Ferry project approved

Ferry project approved

KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi: The Ministry of Transportation
has approved the construction of a ferry terminal in Muna
regency, Southeast Sulawesi, to support a ferry service to
Sinjai, South Sulawesi, despite the Southeast Sulawesi
administration's objection.

"I have met with Minister (of Transportation) Agum Gumelar in
Jakarta, and he agreed to the project. The House of
Representatives and the Ministry of Finance have also given their
approval to the project," Muna Regent Ridwan said on Wednesday.

The Southeast Sulawesi provincial administration is opposed to
the project plan because none of its officials have been involved
in the inter-provincial project's planning.

Ridwan said that the minister's approval was guaranteed and
"the funds have been allocated from this year's budget".

He also said that the minister had appointed a project manager
for the multi-billion ferry terminal project.

Ridwan said that the ferry service from Muna to Sinjai would
be economically strategic as the moving of goods and people were
crucial to the areas' economic development. --Antara