Getting our act together<\/p>\n
Indeed, it is not too early now to start planning the
\nreconstruction of the province of Nangroe Aceh Darussalam so that
\nlife can resume as normally as the circumstances there permit. A
\nnumber of aspects, however, should be taken into serious
\nconsideration.<\/p>\n
The first is the problem of the overall crisis management and
\nrehabilitation and development efforts in that ravaged
\nwesternmost province. Based on a presidential decree issued
\nimmediately after the disaster, Vice President Jusuf Kalla is now
\nin charge of coordinating and supervising the efforts, while
\nCoordinating Minister for People's Welfare Alwi Shihab, assisted
\nby Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu, has been entrusted
\nwith the daily responsibility of directing and overseeing the on-
\nthe-ground operations from a base in Banda Aceh.<\/p>\n
Even so, it is worth, at this point, to reconsider whether
\nthis setup is effective and adequate in light of the huge task at
\nhand and considering the scope and the extent of the destruction
\nthat the catastrophe has wrought. The point is that this question
\nis closely related to the second aspect of the relief efforts in
\nAceh, which is the management and allocation of the huge amounts
\nof money that have been donated, either by concerned foreign
\ngovernments or by private organizations and citizens.<\/p>\n
Perhaps, a senior official of the central bank, Bank
\nIndonesia, needs to be seconded to Alwi Shihab, since it is
\nimportant to see to it that the various non-governmental
\norganizations that are currently active in the relief operations
\nin Aceh are not hampered in accessing the funds that should be
\navailable to them -- whether they be in Jakarta, or in Medan or
\nBanda Aceh. These organizations work around the clock, 24 hours a
\nday, seven days a week, and need to be provided with the proper
\nfacilities, even on weekends and holidays, when banks are
\nnormally closed, so as to enable them to make emergency
\nwithdrawals.<\/p>\n
The third problem, and one that we consider to be of the
\nutmost importance, concerns the matter of joint planning among
\nthe various ministries that are involved -- led by the National
\nDevelopment Planning Board (Bappenas) -- in reconstructing the
\nbasic infrastructure of destroyed population centers, such as the
\nprovincial capital of Banda Aceh, Lhokseumawe on the east coast,
\nMeulaboh on the west coast and other townships.<\/p>\n
For each location, a special task force should be established,
\nwith adequate funding to enable them to tackle the reconstruction
\nof basic infrastructure, such as roads, bridges and public
\nutilities. Attention should also be given to the rebuilding of
\nhousing, schools, hospitals and public health centers and sewage
\ntreatment plants.<\/p>\n
Finally, measures should be taken to revive the economy by
\nputting in place an efficient credit system unburdened by
\nbureaucratic procedures to assist small and medium enterprises,
\nfarmers and fishermen across the region and help them to get back
\non their feet.<\/p>\n
All this obviously requires good planning, management skills
\nand, above all, a sense of commitment to show the Acehnese and
\nthe world that the spirit of solidarity is alive and well in
\nIndonesia. Frankly, a shortage of relief aid is not the greatest
\nconcern. There is confidence that the international community
\nwill continue to lend its support, provided that Indonesia can
\ndemonstrate to the world that it is capable of managing the
\ndonated funds in a frugal and responsible manner.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/getting-our-act-together-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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