Labor-intensive projects to start again<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The city administration will start the second
\nphase of labor-intensive projects to help ease burgeoning
\nunemployment later this month, an official said yesterday.<\/p>\n
Deputy governor for social welfare Djailani said the projects,
\nwhich are expected to start by May 25, were intended to give jobs
\nto unskilled workers who had lost their jobs during the economic
\ncrisis.<\/p>\n
Funds of up to Rp 27.5 billion were originally earmarked for
\nthe project. Provisions for Rp 17.1 billion and Rp 8 billion were
\nwritten into the 1998\/1999 state and city budgets respectively.
\nThe remaining Rp 2.4 billion was to be donated by local business
\npeople.<\/p>\n
However, Djailani said funds for the project would likely be
\nreduced in line with the 35 percent cut in the city budget
\nannounced last month. The 1998\/1999 budget was slashed from Rp
\n2.79 trillion to Rp 1.8 trillion due to projections of negative
\ngrowth this year.<\/p>\n
\"But we will make sure that the cut remains within 50 percent
\nof the original allocation of Rp 8 billion,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The first phase of labor-intensive projects ran from January
\nto March and employed at least 35,000 people. Workers were paid a
\ndaily rate of Rp 7,500 to repair water pipelines, dredge rivers,
\nand renovate dikes and water canals throughout Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Djailani said initiatives scheduled for the second phase of
\nthe scheme would include training courses on entrepreneurial
\nskills, the development of cooperatives at sub-district level,
\nand planting trees on derelict land across the city.<\/p>\n
\"About 200,000 trees will be planted in the city's five
\nmayoralties,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The second phase of the program will run over a period of 240
\ndays, he said.<\/p>\n
The program is expected to employ up to 7,000 people a day, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The head of the Ministry of Manpower's office for worker
\ntraining in the city, I Made Wessen, said yesterday that at least
\n253 companies had asked the government for permission to dismiss
\ntheir employees.<\/p>\n
He was unable to say exactly how many people had been laid-off
\nby companies embattled by worsening economic conditions.<\/p>\n
\"But some 81,000 people had reportedly lost their jobs as of
\nApril, when economic growth in the city hit zero percent,\" Made
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"I cannot predict the increase in the number of unemployed
\nwhen economic growth drops to minus 7 percent,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Djailani said the program would definitely employ female
\nworkers.<\/p>\n
\"It is estimated that about 12 percent of the 7,000 targeted
\nworkers will be women,\" he said.<\/p>\n
In early March, at least 6,000 women reported their dismissal
\nto the Ministry of Manpower.<\/p>\n
Djailani said there would not be any change in the wage paid
\nto people participating in the second phase of the program. \"They
\nwill still be paid Rp 7,500 a day.\" (cst)<\/p>",
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