Keynote Speech for The Brunei Shell JV Vendor Forum 2012 By YB ...

clear, you may be one of the top service provider e.g. Rig of the Year but if yourLBD’s record is poor, you do not fit into the industry that we want!Let gets this right and clear. International companies are welcomed withopen arms as long as they contribute to the socio-economic development andconduct themselves in accordance with the laws of the country. We want you tobring in new technologies, employ and provide our locals with as I mentionedearlier ‘real, quality and decent jobs’.I must say that we do have international companies in BruneiDarussalam that are contributing to our drive to develop and upgrade thecapabilities and expertise of Bruneians. To them I thank you. Allow me to nametwo of these companies i.e. Schlumberger and Baker Hughes. Schlumberger hasabout 35 locals working in their organisations outside the country and one ofthem is heading their operation office in Thailand while Baker Hughes has 10locals working overseas where 1 is Operations Manager in Malaysia. This wouldenable these local employees to gain more experiences and skills. It also showshow locals can achieved the standard that is recognised worldwide if given theproper training and career development. These are companies that Brunei needsand welcome whole-heartedly.Ladies and Gentlemen,Since the Vendor Forum last year, the Energy Department haveintroduced two Local Business Directives i.e. LBD Directive 1 to preventmonopoly or market-dominance and LBD Directive 2 to increase localemployment and local content. This is not an unfair requirement. To me the trueassets for the country are the right companies, the right people and the rightfacilities. You may have the best people in the industry but if they are not rightfor the Brunei’s oil and gas that we longed for, then they are not true or realassets to us. To you yes but not to us!That is why your cooperation in adhering to the LBD Directives No. 28