Councillors' departure abroad not confirmed<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Sources at City Council gave conflicting
\ninformation regarding the departure of several city councillors
\nfor Japan, ostensibly to conduct a comparative study on disaster
\nmanagement.<\/p>\n
One source at the council confirmed that several members of
\nCity Council Commission A for administration, security and public
\norder, government affairs departed on Friday evening, while
\nanother said that they would leave the city next week.<\/p>\n
None of the councillors from Commission A could be reached for
\ncomment as their chamber was empty on Friday afternoon.<\/p>\n
Earlier, a member of Commission A, Abdul Aziz Matnur, admitted
\nthat some councillors of the commission planned the visit to
\nTokyo, which has been hailed as a model city for disaster
\nmanagement.<\/p>\n
He stressed the urgency to set up a disaster management plan
\nfor the city which would also cover social conflict, such as
\nriots.<\/p>\n
The public has criticized some of the foreign trips taken by
\ncity councillors, saying that the trips were a waste of
\ntaxpayers' money.<\/p>\n
So far, the councillors have visited Mexico, the United States
\nand Canada for conducting comparative studies on several
\nsubjects, including taxation, waste management, education and
\nsocial welfare.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, some councillors from Commission D for development
\naffairs will reportedly leave the city this month for Buenos
\nAires, Argentina, for a comparative study on waste management.<\/p>\n
The chairman of Commission D, Sayogo Hendrosoebroto confirmed
\nthe visit on Friday afternoon by saying that the councillors had
\nplanned the trip to learn more about waste management.<\/p>\n
He told the Post that the council had set up a master plan on
\nwaste management in 1992 with guidance from the Japanese
\ngovernment, and that the plan would be futile if it was not
\nfollowed up with the study in Argentina.<\/p>\n
In June, five councillors from Commission D had conducted a
\ncomparative study in Vancouver, Canada, on the same subject.<\/p>\n
Sayogo defended the councillors, saying that they worked hard
\nduring the comparative studies abroad instead of enjoying
\nthemselves. He added that the trips were exhausting.<\/p>\n
\"It is tiring to do a comparative study because the time and
\nbudget for the trip are limited,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Foreign trips to conduct comparative studies are useful for
\nthe councillors, particularly as they gain knowledge, which
\nenables them \"to argue with the executive in a discussion about
\ncertain subjects,\" said Sayogo.<\/p>\n
Separately, the city council chairman, Edy Waluyo, noted that
\nthe councillors had to file a report about the comparative study
\nabroad.<\/p>\n
He said that the report would be used to give input to the
\ncity administration, particularly on the subjects that had been
\nlearned during the comparative study.(04)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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