The Secretariat Building () or formerly known as the Brunei Government Offices and Government Secretariat Building (''Bangunan Setiausaha Kerajaan'') is the oldest government structure that serves as "
The Secretariat" or the seat of government. The building is located at Jalan Elizabeth II,
Bandar Seri Begawan,
Brunei-Muara District,
Brunei. The building is currently under the protection of the Antiquities and Treasure Trove Act of the Museums Department.
Design and construction
With a face-
brick
A brick is a type of block used to build walls, pavements and other elements in masonry construction. Properly, the term ''brick'' denotes a block composed of dried clay, but is now also used informally to denote other chemically cured cons ...
pattern on the front and on the
concrete porch of the building, the impact of the era's stunning
colonial
Colonial or The Colonial may refer to:
* Colonial, of, relating to, or characteristic of a colony or colony (biology)
Architecture
* American colonial architecture
* French Colonial
* Spanish Colonial architecture
Automobiles
* Colonial (1920 a ...
architecture can be observed. The
iron fence outside the building's windows is adorned with
wreaths and a capital sculpture depicting a range of communal events, which enhances the structure's
aesthetic
Aesthetics, or esthetics, is a branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of beauty and taste, as well as the philosophy of art (its own area of philosophy that comes out of aesthetics). It examines aesthetic values, often expressed th ...
appeal. The carvings at the top front side of the building that depict the people of Brunei in their traditional way of life attracted our attention as one intriguing aspect of the structure. There are several park seats located nearby the building and faces Padang Besar, now known as Taman Sir Omar 'Ali Saifuddien.
History
Brunei Government Offices began construction in 1952 and a stone was honorably laid by
Sultan
Sultan (; ar, سلطان ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it ...
Omar Ali Saifuddien III on 19 November 1952. The building was finally completed in 1953.
At the beginning of its establishment on 1 July 1954, the Royal Customs and Traditions Department of the
Prime Minister's Office was located in the General Office of the Government Secretariat Building. After the
Supreme Court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
's establishment in 1963, it has previously used portion of Secretariat Building as their main building. Birthday of
Queen Elizabeth on June 8, 1968, was honored with a ceremonial procession in front of the Secretariat Building in Brunei Town.
As soon as Brunei attained complete
independence in 1984, the
Ministry of Communications was founded. It was established in the Secretariat Building, before its relocation to the Brunei Telecom Department Building at the
Old Airport,
Berakas
Mukim Berakas 'A' is a mukim in Brunei-Muara District, Brunei. The population was 27,223 in 2016.
Background
The mukim and Mukim Berakas 'B' were originally one mukim by the name 'Mukim Berakas' before being split into the current divisions ...
. On 10 August 2005,
Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah
Crown Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah bin Hassanal Bolkiah ( ar, المهتدي بالله) (born 17 February 1974) is the eldest son of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and his wife Queen Saleha. He is the Crown Prince of Brunei Darussalam and is fir ...
agreed to attend a briefing on the duties of the Prime Minister's Office, including strategic planning, organizational structure, and the Prime Minister's Office's e-government plan, at the Secretariat Building in the nation's capital. Some of
Radio Television Brunei's (RTB) departments and divisions have relocated to new quarters in the Secretariat Building on 15 June 2020.
See also
*
Politics of Brunei
*
Bandar Seri Begawan
References
External links
{{commons category, Secretariat Building, Brunei
Government of Brunei
1953 establishments in Brunei
Government buildings completed in 1953
Buildings and structures in Bandar Seri Begawan
Historic sites in Brunei