Relief aid stuck in port

Relief aid stuck in port

The central government is being urged to give the North Sumatra
Governor the authority to issue import permits for containers of
humanitarian aid currently piling up at the port of Belawan, an
official says.

On Thursday, officials from North Sumatra's Customs Office
were still waiting for 1,458 containers storing food, drinking
water, medical supplies and clothing and another 117 holding
vehicles to be issued permits by the Ministry Of Trade.

Speaking from Medan, the North Sumatra Disaster Prevention
Coordination Unit secretary Nurlisa Ginting said the permits were
crucial if the relief aid was to be distributed to disaster-hit
Aceh and Nias.

A circular signed by Trade Minister Mari E. Pangestu, dated
Jan 11, stipulates that all relief aid imported by ship needed
central government clearance before it could be distributed.

Nurlisa said the import permit procedures took a long time to
complete, which meant the aid could not immediately be
distributed to the disaster areas.

She said the North Sumatra provincial administration would
write to the central government to be given the authority to
issue import permits.

Belawan Customs Office head Tambos M. Naiborhu confirmed his
office did not have the authority to release the aid without the
Ministry of Trade's permits. (JP/Apriadi Gunawan)