2 x 22 (heading)
\n
\nGovt plans monitoring teams to supervise Aceh reconstruction<\/p>\n
Govt open to NGOs and donors in team
\nto supervise Aceh reconstruction
\nor
\nNGOs, donors welcome to join team
\nto supervise Aceh reconstruction<\/p>\n
Tony Hotland
\nThe Jakarta Post\/Banda Aceh<\/p>\n
The government will set up a number of supervisory bodies
\ntasked with monitoring various reconstruction projects in
\ntsunami-battered Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, a minister said.<\/p>\n
Non-governmental organizations and representatives from donors
\nwould also be included in the monitoring teams.<\/p>\n
"This is one of our answers to the many doubts and concerns
\nabout the possible abuse of the funds we receive. All donors will
\nbe free to participate in the reconstruction process as long as
\nit's in line with the government's rehabilitation blueprint,"
\nCoordinating Minister of People's Welfare Alwi Shihab, who is
\nalso the head of the mitigation disaster team, said on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Donors, local and international, would also be given
\nopportunities to offer their own project plans, financing
\nschemes, and even to carry out the projects themselves, but would
\nhave to give priority to the Acehnese as workers.<\/p>\n
"Don't get workers from abroad or even from Jakarta. We must
\nempower the Acehnese to show that this is all about them and
\ntheir homeland. If you want to employ constructors, pick local
\nones. Or if they want to give the implementation fully to the
\nIndonesian government, we'll be ready," said Alwi.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has often been ranked as one of the most corrupt
\nnations in the world, most recently by International
\nTransparency. Observers and experts have urged the central
\ngovernment to also establish an independent body to manage the
\nflow of funds and aid received and spent.<\/p>\n
Non-governmental organizations will also be invited to join
\nthe supervisory bodies, which will start working once the
\ngovernment's blueprint for reconstruction and rehabilitation of
\nAceh is completed.<\/p>\n
The blueprint, currently being drafted by the National
\nDevelopment Planning Agency (Bappenas), is expected to be
\ncompleted in the next four weeks, said Alwi.<\/p>\n
To also assure transparency, Alwi added that the government
\nwould make an official announcement about the amount of financial
\naid already received from donors and what had been spent. The
\nannouncement will be made on a monthly basis.<\/p>\n
Bappenas has calculated that the damage from the Dec. 26
\ntsunami disaster has reached a whopping US$4.5 billion, and is
\ncurrently calculating the funds required to rebuild the province.
\nThe Ministry of Finance estimates it will cost Rp 5 trillion for
\nthis fiscal year alone and the cost may reach up to Rp 30
\ntrillion.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the latest official data released by the mitigation
\ndisaster team showed that 93,482 dead bodies had been retrieved
\nand buried as of Saturday morning, while about 100,000 people are
\nstill reported missing.<\/p>\n
These figures, however, are far below those estimated by the
\nMinistry of Social Welfare and the Ministry of Health of over
\n110,000 and 250,000 respectively.<\/p>\n
"We're quite pleased with the aid distribution and relief
\nefforts going on although there are still several isolated areas
\nyet to be reached, especially the western coast areas," Alwi
\nacknowledged.<\/p>\n
He said that the government team had also built a storage in
\nCalang, Aceh Jaya, to provide aid supplies for survivors in
\nisolated and neighboring areas.<\/p>\n
As of Saturday, 54 out of 241 subdistrict administrations were
\nstill not functioning in addition to 647 out of 5,958 village
\nadministrations.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/2-x-22-heading-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}