BEDB seeks feedback from stakeholders

The Brunei Economic Development Board (BEBD) will organise a working visit for relevant government agencies and other directly affected parties to the site of the ongoing construction work of the Telisai-Lumut Highway to update the community on the project's progress.

Responding to claims from a penghulu that BEBD did not inform the grassroots leaders of their plans in the area beforehand, BEDB Infrastructure Development Manager Abdurahman Abdul Aziz said the visit will allow the stakeholders to exchange ideas and resolve problems that may arise during the construction.

During BEDB briefing in Tutong, Penghulu of Mukim Telisai Hj Ramli Hj Lahit said that they were not given prior notices of ongoing BEDB projects in Kg Telisai, including the construction of the Telisai-Lumut Highway and works for the modern waste management facility at Sungai Paku.

Abdurahman reassured the stakeholders that the project will run smoothly and the welfare of the village residents will be taken into account.

He said that a preliminary briefing on the Telisai-Lumut Highway had been carried out in April at the Oil and Gas Discovery Centre (OGDC) in Seria, Kuala Belait.

"That was one of our first steps towards involving the related parties and residents in the area (Telisai-Lumut)," the manager said, adding that yesterday's briefing was the second of its kind.

He said that BEDB plans to organise a working visit with the Tutong District Office and other relevant parties, including penghulu-penghulu and village chiefs, once the site is deemed safe.

He also clarified that heavy construction work for the modern waste management facility as Sungai Paku had not taken place yet, since the signing was inked in August.

"At the moment, we have not carried out any infrastructural works, if there had been so, we have only been sending surveyors to study the area and probe into other relevant matters...we have not done any critical (infrastructural) work (yet)," said the manager.

Another crucial element of the project is its environmental impact, thus BEDB has made it mandatory that construction parties carry out Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to ensure construction works carried out at the site are environment-friendly and would not jeopardise the welfare of residents in the area.

According to past reports, the $66.5 million modern waste management facility at Sungai Paku is one of the more advanced engineering landfill projects in the region, which can even put the Sultanate on par with neighbour Singapore in waste management.

The Sg Paku facility also aims to have a minimal impact on the environment by employing a range of "green" solutions.

The landfill site will be lined with high density polyethylene to prevent leachate (a liquid that collects from waste in landfills and is detrimental to the environment) from seeping into the soil.

A presentation during the briefing stated that the construction of the facility will be carried out over a period of 54 months, completing on March 14, 2015.

The Brunei Times