More temporary kiosks needed for fire victims
More temporary kiosks needed for fire victims
JAKARTA (JP): Many traders whose kiosks at the Senen shopping
center in Central Jakarta were destroyed by fire on Nov. 23 are
demanding that they get more than one temporary kiosk, saying
they rented more than one kiosk before the disaster.
The fire destroyed 1,389 kiosks, located in block IV and V,
which had been rented by 786 traders, while PT Jaya Real Property
which manages the blocks plans to provide only 786 temporary
kiosks for the traders.
Many of the 786 traders rented two or three kiosks for
businesses which were run by relatives, the traders said.
"How can three people with different businesses be grouped in
one kiosk?" a trader asked during a meeting between the traders
and city officials and representatives of PT Jaya Real Property
Saturday.
The company plans to erect the 786 temporary kiosks in the
shopping center complex, including in the youth center, the food
market, the front parking lot of block IV and on the roof of
block III.
Diaz Moreno, PT Jaya's director, said kiosk owners will be
given only one temporary business spot because space is very
limited.
Both the city administration and PT Jaya have not decided what
date the temporary kiosks would be available, but promised the
traders would get kiosks by the end of December.
The traders told Diaz they would object if they were charged
for the temporary kiosks, on the grounds that they had already
paid rent for the gutted kiosks.
Thursandi, an official of the Central Jakarta mayoralty, said
traders' objections would be discussed.
Hussein, another trader representing retailers of textile and
related products on block IV's first floor, said he wanted the
temporary kiosks to be well-ventilated.
"Our floor was the only one with air conditioning in block IV.
I am afraid we'll lose our customers if the temporary locations
are too uncomfortable," Hussein said.
According to Diaz, a team is evaluating whether the fire-
gutted blocks are still technically good for business sites.
He said that if block V did not need reconstruction it would
take between three to four months to repair it. Block V may also
be used for temporary kiosks.
The rebuilding of block IV will take about 18 months, unless
the building can be restored, he said. (02)