Local talent is much needed

DEAR EDITOR

Recently, I wrote a letter to The Brunei Times. Thankfully it was published on January 23 under the title: "Time to Start Swinging Brunei". I cannot tell you how happy I was to see the number of letters, all thought-provoking, that were published in response. The quality of the responses, I believe, was indicative of the level awareness of the seriousness of the issue and the challenge at hand. But more importantly, the number of responses tells me that many others are thinking around the same lines. I believe this is a very positive sign, and is a first step towards finding solutions and remedies to our current and future challenges.

I noticed that several of the letters written since then took on the issue of foreign talents. In my original letter, I contended that Brunei and Bruneians should take charge of their own country. Some of your readers seem to agree, while others feel that Brunei needs more foreign talents.

Personally, I think the debate should not engage the issue of needing or not needing foreign talents. No country in the world, from highly developed countries to developing or even under-developed countries can sustain its economy, research facilities, hospitals, academic institutions, etc, without foreign workers and experts. That is, in fact, not the issue. The issue is that foreign talents have to fall into a country's national interest and pre-designed national agendas, with a long term plan in mind. Foreign talents are not merely meant to do the jobs that nationals are simply not interested in doing. That's not how it works.

Indeed, Brunei needs foreign talents, but such talents would have to be invited with a specific mission in mind, and that is to aid the country in its quest for economic development and diversification, among other areas.

Furthermore, such talents have to play the role of the worker, but also the teacher, because without technology transfer, Bruneians will continue to live in a state of total dependency on outsiders; that is debilitating physically, but psychologically impairing as well.

Brunei had to clearly define all facets of their economic (and other) outlets that require outside expertise and talents, and try to make up that shortage through clear and decisive planning. Otherwise, when the going gets tough, and foreigners leave, the quality of life in Brunei will certainly deteriorate. Moreover, no matter how sincere and well intentioned, a foreigner will not have the kind of long term investment to Brunei, as a Bruneian would.

I also understand that there is no avoidance to needing foreign talents in some essential aspects of Brunei such as these pertaining to the oil industry, national security, IT and more. But again, that dependency should not last forever. There should be a point where Bruneians should be able to take charge of all of these essential and sensitive areas. There has to be a process of building a Bruneian alternative that is capable to look after our national security, to maintain our oil industry, and more.

So, yes to foreign talents, but foreign talents that are injected with short and long term plans in mind, and a Brunei-centric agenda that sees Bruneians eventually leading every outlet of their country's institutions, industries, etc.

I hope that the discussion continues and proves fruitful. I believe that honest dialogue is the first step towards advancement. Thank you to The Brunei Times for espousing and hosting this important, and urgent discussion.

BMMR

Kuala Belait