Agro Technology Park To Create 8000 Jobs

Bandar Seri Begawan – Over 8,000 jobs will be provided in Brunei
upon completion of the Brunei Agro Technology Park, it was revealed
yesterday on the opening day of the International Halal Market
Conference (IHMC) 2009 held at the International Convention Centre
(ICC) in Berakas.

Mr Jessamine, Master Planner for SQW Consultants, United Kingdom,
gave a presentation yesterday entitled “Developing Infrastructure for
the Halal Industry,” in which he spoke about the proposed 100-hectare
Brunei Agro Technology Park.

“A significant site in the Tungku area has been earmarked for the development,” he said.

Speaking on the commercial framework of the plan, Mr Jessamine said,
“A total investment of B$400 million from the government and private
sectors gives the park a total floor space of 324,000 square metres.
This, by Brunei standards, is an enormous development, and is a
paradigm for industrial development in Brunei Darussalam.”

He added that the Park has to accommodate a wide range of options
including “research and innovative technology applications to support
diversification.”

“So, what objectives have been set?” he asked rhetorically during
his presentation. “The Government of Brunei has made it very clear to
us that we have to develop an Agro Technology Park of international
standard that is internationally renown, as part of an economic
diversification strategy.”

Other objectives are to include agriculture, fisheries, forestry and
related processing, as well as to link the project with the development
of the Brunei Halal Brand, he added.

“Some of the construction has already started on the site, some of
the infrastructure is going on, and some of the site formation and the
initial road works is already in place,” said Mr Jessamine in a
separate interview.

“The overall project will be built in line with demand, so it’s very
hard to give a completion date. But it will take, effectively, as long
as it takes we won’t build ahead of demand.”

The master planner also highlighted the significance of the park to the Brunei Halal Brand.

“Just building a park and building factories won’t position Brunei
(in the global market), but building it in conjunction with marketing
Brunei as an investment destination, and marketing at the same time the
opportunities of Halal food and Halal products in an aggressive and
focussed way could put Brunei out there,” he said.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin