Bazaar to promote local goods to athletes

IN AN effort to enliven the long weekend that also coincided with the 3rd Borneo Games and in offering more opportunities for local entrepreneurs to promote their products, a two-day bazaar was held at a hotel in the capital.

Held at the Orchid Garden Hotel, one of the official accommodations for the Borneo Games participants, the bazaar was organised by Koperasi Bistari Berhad (KBB), a cooperative under the umbrella of the Bistari organisation.

According to the deputy chairperson of the cooperative who did not want to be named, the bazaar was set up to vivify the atmosphere and to provide participants of the game a convenient place to buy local products.This gave an opportunity for local local entrepreneurs to generate income during the long weekend.

"We would like to give them (local entrepreneurs) ways to earn money and if there is a venue, why not right?" she said.

The bazaar, which started on November 28 and ended yesterday, saw 15 stalls set up at the lobby area and have received good response from the public.

"Some of the consumers even asked if we could do it seasonally as they liked it," said the deputy chairperson.

Another objective of the bazaar was to provide opportunity to train and familiarise young entrepreneurs with the basics of operating small businesses.

The opening ceremony of the Borneo Games was at 2pm at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium yesterday with Pehin Orang Kaya Setia Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Dr Hj Ahmad Hj Jumat, the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports present as the guest of honour.

A total of nine sports are being competed this year, out of which four are compulsory namely athletics, hockey, cue sports and sepak takrawand five optional sports, which are badminton billiards lawn bowling, pencak silat and tennis.In addition, top spinning gasing will also be contested under the "traditional sports" category, which will be staged at the newly constructed $700,000 arena at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas.

The Brunei Times