Infrastructure development on the up this year<\/p>\n
Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The National Association of Indonesian Consultants (Inkindo) sees
\na rebound in the development of infrastructure projects in the
\ncountry this year after the government announced plans to revive
\na number of stalled projects.<\/p>\n
\"I think this year is the beginning of the infrastructure
\nrebound,\" Inkindo president Kristiya Kartika told a press
\nconference on Monday.<\/p>\n
He estimated that the infrastructure projects launched this
\nyear were worth around Rp 106.63 trillion (US$12.5 billion),
\ncompared to last year's figure of Rp 87.77 trillion.<\/p>\n
He predicted that the value of the projects to be launched
\nnext year would increase by around 5 percent.<\/p>\n
Last month, the government announced it would revive some
\ninfrastructure projects that were halted after the late 1990s
\neconomic crisis, including three toll road projects
\nin East Java worth a total of Rp 4.92 trillion; the East Canal
\nflood-control project in Jakarta worth Rp 4.12 trillion; the
\nSuramadu bridge project connecting Surabaya and Madura island
\nworth Rp 2.8 trillion, and the resumption of the Tanjung Jati B
\npower plant in Central Java worth more than $1.65 billion.<\/p>\n
Kristiya said that most of the infrastructure projects were
\nlinked to the transportation sector.<\/p>\n
He said that usually Inkindo members handled more than 25
\npercent of total project value. For example, this year Inkindo
\nexpected to handle projects worth more than Rp 25 trillion.<\/p>\n
Inkindo has a membership made up of more than 5,400
\nconsultancy firms, of which 80 percent are involved in the
\nconstruction sector, he added.<\/p>\n
Inkindo has been appointed as the host of the 2003 Technical
\nConsultancy Development Program for Asia and the Pacific (TCDPAP)
\nConference, which will be held from Sept. 24 to Sept. 25, 2003,
\nin Bali. The theme of this year's conference is: \"Infrastructure
\nDevelopment and Globalization: The Role of Consultants in
\nDeveloping Countries\".<\/p>\n
The objectives of the conference are, among other things, to
\nupgrade technical, technological and managerial expertise in
\ndealing with national projects, and to provide opportunities for
\neffective discussion, and exchanges of views and experiences.<\/p>\n
The resumption of a number of stalled projects has been
\npossible amid growing confidence in the country's economy,
\nparticularly following the return of stability in macroeconomic
\nindicators such as the rapid appreciation of the rupiah, benign
\ninflationary environment, and lower interest rates.<\/p>\n
Improving the country's infrastructure sector is among the
\nconditions demanded by foreign investors to allow them to make
\nfresh investments, something that is crucial if the country wants
\nto push economic growth to the pre-crisis level of around 6
\npercent and provide sufficient jobs for the millions of
\nunemployed.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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