Melawai traders struggle on in fire aftermath
Melawai traders struggle on in fire aftermath
The Jakarta Post
Jakarta
It has been 10 days without income for Yusuf, a coffee vendor at
the recently burned down Melawai market in South Jakarta, because
there is nothing left at the market except debris and ashes.
On the 11th day on Thursday, he decided that he could not wait
for the promised relocation and took five jars of ground coffee
and placed them in the back of his van with the doors open for
display at the parking lot next to the market. His makeshift
kiosk was open for business.
He was lucky to have found a space to park as more than 150
traders that lost their kiosks in the fire late last month have
relocated to the street in front of Aldiron Plaza.
"If we are quick, we will get a space. But, if not we will
have to wait until PD Pasar Jaya builds the temporary market it
has promised," he said.
While ten days might seem to be a short period for the market
operator to fulfill its promise, for the vendors it means a huge
chunk of lost income this month and threatens their families with
serious hardship.
"Actually it is not convenient for us to continue our business
this way," said Yusuf, while adding that there was no electricity
and that severely limited business.
"We have to take all of our merchandise early in the morning
and bring it back with us at closing time. It sure is not safe to
leave our goods here, out in the open," he added. That was why he
chose to use his van instead of makeshift tents like others.
Representatives for the Melawai vendors explained their
problems to several city councillors, who visited the area on
Thursday afternoon, accompanied by officials from city market
operator PD Pasar Jaya.
"We will start building the temporary facility today and hope
to finish in three weeks," Pasar Jaya operational director Djoko
Setyanto said, adding that the 1,077 temporary kiosks would be
located on JL. Melawai 1 and Jl. Melawai 9.
Each vendor holding a usage permit from their previous kiosk
will be given a four-square-meter spot, either on the parking lot
between the burned market and neighboring Mal Blok M or the space
in front of Aldiron Plaza.
"Even though the site does not belong to us, Governor Sutiyoso
has issued a letter allowing us to use it temporarily for the
sake of the vendors," Pasar Jaya president director Prabowo
Soenirman said.
Despite the fact that the city enterprise has to allocate Rp 3
billion for the shelters, he added that the shelters would be
free of charge.
"It's okay if we have to wait three weeks, as long as they
keep their promise," Yusuf said.