The Ministry of Communications has a pivotal role in ensuring that it is positioned to provide quality services which will enable Brunei Darussalam, in the country's aim towards diversification from its oil and gas industries, to participate as a competitive force in the global economy.
To reinforce the vision and mission statements, the Ministry of Communications has identified five strategic principles, which are the basis for its underlying philosophy, that serve as building blocks for the whole Ministry.
- Align its development with National Development Plan objectives;
- Ensure excellence in communications leading to transport and communications hubs;
- Focus on human capacity building to leverage on the infrastructure;
- Elevate the GDP contribution from communications industry; and
- Develop a Sophisticated Society for sustainable development.
The first principle reflects the need for the Ministry of Communications to be strategically aligned with National Development objectives. This requires better integration within the Ministry of Communications, with other government agencies and stakeholders to ensure that all its policies are complemented from the transportation, communications and IT perspectives so that it may, where possible, develop its strategies to add value to the whole national value chain of activities. Fundamentally, it requires policy alignment with other ministries and stakeholders. Effective co-ordination in transport requires interaction and linkages between relevant government and non-governmental agencies which must be supported and have full commitment from all the relevant agencies.
The second principle aims to ensure excellence in communications leading to transport and communication hubs. This entails that the industry adheres to safety and security compliance mechanisms and standards such as IMO, ICAO, ITU, UPU WTO, and ILO. Excellence requires integration of the transport and communications policy, planning and appraisal across modes. It necessitates harmonisation of rules and procedures with a focus on the liberalisation of transportation services policies.
The third principle stipulates that the Ministry shall focus on human capacity building to leverage on the infrastructure. This is a pre-requisite of a sophisticated society because the nation's human resources must be adequately trained and developed to enable them to achieve a knowledge-based economy.
The fourth strategic principle is based on the need for the communications sector to increase the GDP contributions from the communications industry as current contribution levels are relatively small.
The fifth principle aims to develop a sophisticated society for sustainable development. Information technology as well as knowledge have become the major engine of productivity and growth in the knowledge based economy, investment in ICT hardware and software is therefore very important. The ministry values the development of a knowledge based society that will continue to ensure the sustainability of future generations through optimal utilisation of the modern infrastructure.
