Building statue at HI roundabout

The news that the Jakarta administration plans to spend US$1.2 million on the renovation of the Hotel Indonesia (HI) fountain roundabout, rather than spending it on the much needed North Jakarta dam project, is a glaring example of why Jakarta needs a direct election of its governor and 85 city council members immediately.

As a victim of the recent massive flooding in Grogol, I can only say that the current priorities of this city government resemble some strange, weird Sunday morning cartoon. (Up is down, bad is good and simple logic doesn't exist).

$1.2 million for a fountain? Has the cost of cement, pvc pipe and light bulbs gone up that much? Will the statues be solid gold? Perhaps laser beams and autotronic robots that walk amidst the dancing waters? How about a statue of our bovine governor, as Neptune, waving his bejeweled pinky finger from his pedestal high over the killer smog traffic jams, as if to say, "Welcome to Jakarta, Suckers!"

For that much money, the fountain should look really incredible. Better and more expensive than any fountain found in New York City or Paris, France.

Expect it to crumble and break in a week, just like the roads, bridges, and other over-priced civic projects in this city.

Just as well perhaps, as it will be a monument of the damned, by the damned, for the damned. Built with the souls of dead children.

And beware, rainy season is just 10 months away. Now is a good time to teach your family how to swim.

J.C. FALCH

Jakarta