Maritime and fisheries setbacks

Maritime and fisheries setbacks

From Republika

The establishment of the ministry of sea exploration at the
start of the reform period in 1999 offered new hopes for public
welfare promotion, in view of the fact that Indonesia's sea area
constitutes 70 percent of its total territory.

This optimism further increased when the maritime and
fisheries ministry was formed and a plan for sector development
was drawn up by a past cabinet. When President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono was democratically elected, there were even greater
expectations of economic improvement in this area.

So far, however, this ministry has suffered setbacks. It has
failed to lobby for its share of the fuel price compensation fund
after fishermen were disadvantaged following the subsidy cuts.
The new minister also lacks professionalism, as shown by his part
in creating the joint decree on shrimp import licensing after
succumbing to entrepreneurs' pressure.

In a newspaper opinion poll rating ministers, the maritime and
fisheries minister is seen as lacking in knowledge of the issues
and as incapable of doing something significant for fishermen. No
concrete measures have been taken to deal with illegal fishing,
unlike the forestry minister, who has conducted spot checks to
handle illegal logging.

The president has made a declaration to revitalize the sectors
of agriculture, fisheries and forestry and his ministers should
be aggressive in carrying out the appeal. If the fisheries
minister has been publicly judged to have failed, then the
president should promptly reshuffle his Cabinet because the
country needs professional public officials.

NURDIN AHMADI
Bogor, West Java