BPS gets new soft loan worth $12.9b from Japan<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Central Bureau of Statistics announced on
\nMonday a new soft loan worth 1.4 billion yen (US$12.9 million)
\nfrom the Japanese government to improve its computerized system
\nof data collection.<\/p>\n
BPS' head Soedarti Surbakti said the new loan provided by the
\nJapan Bank for International Cooperation would be used to buy new
\ncomputer equipment and finance computer training programs for the
\nagency's employees nationwide.<\/p>\n
A total of US$5 million of the loan will be used to buy
\ncomputer equipment with the rest being used to finance the
\ntraining program for the agency's employees.<\/p>\n
She said 400 employees of the agency from 310 branch offices
\nacross the country would attend a training program at the
\nagency's training center in Lenteng Agung, South Jakarta, which
\nwas opened on Monday. The said training program will last until
\nNov. 23.<\/p>\n
They will be taught by computer experts from the Bandung
\nInstitute of Technology (ITB).<\/p>\n
\"The aim of this training program is to improve our employees'
\nskills in operating computers and high technology equipment,\"
\nSoedarti told reporters after the ceremony to mark the opening of
\nthe training program.<\/p>\n
She said the putting into effect of a computerized system
\nwould boost the accuracy and speed of BPS data collection and
\ndistribution.<\/p>\n
She said publicly-listed information technology company Astra
\nGraphia had won the contract to provide the BPS with computer
\nsoftware and hardware.<\/p>\n
\"We have to upgrade our computer hardware and software. Our
\ncomputer software dates back to 1990,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Astra Graphia said in a press release that it would provide
\nthe agency with high capacity servers, personal computer
\nworkstations, network design and implementation, printers, Local
\nArea Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), Internet and
\nIntranet.<\/p>\n
\"This is our second project with the BPS. We joined the same
\nprogram in 1997,\" Astra Graphia's manager of communications Annie
\nWidjaja said, adding the company obtained the project through
\ncompetitive bidding.<\/p>\n
JBIC's loan project officer Myra Lubis said that the Japanese
\nagency started financing the BPS computer program in 1994 and had
\nthus far provided a total of 3.027 billion yen in soft loans to
\nthe BPS, including this year's loan of 1.4 billion yen.<\/p>\n
The loan carries interest of three to 3.5 percent and a
\nrepayment period of 30 years. (02)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bps-gets-new-soft-loan-worth-129b-from-japan-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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