Govt supports SEAG athletes village plan
JAKARTA (JP): The controversy over the 1997 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games athletes village construction may be nearing an end as the government agrees in principle with the underwriting consortium's plans to build the village.
Secretary-General of the Games Organizing Committee Rudolf Warouw said yesterday that Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono sent a letter approving the construction of the 1,000-room village on a four-hectare former shooting range in Senayan.
"In principle the Minister's letter approves the construction of the village," said Warouw, who is also secretary of the National Sports Council.
He said that the Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare and chairman of the patron board, Azwar Anas, also sent a letter to the Jakarta Governor urging the city administration to help solve "all the technical problems" affecting the village.
Last week, the consortium complained that it had yet to receive approval from the administration although it said it sent the construction proposal in July.
"The consortium, the administration and the Gelora Senayan management board will take combined responsibility for completing the construction," Warouw said.
The US$70 million village is expected to be completed two weeks before the 19th SEA Games is opened by the President on Oct. 11 next year.
Separately, Enggartiasto Lukito, a consortium member, reiterated that the consortium "is coordinating over technical problems with the administration and the Senayan management board."
"So far, we have received support from the government and the administration for the village construction," he said, as quoted by Antara.
"But we still have no idea about the building design," he added.
He expressed optimism that the construction will be completed in time. The village is expected to accommodate about 4,300 athletes from 10 participating countries.
The consortium plans to use the village as an office complex, apartments, sports complex and athletes hotel after the Games. The whole complex will be managed by PT Djakarta Country Club. (yan)