News for a Better Future
A house occupied by a family of six in Kampong Sinarubai, Jalan Bengkurong Masin was gutted in a fire yesterday afternoon. There were no casualties or injuries from the fire that occurred around 5 in the afternoon.
The two story concrete home was owned by Awang Jahari bin Matali. According to one of the family members, every occupant was able to save themselves, however, the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Source: Radio Television Brunei
Seameo Voctech, SV ends 2022 on a positive note with a new collaboration signed between the Centre and the Singapore National Employers Federation, SNEF yesterday in Singapore.
The MoU underlines the enhanced collaboration towards promoting the Green and Digital TVET for Sustainable Development, training and capacity building programmes, and offering consultancy services to SNEF and its industry partners in Singapore. Signing on behalf of SV was its Centre Director, Awang Alias Haji Abu Bakar, while SNEF was represented by its Deputy Executive Director, Mr Stephen Yee.
Source: Radio Television Brunei
The calligraphy artworks of winners of the ASEAN Level Khat Competition 2022 organised by the Islamic Calligraphy and Art Study Centre, Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah to commemorate Yayasan’s 30th anniversary of establishment are now displayed at the Islamic Calligraphy and Art Study Centre, Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, Rumah Semaun in Jalan Jerambak.
The Islamic Calligraphy and Art Study Centre, Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah is divided into 3 main galleries, namely Lauhah Al-Islamiah Gallery, Al-Aswad Gallery and At- Tasmeem Gallery. The galleries exhibit a collection of calligraphic works and artefacts, mostly using mediums such as canvas and muqahhar paper that is traditionally produced; works and artefacts as well as writing processes related to the development of Jawi writing in the Sultanate of Brunei Darussalam. The centre is a learning institution that offers study programmes and provides services in developing various knowledge, competence and skills of Islamic art towards upholding Jawi writing, especially the art of Islamic calligraphy.
The gallery is open to the public every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 8:30 in the morning until 5 in the afternoon, except of Friday it will be open from 8:30 to 11:30 in the morning and 2:30 to 5 in the afternoon. Entry is free. For more information contact 2234014 or visit Instagram AT khatcentre dot bn.
Source: Radio Television Brunei
The Ministry of Education released a list of textbook titles and basic workbooks for the 2023 school session. It includes new basic textbooks for Year 9 History subject, namely History of Brunei Darussalam 1800 to 1984 Year 9′ published by the Co-Curriculum Development Department and Star Publishing Limited Company last year. The textbook is to replace the old textbook History of Brunei Darussalam 18 hundred to 1967, revised edition published by Marshall Cavendish on 2014.
Dayang Hajah Siti Aminah Binti Haji Jumaat, Acting Head of Social Studies Unit said it is part of the efforts to update the format, review and improve the content of the old textbook. The major change in the History 2171 Brunei subject syllabus was recommended by the Cambridge International Assessment Education from 2016 to 2019.
The Textbook was produced with the cooperation of committee members, comprising officials from the Department of Curriculum Development, Brunei History Centre, Museums Department and History subject teachers. The book is available at several registered companies and bookstores at $26 per copy.
Source: Radio Television Brunei
The Pos Laju Medicine Delivery allows the public or patients registered with government clinics or hospitals to order their medicine to be delivered to their homes. The initiative was promoted by the Department of Pharmaceutical Services, Ministry of Health and Postal Services Department, Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications. The project can also promote Pos Laju services towards diversifying the types of goods sent apart from packages and documents.
The service gives patients or the public the option of having their medicines delivered to their homes. However, applicants must first download the Que-Up app on their mobile phone to order the medicine by providing their personal information including BruHims Number. Once completed, the pharmacy will review the application and upon approval, the Postal Services Department will prepare an invoice and send it directly to the applicant via Whatsapp or email. Doctor Awang Rosdi Bin Haji Abdul Aziz, Acting Postmaster General said the project is currently focused on Brunei Muara District. The next phase will be extended to Belait District. The service is only applicable to patients who do not need to pay for their medicines at government clinics or hospital. Applicants must have BIBD accounts to enable them to pay the delivery charge.
The medicine delivery service costs $3 per package. The Postal Services Department will ensure that the medicine are stored properly. The Acting Postmaster General added, the order will be delivered once the Postal Services Department received payment confirmation from BIBD.
Source: Radio Television Brunei
In conjunction with the Brunei December Festival 2022, the Brunei Film Blitz in collaboration with Alliance Francaise de Brunei Darussalam, AFBD and supported by the French Embassy in Brunei Darussalam yesterday afternoon organised a day of movie screenings and culinary at Mahakarya Institute of the Arts Asia at Plaza Athirah.
Present was His Excellency Bernard Regnauld-Fabre, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of France to Brunei Darussalam. The Brunei Film Blitz is an annual film festival that started in 2017 to enhance the quality of local film production through education, workshops and competitions. Through the collaboration with AFBD, four French films were screened, which were provided by Institut Francais.
Source: Radio Television Brunei
Also shared during the media conference was the BN on the Move step count in the BruHealth App, which is now reaching 19 billion steps.
The Public are welcome to use their BruHealthApp to enable the application to update the total number of steps to achieve the 20 billion steps goal by the end of 2022. The calculation of steps can also be updated even when abroad.
Source: Radio Television Brunei
Under the Digital Transformation plan, several digital initiatives of the Ministry of Education have been identified to encourage transformation in the delivery of education more effectively and improve the quality of the organisation’s services through three main key or focus areas namely Educational Technology, Management Technology as well as Implementation of Policies and Infrastructure. The Inauguration Ceremony of the Ministry of Education’s One Stop Services Centre and the launch of the Digital Transformation Plan took place yesterday morning at the Ministry’s Headquarters Building.
The launching was officiated by Yang Berhormat Datin Seri Setia Doctor Dayang Hajah Romaizah binti Haji Mohd Salleh, Minister of Education. The One Stop Services Centre started operating in September 2022 and functions as a focal point for the public including the Ministry of Education staff to obtain over-the-counter services for matters under the purview of the ministry.
Earlier, Doctor Awang Haji Azman bin Haji Ahmad, Permanent Secretary for Higher Education at the Ministry of Education among others shared as of 24th December, over 9,000 customers visited the centre every day. It provides twelve counters, including several meeting rooms for consultations. Also available are applications to obtain student passes, payment and exam registration, accreditation of education certificates and special services for Ministry of Education staff.
The Ministry of Education Digital Transformation Plan aimed to increase and expand the awareness of stakeholders and the public on the direction of the Ministry of Education towards realising Wawasan Brunei 2035.
Source: Radio Television Brunei
The Brunei Darussalam Haj Affairs Management Meeting for 2023 was held virtually for the first time yesterday afternoon between the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Ministry of Haj and Umrah of Saudi Arabia.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs was represented by Awang Haji Mohd Serudin bin Haji Timbang, Acting Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Religious Affairs and His Excellency Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Yusof bin Ismail, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Brunei Darussalam to Saudi Arabia. The meeting discussed on Brunei Darussalam’s pilgrim quota, transportation and accommodation in Arafah and Mina, as well as regulations related to the safety, health and well-being of the country’s pilgrims. The results of the meeting will be followed up with a Ministerial meeting in January in Saudi Arabia.
Source: Radio Television Brunei
The Minister of Health shared that Pfizer bivalent vaccines are also expected to arrive by early 2023. Both types of bivalent vaccines are updated, latest generation vaccines that targets, not only the original ancestral strain but also targets the latest variants derived from Omicron. These bivalent vaccines are able to provide better protection against newer COVID-19 variants of which studies have shown that receiving bivalent vaccines increases protection against severe disease by 30 to 50 per cent, as compared to receiving the first-generation vaccines alone.
Both the Moderna and Pfizer bivalent vaccines are proven to be safe and effective. They have been approved for use by the Brunei Darussalam Medicines Control Authority, BDMCA and also by other regulatory agencies from other countries including United States, United Kingdom, European Union and Singapore. The Ministry of Health encourages the public who are eligible and fulfill the criteria to get a booster vaccine dose to maximise protection against COVID-19. Those who wish to get the booster dose whether as their third or fourth dose can book their vaccination slot via the BruHealth App. As of today, the bivalent vaccine is only offered to adults aged 18 years and above. However, the Ministry of Health via the COVID-19 vaccine technical committee will continue to review the emerging evidence on safety and efficacy of bivalent vaccines in younger age groups and will update recommendations from time to time.
Source: Radio Television Brunei
London, Dec. 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The much-anticipated changes to St Kitts and Nevis’ Citizenship by Investment Programme have been announced today by the country’s recently appointed Citizenship by Investment Unit Head, Michael Martin. Setting a bold and new tone for the industry as a whole, St Kitts and Nevis is once again leading the way for the investment immigration industry – adding a new layer of integrity to truly accelerate the country’s economic diversification, empower and prosper local citizens while creating an enriching base for intelligent investors.
“Today, our progressive government brings to fruition these much-awaited and very important changes to our much-loved Citizenship by Investment Programme. Today marks a new era for the investment immigration industry as we boldly declare that a clear strategy will drive our Citizenship by Investment Programme with the sole purpose of benefiting our people and investors who want to see our nation flourish.”
“Today these changes show the international community that we place honesty and integrity above all else as we look to deliver a product that will bring us a positive reputation and send a clear message that we are open for business,” said Michael Martin.
Watch the full video announcement here.
The changes have been gazetted on 23 December 2022 and will take effect on 1 January 2023.
Since his election in August, the Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, Dr Terrance Drew, has hinted at upcoming changes to the country’s Citizenship by Investment programme – reiterating multiple times that the revamped programme needs to be mutually beneficial to both Kittians and Nevisians and international investors.
The Prime Minister said at a recent event “While we navigate the complexities of managing a small island developing state in this unpredictable and highly globalized world, we have made it a priority to craft a solution to ensure that the evolution of our citizenship programme will be a sustainable model filled with integrity, transparency and accountability.”
The Programme will be underpinned by three fundamental principles that have guided the administration’s decision making with respect to the evolved version of the twin-island’s Citizenship by Investment Programme – sustainability, good governance and pragmatism.
“We have crafted a sustainable model that will continue to be the envy of the international community by injecting high levels of integrity that will come through administrative improvements. We have also structured our programme to allow for greater transparency and accountability, which make the hallmarks of a good governance framework that solidifies the foundation of any successful endeavour. Lastly, we have tailored our investment options to align with market realities while preserving the platinum brand our proud nation has developed and nurtured for four decades, operating the oldest Citizenship by Investment Programme in the world,” added the Prime Minister.
To achieve this, the most notable change to the programme will be the introduction of a Board of Governors and a Technical Committee.
Effective next year, a professional Citizenship by Investment Board of Governors will be responsible for high level supervisory matters such as providing general oversight of the operations the CBI Unit, developing and implementing policies and procedures for the CBI Unit, ensuring that application processing is completed as swiftly as possible within the time frames advertised without comprising the integrity of the programme and, continuously monitoring the global investor immigration industry to ensure that the country’s Citizenship by Investment regulations align with and adjust to, international market forces.
To further the Programme’s good governance agenda, a Citizenship by Investment Technical Committee will be charged with ensuring that all due diligence background checks are comprehensive and that all citizenship by investment applications are reviewed thoroughly. This committee will also be tasked with making recommendations to the Prime Minister in his capacity as Minister of National Security, Immigration and Citizenship.
The Technical Committee will be comprised of a chairperson, this role will be filled by the recently appointed Head of the CBI Unit, Michael Martin; a senior officer and a secretary – who will be a civil servant assigned by the Prime Minister.
Applicants can gain second citizenship in 60 days, but only for a limited time
St Kitts and Nevis is offering applicants a chance to gain second citizenship in as little as 60 days through its Sustainable Growth Fund – the revenue from the fund is aimed to facilitate economic development and social upliftment in the country. The Sustainable Growth Fund will be used to provide financial support to educational institutions, medical facilities, as well as provide additional funding for the construction of infrastructure, the development of local tourism, the preservation of local culture and heritage and support of sustainable growth initiatives in the twin-island nation.
The Sustainable Growth Fund remains the quickest and easiest route to second citizenship in St Kitts and Nevis and from 1 January to 30 June 2023, for a Limited Time Offer, a main applicant, following stringent background checks, can make a minimum investment of US$125,000 to the Fund and receive approval in principle within 60 days of submission of application.
Under the Limited Time Offer, investment options are as follows:
From 1 July 2023 onwards, applicants investing through the Sustainable Growth Fund will be charged as follows and can expect approval in principle within 90 days of submission of application.
These changes are part of the government’s tireless efforts to create conditions necessary for sustainable economic growth and diverse business opportunities.
“This is an exciting time because these policies will continue our progressive course in the global investor immigration industry and cement St Kitts and Nevis’ place as a leader in the Citizenship by Investment space. As we move toward a brand-new diversified economy, we remain committed to investing in tangible projects to uplift the country to achieve our goal of establishing a sustainable island state,” continued the Prime Minister.
It is important to note that these additional layers are not meant to hinder the application process but rather ensure multiple aspects including keeping processing to agreed timelines, all approved applicants are of the highest repute and most importantly, that projects meet the requirement of benefitting the local economy.
Another change is that the sustainable model of the Citizenship by Investment programme will now involve the implementation of an improved multi-faceted approved real estate application process, the removal of loopholes and the strict enforcement of escrow and project milestone requirements.
The evolved St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Programme will invite bold and creative investors to facilitate the development of innovative industries in St Kitts and Nevis including construction of real estate developments pursuant to the new administration’s priority infrastructure list. “All projects must bring substantial benefit to the people of St Kitts and Nevis,” noted the Prime Minister.
The government will approve real estate projects to be developed and of these, a designated number of real estate units will be available to be sold to qualifying investors. Real estate projects will be constructed and completed according to a pre-defined schedule and a designated escrow drawdown process will also be implemented.
Only approved real estate developments will be eligible for the Citizenship by Investment option and most importantly, current “Approved Projects” will lose this designation once the new Citizenship by Investment regulations have been gazetted and approved, meaning stakeholders of these projects will need to apply afresh to become an “Approved Development”.
Minimum investment for approved real estate will remain at US$200,000 but there will be an introduction of penalties for the circumvention of minimum investment sums including:
A new Public Good Investment Option (PGIO) will replace the Alternative Investment Option (AIO) and will focus on effecting real transformation for the country by investing into areas that will benefit the citizens of St Kitts and Nevis – these projects must maximise local employment, transfer technological skills and increase capacity building. Investors of the PGIO must assume all financial risks associated with the projects and, if the investment results in the development of real estate on State land, investors must agree to transfer all real estate to the State on substantial completion. Investors looking to contribute to the PGIO will be required to apply to the Board of Governors to be designated as a Public Good Investor. To qualify under the PGIO, an applicant must contribute US$175,000, excluding relevant due diligence, processing and Government fees.
Investors can also apply for citizenship through the purchase of a qualified private home, for a minimum investment of US$400 000.00 for each main applicant. Unlike the preapproved real estate option, investing through a private home means a single-family home is sold as one unit and cannot be converted into apartments, condominiums or divided otherwise. The use of shares is also prohibited.
A private home that has been purchased through the Citizenship by Investment Programme cannot be sold for a period of five years after the granting of the citizenship and the property may never be eligible for use in a subsequent Citizenship by Investment application.
Having established the citizenship by investment industry 40 years ago, the progressive government of St Kitts and Nevis believes that these changes to its programme will once again set a much-needed positive tone and direction in the investor immigration industry.
St Kitts and Nevis has created a name for itself as a financial nexus with an attractive citizenship programme underpinned by a sound legal framework and robust multi-layered due diligence.
For nearly 40 years, St Kitts and Nevis has been the pioneer of the global investor immigration industry.
Watch the full video announcement here.
PR St Kitts and Nevis Government of St. Kitts and Nevis mildred.thabane@csglobalpartners.com
GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8720436
