Over 70% of top posts in oil and gas filled by locals

Al-Haadi Abu Bakar
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

MORE than 70 per cent of the top positions in the oil and gas sector has been filled by Bruneians, said the minister of energy yesterday.

Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Singamanteri Colonel (Rtd) Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Hj Mohd Yasmin Hj Umar said that through the Energy Department's Local Business Development (LBD) initiative, Bruneians now account to between 70 to 80 per cent of the workforce in the sector's top positions.

The minister confirmed this yesterday during the afternoon session of the Ninth State Legislative Council meeting in response to an enquiry raised by LegCo member representing the Brunei-Muara District Zone 4 YB Hj Jumat Akim.

YB Pehin Datu Hj Mohd Yasmin attributed the accomplishment to the energy department's LBD directive, which is aimed to ensure that service industries are dominated by local operators, and which would in turn provide more job opportunities for the locals and reduce unemployment in Brunei.

He said that LBD aims to have 70 per cent of the total workforce in the oil and gas sector filled by Bruneians.

The minister also noted a high number of young Bruneians who are taking up senior positions in oil and gas companies overseas, such as in Europe and in the Middle East, after a brief stint in Brunei Shell and LNG.

"There are more than 10 Bruneians working in Holland and some 30 working in Qatar now," said YB Pehin Datu Hj Mohd Yasmin.

"This shows that the system we use to train them during their time in Brunei Shell and LNG is highly effective and has made them marketable internationally," he added.

In line with these achievements, the minister said, the Energy Department at the Prime Minister's Office (EDPMO) is accelerating efforts to ensure students training in Brunei can fulfil the requirements to work for the oil and gas sector, by providing the right workforce for the right jobs.

The minister also revealed yesterday that his department is close to completing the Energy Competency Framework, which is designed to tackle job security issues in the industry by implementing new regulations in three areas: contract length, salary scale and career development.

He said the framework is expected to be ready between April to June.

The minister also revealed that the Department of Planning and Economic Development (JPKE) also supports this drive towards local employment in the sector by providing financing schemes for training in private schools in Brunei, as well as tax rebates on training costs towards locals.

LegCo member representing those who had achieved excellence YB Hj Zulkifli Hj Abd Hamid, who praised the energy department's LBD directive, asked the minister if such initiative can be implemented in other sectors in order to get a similar impact.

In response, the minister said that the move was welcome, although it would require thorough study to identify the suitability of the initiative on other industries beforehand.

Dipetik dari - The Brunei Times