's letter about the Bruneian road rules.

Maybe I've wrongly interpreted New Driver's letter, but it seems like he/she was being sarcastic and found his/her letter rather amusing.

Mustapha Ankar and Unhappy Anak Kampong Bruneian's frustrated and serious response to the letter initiated a second bout of laughter.

New Driver's letter was meant to be ironic!

We all seem to think that the road rules are "common sense" and yet, everyday we see people breaking them.

Having attended a defensive driving course, I am even more conscious of these 'mistakes' on the road.

If New Driver was serious about his/her queries, being new to the Bruneian roads and having seen people break the rules everyday may have gotten him/her confused and hence the letter.

So, Mustapha Ankar and Unhappy Anak Kampong Bruneian, you two can cut the new guy some slack, can't you?

I could be completely wrong, but at least it made me laugh.

- Chillax

Dear Easi service provider, when are you ever going to consider lowering the international rates?

The Easi line international rate is so high.

Consider this, a oneminute call to Miri, our neighbouring city, costs one dollar and a message costs 0.30 cents.

That is so expensive. How come there is no effort taken to reduce the international rate especially for calls to west Malaysia?

I'm sure everyone agrees with me on this topic especially the Easi subscribers.

We deserve more from the Easi service provider because we are so loyal to them.

Please reduce the international rates. If the Easi service provider doesn't respond to this request then i guess it doesn't care much about their loyal subscriber and they care in only making alot of money.

Hey question for the public.

Does B.mobile give a better international rate?

- S.I.R, BSB