A NUMBER of potential consultants have expressed interest in carrying out an extensive study on poverty in Brunei to identify the extent of the issue which exists in the country and suggesting what steps should be taken to eradicate the problem.
The invitation for expression of interest by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports came to a close on June 30 and "quite a number" have expressed interest, according to the permanent secretary at the ministry.
Dato Paduka Hj Jemat Hj Ampal, who is the chairman of the Taskforce for the Research on Poverty in Brunei Darussalam, said that the consultant would have to fulfil three main criteria which the study will revolve around.
These include providing a definition of poverty, creating a database of the poor and formulating a national plan for poverty eradication. The permanent secretary explained that the initial step would be to identify how the term "poverty" would apply in Brunei.
"We're looking for a definition of poverty that is suitable with the context of Brunei's society and economy," he told The Brunei Times yesterday.
The consultant would have to clarify what it means to be living in poverty in Brunei. He spoke of one example of the definition, in the case of a family who have adolescent children who were unemployed.
If these children do not want to get a job and the father, as the sole breadwinner, is struggling to bear the costs of running the household alone, then this can contribute to poverty, he explained. "Through the research, we hope to formulate an action plan that will eradicate poverty altogether," he said.
He added that among the solutions to be included in such a plan would be the changing of mindset. We want to fix the problem so that children can contribute to the family's income, so that they do not fall into the poverty trap, he said, referring back to the example.
Other objectives set for the consultant also included studying and analysing the root causes of poverty in Brunei as well as developing a measurement guideline to calculate the poverty line specific to the country.
A database of the poor that will classify the poor into categories such as very poor, relatively poor, urban and rural poor, while taking into account the Islamic definition of fakir and miskin, would also have to be developed by the consultant.
From the database, the consultant is also required to establish a poverty map of Brunei.
They would also have to look at current policies, strategies and programmes, such as welfare benefits and schemes, which are aimed to reduce poverty in Brunei and assess the extent of the effectiveness of such initiatives.
Dato Hj Jemat agreed that this research will bear great significance for Brunei's socio-economic development and a host of new initiatives could be introduced based on the research.
However, he said that the country would have to wait for the findings of the study before the government can take the next appropriate steps towards the eradication of poverty.
The invitation of expression of interests states that the research should not take more than one year following the appointment of the consultant.
The invitation was calling for economists or social scientists along with a team of qualified and experienced IT and statistics personnel to conduct the research. They had to possess strong background in quantitative and qualitative analyses of poverty as well as knowledge in poverty literature.
"We are seeking a team of professionals who can carry out the comprehensive research, who will not only identify the (extent) of the poverty issue, but also find the ways and means to (ensure) that these people are no longer poor," he said. The Brunei Times
Thursday, July 2, 2009
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