The Jakarta Post, December 08, 2003
Sulawesi governors ink road map
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Four governors in Sulawesi island has concluded a meeting in the North Sulawesi
capital of Manado, declaring that they would focus on restoring security in the riot-torn
city of Poso to pave the way for development both there and across the island.
Separately, Gorontalo Governor Fadel Mohammad asserted that development had to
be stimulated in Sulawesi in order to lift more than 3 million Sulawesi people out of
poverty.
Friday's meeting was organized by the Sulawesi Regional Development Coordinating
Body (BKPRS), which has become a forum for the governors in Sulawesi to discuss
security and development issues on the island.
The meeting, the second so far, was attended by North Sulawesi Governor A.J.
Sondakh, Gorontalo Governor Fadel Mohammad, Southeast Sulawesi Governor Ali
Mazi and South Sulawesi Deputy Governor Yasin. Also in attendance was Minister of
Home Affairs Hari Sabarno.
Governor of Central Sulawesi Amiruddin Ponulele, in whose province the ravaged town
of Poso was located, was the only governor absent from the meeting.
In an agreement made public after the meeting, the governors underlined the
importance of restoring security to Poso.
"Paying serious attention to Poso will help restore security in the area, which can
help create stability in the entire island in support of the island's development," said
the agreement, as quoted by Antara news agency.
Poso was rocked by sectarian violence in 2000, but the violence, which killed some
2,000 people, has continued unabated in the religiously divided town until now,
despite a peace accord signed by the warring parties two years ago.
For example, a recent attack by masked gunmen in Morowali district, Poso, killed at
least nine people.
Meanwhile, in the current accord, the provincial governments also agreed to draw up a
vision for the development of agribusiness and the fishing industry in 2010 to enable
the provinces to compete with foreign competitors in the global market.
The governors also agreed to encourage regional development and joint exploitation of
natural resources.
In order to stimulate equal and just regional development, the governors agreed to
develop a mode of transportation that would increase public mobility and the flow of
goods from one province to another in support of the regional economy.
Lastly, the governors agreed to promote tourism, so that it would increase the number
of tourists going to the island, as well as foreign investment.
Meanwhile, BKPRS chairman Fadel Mohammad said after the meeting that some 22
percent of a total 16 million people in Sulawesi were still living in poverty.
He blamed the poverty on misguided policies during the New Order government, which
prioritized development in Java and neglected it in the outer islands, including
Sulawesi.
In order to reduce the poverty rate, the governments in Sulawesi had to work
collaboratively to attract investors to the island and spur development there, he said.
Separately, Hari told the meeting participants that the provincial governments had to
avoid producing local regulations that would create a high-cost economy for investors.
He also urged the governments to make the local bureaucracy more efficient.
All contents copyright © of The Jakarta Post.
|
