Regent to help downtrodden

Regent to help downtrodden

JAKARTA (JP): About 30 percent of people of working age are
jobless in Tangerang regency's population of two million, its
regent has said.

Agus Junara promised Sunday that his office would soon provide
free chicks and fish to poor families so they could raise the
livestock.

He also vowed to allocate idle land to jobless residents for
farming to provide them with a livelihood.

"Apart from that, the regency office will soon distribute
free essential goods," Agus said. He did not give details on the
date for the distribution or those who would qualify for the
assistance.

He was quoted by Antara as saying that all the aid would be
handed over directly to the people, who would be selected by
local officials.

Hardest hit in the downturn are the fishermen who live with
their families along the northern coast of Tangerang.

The regent admitted that distributing free goods to residents
was not educative.

"But it has to be done. Hopefully, the program can train the
people on how to breed fish at many giant ponds available on the
land here used for sand quarrying, for instance."

At 1,396 square kilometers, the regency is about twice the
size of Jakarta.

In addition to problems from the economic downturn, Tangerang
is now facing a serious unemployment problem following the
massive destruction of hundreds of shops, banks, hotels,
restaurants and other business centers in the area during the
mid-May riots.

Most owners of properties have balked at reopening their
business because of continuing political and economic
uncertainty. (bsr)