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. (14)