Baird calls Indonesia second home

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

After completing his tenure as the World Bank's country director for Indonesia, Mark Baird, 53, now enters his retirement and is heading for his homeland, New Zealand.

But his passion for Indonesia will always stay aflame. Indonesia only comes second after New Zealand for him, according to a close staff member.

He first came here as the bank's lead economist in the 1980s, but his first experience with Indonesia was so impressive that he was eager ever since to return to the country.

And when the chance came in early 1999, at the peak of the economic crisis, he only needed seconds to accept the offer -- this time as the bank's country director -- to come to the country. It happened at the time when most foreigners would have opted to shy away from Indonesia, because of the nation's deep suffering from the crisis.

In fact, his feeling for Indonesia is such that he always wanted to end his career here before returning home. "I've always wanted Indonesia to be my last assignment before retiring," Baird told The Jakarta Post recently in an interview.

In total, he has worked in Indonesia for more than six years.

Baird was the World Bank lead economist in Indonesia between 1986-1989, almost 12 years since he first joined the bank. Aside from Indonesia, he has also worked as the Bank's country economist for India, Tanzania and Uganda.

And after a brief term in his home country, where he worked as an economic advisor to the New Zealand Treasury, he returned to the Bank and was appointed as the Division Chief for Country Policy, Industry and Finance in the Bank's Operations Evaluations Department. He was the Vice President of Strategy and Resource Management before taking up his second assignment in Indonesia in April 1999.

The abundant experience has proved helpful for him to comprehend the complex problems Indonesia was facing. And he is now considered as one among a few who have a deep knowledge about the country's economic development.

For the last three years or so, he had led the Bank's mission in the country of fighting poverty, which has been on the rise due to the economic crisis, and instilling hopes for better future after the crisis.

People who are close to him are impressed with the way he has carried out his job.

"His leadership of our program and contribution to our constructive relationship with the Indonesian government and civil society, as well as the donor community, has been outstanding in every respect.

"It was his ability to combine strategic thinking with operational pragmatism which made him so effective and his advice so highly valued. Baird is well known to our clients and partners as one of the best people we have in the bank," his college Jim Wolfensohn said.

Under Baird's leadership, the World Bank office in Indonesia focused on poverty reduction and disbursed an average US$310 million aid per year for the program.

The latest figure states that about 13 percent of the population is now below the poverty line, less then half the peak levels recorded during the crisis.

Baird has said, despite the impact of the crisis, Indonesia's record on poverty reduction over the past 30 years remains one of the best in the world.

During his tenure, Baird was also praised for helping the government preserve a good relationship with donor countries, grouped in the Consultative Group on Indonesia (CGI), where the World Bank is a major member.

Thanks to these good relations, donor countries maintain their vote of confidence in Indonesia despite its economic, social and political problems and were eager to continue providing loans for the country.

Last year, the CGI pledged $3.14 billion in loans and $568 million in grants and technical aid to help cover Indonesia's budget deficit. Some $1.3 billion of the amount are is tied to Indonesia's performance in poverty reduction and good governance.

Baird might be very busy with his job, but he still had time for his wife Kathleen and two daughters.

He has never let the pressure of job ruin his reputation as a family man, according to his staff.

In his spare time, Baird with his wife and daughters usually played tennis or squash or at times jogged nearby the family's residence, according to a staff member.

Traveling across the country, both on official and unofficial visits, was also something Baird loved to do. North Sumatra's exotic Lake Toba and the famous Bromo mountain in East Java are among his favorite places. Those places, his staff said, should keep the memory of his Indonesia stay on Baird's mind.

Baird regretted the lack of chances to visit more places in the country given his busy schedule, his staff said.

Now that he has retired, Baird will have more time for his family and to do things he has long wished to do.

"We're returning to the New Zealand, the first task is of course to find a house, and then we'll establish a studio for my wife and myself, and will probably do some gardening and fishing."

Nevertheless, although the decision to retire had been taken, he hinted that he would probably be tempted get back to the work he was committed to. "I hope I'll be able to continue to work on development with the bank, or other development agencies as a consultant. I'm very much committed to this work."