Kenari market to be rebuilt by private firm

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)