More ferry terminals needed

KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi: The province needs eight additional ferry terminals in 1997 to connect island groups in the Buton and Muna districts and lift them from isolation.

The terminals are needed for the routes in Wawasangka- Kabaena, Kamaru-Wanci and Bambaeya-Sikeli in the Buton district and Rahe-Pure in the Muna district, according to B.M. Siahaan, acting head of the provincial transportation office.

The terminals are urgently needed to step up the flow of goods and services from potentially productive but isolated regions.

Residents welcomed the opening of the Kendari-Wawoni'i route because it represented the first step in preparing Wawoni'i island as the home of the integrated large-scale fishing industry in Indonesia's eastern region. (swe)