19 officers complete civil service course

NINETEEN senior officers from various ministries yesterday received their certificates upon completing the two-day General Order and Financial Regulation (GO/FR) course at the Institute of Civil Service.

This certificate-handing ceremony took place following briefings on General Orders 1961 and Service Regulations, which were presented by senior officers from the Public Service Department.

Among the topics being presented yesterday were appointment, promotion and recruiting those with daily salaries, in-service training, contract requirements and the requirements and benefits of service.

These senior officers also attended briefings on Financial Regulation 1983, which were presented by senior officers from the Treasury Department, Ministry of Finance last Saturday.

These briefings as a whole were held to give a deeper understanding about the financial regulations and the general orders currently being enforced within the public service.

The officers also had the opportunity to raise questions to the presenters to fully understand the briefings and have clear explanations regarding the two subjects.

With the completion of the course, the senior officers are expected to practice what they have learned within their respective departments, according to a press statement from the Public Service Department yesterday.

They are also expected to ensure that these regulations are effectively implemented in line with His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam's effort to improve the public service.

One of the certificate recipients, Dr Hj Ahmad Yazid Hj Abdul Wahab, said that "the course was very good, that it was a course that he should've attended earlier in his career".

"It helped us to understand our roles as heads of department better," the medical specialist from Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (RIPAS) Intensive Care Unit said.

"The course also acted as a platform for us to raise our queries and issues with people in the know," he continued, "so it helped to clear up a few things that were previously unclear to us."

"Being clear about the government regulations actually help makes our work more efficient and easier," he explained, "from knowing how to order equipments and how to dispose of items to knowing who to deal with and to go to which agency for assistance."

"It also helped us appreciate our responsibilities as heads of departments," he added, "making us more aware of our capacity as heads of departments in terms of punishments for those who are actually not in line with the rules and regulations."

He shared with The Brunei Times that this was the first time the course has been conducted, adding that this course was a very good move by the Public Service Department and hoped that they will continue to conduct this course in the future for government officers.

He commented that from the doctor's perspective, "any new doctors that will be appointed as consultants will have to go through this course or they will have to do the (GO/FR) exam."

The Brunei Times