Post National Day Day

It was enjoyable yesterday leading the Ministry of Development team during the march past for the National Day Silver Jubilee Celebrations. The team worked hard and I really appreciated all the efforts that were put in by our MOD team during the march past and the field performances. Well done everyone!

Today is the post National Day day. It is time to reflect. We have achieved so much. In fact most of our development was achieved only since the 1950s, well within the lifetime of our grandfathers and fathers. But we still have a long way to go. Our nation has achieved adulthood, have we done enough to maintain that adulthood? The words of President John F Kennedy on January 20th 1961 "... ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country ..."

On a lighter note. Many received souvenirs yesterday, even though ours came in this box, I very much prefered the plate that will be given to all the participants. If anyone is thinking of not keeping it and willing to part it with it for a certain amount of fulus, do email me please and name your price. I would really really love to have that.

There are two other souvenirs available for sale if you really want to have a momento for the national day silver jubilee celebrations. The cheaper one is to go to the Post Office and get yourself a set of Brunei stamps, first day covers, miniature sheets and a special $25 miniature sheet. These are still available, so go and get them.

If you are thinking of spending in the three figure or more region, then the next one to go to is to go to the Brunei Monetary and Currency Board. The BCMB at the Ministry of Finance is selling three commemorative coins - a gold coin, a silver coin and a cupronickel proof. The gold coin has a face value of $25 and is sold for $2,000. The silver coin has a face value of $2.50 and is sold for $300. The cupronickel proof has a face value of 25 cents and is sold for $150. If you really want to splash out, you can get the entire set for $2,500.00.



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POSTSCRIPT: Someone called me yesterday about an article that appeared in Borneo Bulletin something about Block L and a company which has been given concession to drill oil in it. The article or rather advertorial was written by someone called 'Mohammad Rozan'. That was NOT me, just in case you are wondering. My byeline is Rozan Yunos.

I am really really surprised to find another Rozan writing. I know of several Rozans in Brunei and there are not that many of us. I know one is a religious teacher. I know of one who used to be our neighbours in Tutong and he asked my father whether he could name his son after me as I was very well behaved(!) There is a trend here. I also know of another who is working at HSBC.

Anyway, my father named me after Tan Sri Rozan who in the 1960s was the Ketua Setiausaha Negara or Chief Secretary to the Government and he was the head of all the Permanent Secretaries. My father knew Tan Sri Rozan when he was attached to the Malaysian Government in the early 1960s.

I have always thought my name was fairly unique but if you google it, you will find the origin to be more Aramaic rather than Arabic. It has as far as I know no meaning in Arabic. Among the famous Rozans, there is a crime writer by the name of SJ Rozan, a Jewish Polish town called Rozan, another Jewish organisation called Rozan, an Islamabad based organization called Rozan that works on the emotional health of women and children and focuses on the issue of Gender and Violence, an artist called Rozan Henings (I hope he is famous), a Japanese temple called Rozan-Ji which I have visited.

My apologies to readers, I just wanted to do a short info and end up doing much more than that. This will be the first and last time that you hear me mention my name.

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