Exporter offers help to Mentawai islanders

Exporter offers help to Mentawai islanders

JAKARTA (JP): PT Hiureksa Perkasa, a fish exporter, is trying
to persuade other investors to help deliver tens of thousands of
Mentawai islanders in West Sumatra from poverty.

The company's chief Paul Junaidi said yesterday that
interested investors will need to put profit after the social
mission -- creating employment for the natives.

Paul said he is inviting others to join because his company
cannot afford to invest the Rp 5 billion needed to start the
integrated fishing method project alone.

The Mentawai islands have 58,571 inhabitants, most of whom
live in absolute poverty.

Upon witnessing the local living conditions, Paul, who first
came to Mentawai three years ago, said that one should not expect
too much profit.

Over the past three years, 550 residents have been recruited.
They now have a monthly income ranging from Rp 250,000 to Rp 2.5
million each, and were given interest-free loans on 61 motor
boats.

The Dana Sejahtera Mandiri Foundation, a private foundation
established to manage donations for the poor from firms and
wealthy individuals, has promised to provide Rp 50 billion in
three years to the poor islanders.

Low consumption

Meanwhile, the Director General of Fishery F.X. Mudjijo said
that the Indonesian fish consumption of 19.14 kilogram per capita
per year is far below the standard of the World Food Organization
of between 25 to 30 kilogram.

"Java ranks lowest with only 8.7 kilogram per year while the
Maluku islands rank top with an average of 74.4 kilogram per
year," he was quoted by Antara as saying.

Maluku's consumption exceeds that of Japan, which has the
largest fish consumption in the world: 70 kilos per capita per
year.

The low level of fish consumption here is due to the low
general level of income and the uneven distribution of marine
products, especially in remote areas.

"People resort to cheaper alternatives, such as chicken or
eggs," he added.

President Soeharto is scheduled to launch the National Fish
Consumption Campaign on upcoming World Food Day on Oct. 16, which
bears the slogan Fish Consumption to Increase People's Nutrition.
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