Irian seeks foreign funds

JAYAPURA (JP): The provincial administration of Irian Jaya will seek foreign funds to finance the province's development projects, a local official said on Wednesday.

FX Suryanto, a public relations officer at Irian Jaya's Governor's office, said that the provincial administration would cooperate with Jayapura-based PT Kqebs Krisnian Berkati (KKB) to seek foreign funds.

"The memorandum of understanding on the cooperation with KKB was signed in August," he said, adding that KKB's director Christ Williamson had been assigned to raise the foreign funds.

Suryanto said that the funds would be distributed to private companies through the Foundation for Irian Jaya Development, a development agency recently established by the provincial administration to help local enterprises.

"By doing so, jobs could be created for locals and the locals could be educated to become skilled workers with the support of foreign funds" he said. (34)