Minister complains over lack of staff

SEMARANG: After being in office for only a month, Minister of Maritime Exploration Sarwono Kusumaatmadja asserted that he is the only staff member in the newly-formed ministry.

"Well, I have one member of staff. Myself," he quipped during the opening of a Marine Conference on Wednesday night.

"I have to start from zero and prepare everything first. Imagine, there is no office, no directorate generals and no budget. So what's the point of talking too much?" he said when asked to elaborate on his new post.

However, three Presidential Decrees to elaborate the function, authority, structure, recruitment and role of the ministry are on the way, he remarked.

"I've also proposed to the President five directorate generals," he said.

The five are research and exploration affairs, fishery affairs, institution development, beach and islets affairs and marine security and protection. (har/edt)