Aceh business gets back on track<\/p>\n
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post\/Banda Aceh<\/p>\n
Dozens of people from all walks of life were busy shopping or
\ndining out with their partners or friends in Banda Aceh's popular
\nNeusu district.<\/p>\n
When the tsunami swept Aceh and North Sumatra on Dec. 26,
\nBanda Aceh suffered catastrophic losses, with several busy
\ndistricts on the West side, including Pasar Aceh market and
\nPenayung, being destroyed. However, Neusu, along with several
\nother areas in the East like Lambaro, Keutapang and Simpang
\nSurabaya, were left untouched.<\/p>\n
Halimah, 46, a restaurant owner in Neusu, smiled as she
\nwelcomed families and couples into her restaurant that serves
\ntraditional Acehnese food, with her employees busily preparing
\norders for waiting diners.<\/p>\n
\"Business gets better everyday. It's even better than before
\nthe tsunami, maybe because so many restaurants in other parts of
\nthe city were destroyed, and people come here because they have
\nno choice,\" Halimah told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
She said that very soon she would have start adding employees
\nto help tend the increasing number of customers, most of whom
\nwere Javanese and foreigners rather than local people.<\/p>\n
\"We can bring in Rp 800,000 (US$86) per day now, while before
\nthe tsunami we could only get around Rp 400,000,\" she said.<\/p>\n
In Simpang Surabaya most coffee shops and restaurants were
\nalso crowded with diners.<\/p>\n
Owner of the Aceh Jaya Restaurant, Sarbini, 30, said his sales
\nhad increased slightly in the post-tsunami period, thanks to
\nrevived business activities in the area, as well as fewer
\ncompetitors.<\/p>\n
Before the disaster struck he could gross Rp 600,00 a day.
\nNow he brings in Rp 700,000.<\/p>\n
\"Ten days after the tsunami we were still closed as I lost
\nseveral family members and some workers. I thought it would be
\nhard to start the business again, but I was wrong,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Now, all of his five employees are new people, and all of them
\nsuffered the effects of the tsunami.<\/p>\n
Some Banda Aceh residents are civil servants working for the
\ncity administration, while many other residents work in the
\ninformal sector. Even fewer residents work for private companies
\nas only a few have resumed normal operations.<\/p>\n
Banda Aceh-based large companies like PT Semen Andalas, which
\nlost their factories, offices and employees in the disaster, are
\nnow preparing to resume operations.<\/p>\n
Aside from restaurants, traditional markets, banks, garment
\nand cellular phone outlets as well as transportation agencies
\nhave all been busy serving customers.<\/p>\n
Flamboyan Perdana, a transportation agency serving two routes
\n-- Banda Aceh to Medan, and Takengon to Medan -- has fully
\nresumed operations.<\/p>\n
However the agency, which has 20 cars, has had to increase
\nfares from Rp 70,000 to Rp 100,000 per person following the
\nscarcity of vehicles and increases in fuel prices.<\/p>\n
\"The number of passengers is higher than before the tsunami.
\nWe have to find more drivers and assistant drivers to anticipate
\nthe increase in passengers,\" an agency's employee, Tris, 43, told
\nthe Post.<\/p>\n
Currently, the agency employs 20 drivers and 20 assistant
\ndrivers as well as five administration staff.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/aceh-business-gets-back-on-track-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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