B and D, stands for Brain Drain.

This has been a long time coming, first and foremost, I'd like to say hello to the readers who have come across this spot in cyberspace and please hang in there with us as we try and emulate other local contemporaries who have succeeded in composing material which is not just relevant but also interesting to read.

Personally I hope that it a challenge that we can overcome in due time, speaking of which, I will have to limit my contributions to an entry per week. Prior engagements dictate it to be so, and without further adieu, let me begin with my first topic of "debate".

The Trade Policy Review has rattled a few cages, but the intention from our end, as well as that of the WTO, I am sure is not to offer scathing criticism. If anything please view it as the constructive kind.

One thing I would like to point out is an article written by Izam Said Ya'akub, from The Brunei Times in November last year. It came about from Asia Inc's Small Can Be Beautiful and I think it highlights the situation currently being faced by our private sector. There are of course other aspects which arise when we reflect on our attempts to inject some verve into the non oil and gas sector, however I feel that this is best left to the experts to determine which demands greater attention.

What is not in question is that Brunei is faced with "Brain Drain". While the forum talks about the private sector, the fact of the matter is that even the public sector is being jilted by trained professionals who despite being born and bred in the Abode of Peace, choose to live and practice their skills abroad.

Doctors, Lawyers, Engineers and Architects are amongst those who have taken the opportunity to hone their skills outside of Brunei Darussalam. There are also Graphic Designers, ICT professionals, Media and Communications graduates who are seeking to gain the relevant experience abroad before, at least that is what they say, returning to Brunei Darussalam to contribute and give back to home.

I spoke to our family doctor about the situation last month, who has found difficulty in finding a medical practitioner that is willing to leave the Government service and take over his practice. He appealed to me, asked me to look for potential GPs that could continue something he started around 30 years ago.

The working hours are reasonable, they can earn almost four times more than what they would see working within the Government, plus a customer base that he confided was around 200,000 people. That's right, half our population has been through his doors and I can't ever remember seeing the premises being empty.

Calling up an old high school friend treating patients in England, he said it was appealing, but he feels that after specialising in a particular field, it would only be something he'd only consider doing much later in his career.

There have also been family members of my own, who have elected to stay abroad, years now after completing their academic studies in order to fulfill ambitions, career goals and find their fortunes. Infact I'm anxious for the return of one, because I've explicitly requested him to help me with the design of my future house.

So not only is Brunei robbed of a great architect, but others, in their plentiful. However I do not have the answer to this conundrum, and it will probably be a long drawn affair, as with most 'Chicken and Egg' situations. If we can figure it out though, our economy may still continue to be somewhat small, but it could possibly cease to be a weak one thus providing the platform and opportunity for it grow.

Signing off, because time is rarely on my side.