Brunei Darussalam : News

Bandar Seri Begawan - The Empire Hotel and Country Club recently welcomed Jennie Bond, a freelance journalist from the United Kingdom who was in the Sultanate to get a taste of Brunei and experience Hari Raya for a Brunei feature in The Independent - a compact-sized quality newspaper that contains in-depth national and international news reaching out to 240,116 readers in the United Kingdom.

Jennie Bond was in the Sultanate from October 14 to 17. During her stay at the hotel, Miss Bond was given a tour of the hotel's top suites by Empire PR & Marketing Communications Director Jennifer Kang, who later hosted a dinner for Ms Bond.

Brunei Tourism Marketing Director Chris Robles and Sandra Bloodworth from Royal Brunei Airlines were also at the dinner.

Ms Bond's stay in Brunei included various highlights such as the Proboscis Monkey Safari, Hari Raya visit to Istana Nurul Iman, a trip to Ulu Temburong National Park and the Brunei Heritage Tour.

Her visit was organised by Royal Brunei Airlines.

Jennie Bond began her career in journalism after graduating from Warwick University in 1972. After university, she worked on local papers as a reporter in West London.

In 1977, 27-year-old Jennie j oined the BBC as a sub editor in radio news and from this she worked on various shows such as Woman's Hour, Tuesday Call, various international assignments and TV documentaries.

During this period she gained extensive experience in radio shows and as a producer. She returned to full time reporting in 1985, with BBC radio, covering Northern Ireland.

Three years later she joined BBC TV news and combined her past experience as a correspondent with presenting the Today Programme, Breakfast, The One 0' Clock News as well as the weekend bulletins.

In 1989, she became BBC Royal Correspondent, just as the interest in Diana, Princess of Wales, was at its peak.

The following years would see Jennie at the centre of the royal events which would make headlines around the world. She travelled with HM the Queen and the Princess Of Wales.

Jennie Bond was with Diana during her last campaign trip to Anglo in Africa. This would later lead to a personal and professional relationship with the princess.

After 14 years, Jennie Bond announced in 2003 she would leave the BBC to become a freelancer. Since then she has presented many shows such as Countdown and Cash in Attic.

She also wrote a book on the royal family called `Reporting Royalty' in 2001. Yet one of her first challenges was as a contestant in the reality show `I'm a Celebrity, Get me out of Here,' in which she was a runner up.-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin