Kenari market to be rebuilt by private firm

JAKARTA (JP): The municipality has appointed a private contractor to rebuild the Kenari market which was partly destroyed by fire on July 12.

Abdulgani, the head of the council's commission B in charge of economic affairs, said yesterday that Governor Surjadi Soedirdja had appointed PT Bina Citra Tata Swasti to rebuild the city-owned market.

A fire destroyed around 100 of market's 452 kiosks off Jl. Kramat Raya. The market is well known for its cheap electronic goods.

The head of the Kenari market, Masdar H., would not reveal the estimated cost of building a four-story market building at the site, but he did say it would cost more than Rp 5 billion (US$2,11 million).

When councilors visited the site early this week, Masdar said that former traders would be given priority to operate in the new market complex.

The burned-out traders have refused to move to a new market nearby, called Kenari Baru, which is managed by a private developer. They say the rents are too high.

The head of the Kenari market traders' cooperative, Wijaya, said that the traders were disappointed by the decision to appoint a private contractor to rebuild the market.

Wijaya told the councilors that the cooperative had gathered enough money to pay for a new building.

"But we were not given a chance," Wijaya told them.

Wijaya said the appointment of the private firm seemed to contradict earlier remarks by Governor Surjadi Soedirdja that market cooperatives could stand on their own feet.

The city-owned market company, PD Pasar Jaya, has provided 100 temporary kiosks, and 54 kiosks for traders operating on a nearby plot belonging to the state-owned railway company, Perumka.

The plot is to be cleared for the construction of the new market. (anr)