Airstrip on islet to be rebuilt
Airstrip on islet to be rebuilt
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
In trying to boost tourism in Kepulauan Seribu regency, the City
Council has proposed the reconstruction of a 1,500-meter long
airstrip on Panjang islet -- one of the islets in the northern
part of the city.
Council speaker Ade Surapriatna said the project would cost
around Rp 30 billion (US$3.3 million), which would come from the
2005 city budget.
"The islets have the potential to be developed as tourist
resorts. Therefore, the council will propose the reconstruction
of the airstrip as the first step to boost tourism there," Ade
announced on Tuesday.
He said the existing airstrip had been poorly maintained and
as a result needed repairing. Grass grows on many parts of the
airstrip, which was constructed during the Soeharto era.
He believed the islets could generate a huge amount of revenue
if the city administration developed them into prestigious
resorts.
According to Ade, poor transportation facilities deterred
people from visiting the islets, and developing transportation
facilities would overcome this problem.
He expressed concern about frequent oil spills in the area,
and expressed hope that government, particularly the local
administration, would resolve the problem. "It will be homework
for the next appointed regent," he added.
A huge oil spill was discovered in the waters surrounding
Pramuka and Panggang islets last week. The city administration
has hinted that one of several offshore rigs there could be the
source of the oil spill.
The police have been investigating another oil spill in the
regency for almost eight months. They have questioned several
officials of an oil company as witnesses, but none have been
named suspects.
More than one million tourists visit the city annually. There
is no figure of tourists visiting Kepulauan Seribu regency, but
the Jakarta Tourism Agency has reported that occupancy rates in
hotels on the resort islands have plunged by 70 percent on
average over the past eight months.
"I hope the administration will be serious in developing the
islands. We must use the islands as sources of revenue," Ade
said, adding that the administration should ensure that owners of
islets and managements of tourist resorts pay their taxes.