Councillors on tour to European countries

JAKARTA (JP): City residents wishing to meet their councillors this week are likely to be disappointed.

Most of them have either left for a comparative trip to Europe or are intending to leave for one shortly. The tours are meant to "broaden their perspectives", an official said on Monday.

"The foreign visits are part of a routine program to enhance the councillors' knowledge of various elements of their duties," council speaker Edy Waluyo told reporters.

However, detailed information on their European itineraries was not forthcoming from many councillors or their staff.

When asked where councillors were last week, staff members at City Council Commission D for public works, development and environmental affairs said only that they were having an internal meeting.

The councillors are reportedly now on a tour to England, France, Germany and the Netherlands to study public transportation management. They left on April 24 and are expected to arrive home on Wednesday.

Chairman of Commission B for economic affairs Syarif Zulkarnaen said his commission was scheduled to leave for Europe on May 13 until May 24.

"We're going to study fishery cooperatives in London, commerce in Paris, street vendors and traditional markets in Amsterdam and tourism in Madrid," he told reporters.

Syarif, a councillor from the United Development Party (PPP) faction, stressed the tour was intended to widen the councillors' knowledge.

Amarullah Asbah, chairman of Commission C for city revenue, refused to give any comment on the European tour.

"I'll only give information if other chairmen also do the same," he said.

A commission C member, however, was willing to tell reporters of the councillors' intended trip to Bonn in Germany; Birmingham, England; and Rotterdam in the Netherlands.

"We are going to study how to increase city revenue from city levies and taxes," said councillor Syamsidar Siregar from the National Mandate Party (PAN) faction.

She said the commission would depart on May 7 for a ten-day trip.

Speculation was rife that the tours were intended to buy the councillors' support for Governor Sutiyoso's accountability speech before the City Council, which is slated for early June.

City spokesman Muhayat, however, denied the allegation.

"The council has its own budget and has full control of it. The city administration now has nothing to do with how the council spends the budget," he said. (nvn)