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