Gapensi should watch over city projects

JAKARTA (JP): North Jakarta's deputy mayor, Sarimun Hadisaputro, has proposed that the city's development projects be supervised by the city chapter of the Indonesian Builders Association (Gapensi).

"This is to ensure that the building materials used are of good quality and that the project will not put the public at a disadvantage," Sarimun said in his speech Saturday, when opening the congress of the North Jakarta branch of the association.

He said if development projects were supervised by the association it would prevent contractors who are not members of the association from trying to harass officials in charge of the projects.

Labeling such contractors as mere speculators, whose sole objective is to rake in as much profit as possible without thinking of the quality of their work, Sarimun said project managers should be cautious when dealing with such people.

"When I was chairman of a project tender, a man claiming to be a bona fide contractor came to my office and impolitely took off his shirt insisting that he be given the right to handle the project," he said.

Sarimun called on all the association's members to continue improving their professionalism in the face of the upcoming free trade era, Antara reported.

"One thing I need to underline here is that you all should master the English language. Otherwise you will face difficulties when dealing with foreign businesspeople," he said, citing the impending influx of various foreign foods and fruits onto the local market when global trade is liberalized.

The vice mayor also urged association members to not just work on projects belonging to the city administrations. "You also should be able to carry out projects being administered by private companies, like the reclamation of the Ancol beach."

The two-kilometer wide and 27-kilometer long project stretching from the Ancol beach to Marunda is earmarked for tourism and business centers.

John Piter Nainggolan, an executive board member of the association's Jakarta chapter, enthusiastically hailed the North Jakarta vice mayor's "challenge" that members should take part in the handling of the gigantic reclamation project.

"The challenge is quite interesting. For our part, we are ready to talk the matter over with the contractors in charge of the reclamation project," he said. (bas)