Seven projects in South Sulawesi inaugurated
MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi (JP): New President Megawati Soekarnoputri inaugurated on Saturday seven infrastructure projects in Gowa, South Sulawesi, most of which were funded by loans from the Japanese government.
"It's all right to receive loans. But we must remember that we have to repay them someday," Megawati said during the opening ceremony.
"The most important task is to maintain all the facilities so that our children and grandchildren can also enjoy them," the President, who was on a two-day visit to the province from Friday, added.
The Japanese embassy in Jakarta explained that four of the seven projects were funded by the Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) loans program of the Japanese government to the tune of 30.05 billion yen (US$225.37 million).
"Three of the projects are funded entirely by ODA loans, while one project is funded by ODA loans and Kuwaiti government funds," the embassy said in a statement made available to The Jakarta Post.
It also said that of the three remaining projects, one project, that is the construction of the Sekaseka irrigation system, was funded by syndicated loans from some Islamic countries, and two projects by the Indonesian government.
It did not, however, provide any details of the last two projects.
The embassy said that of the total ODA loans for the four projects, 13.5 billion yen was allocated for the development of roads and bridges, 9.099 billion yen for the Somba Opu Water Treatment project, 6.65 billion yen for the upgrading of the Makassar Container Terminal, and 800 million yen to build 10 slaughterhouses.
The Kuwaiti government partly finance the development of the container terminal, it said, but did not provide details.
Most of the projects had been completed including the Somba Opu Water cleaning project, the Makassar Container Terminal, the 10 slaughterhouses and one bridge, according to the embassy.
All the road and bridge development projects are still in progress, except for the Bodoe bridge, it said, but it did not specify the total number of bridges and roads being constructed.
The Somba Apu Water Treatment project, which was commenced in 1985 and completed in April 2001, has been providing tap water for 37,600 houses in the province's capital of Makassar since June.
The Somba Apu Water Treatment project is targeting the distribution of tap water to a total 61,000 houses by May next year, it said.
The completion of the project had also raised Makassar's water supply capacity to 126 liters per person per day from 47 liters previously, the embassy added.
"The supply capacity is planned to be increased to 284 liters per person per day," it said.
The Makassar Container Terminal upgrading project, which was begun in 1984 and completed in 1998, has enlarged the terminal's capacity to accommodate ships and boats, and provided improved electricity and water facilities.
The development of the 10 slaughterhouses commenced in September 1999 and was completed in March this year. Only one of the slaughterhouses is located in the province, that is in Gowa, with the remaining nine located in other provinces.
Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia Yukio Takeuchi, who also attended the inauguration ceremony, said that all the new facilities were expected to help promote the development of South Sulawesi.
"We'll always be committed to helping Indonesia out of the crisis," he said.
The ceremony was also attended by Minister of Home affairs Soerjadi Soedirja, Minister of Settlement and Regional Infrastructure Erna Witoelar, Minister of Communications Budhi Mulyawan Suyitno, and the Governor of South Sulawesi J.B. Palaguna. (27/05)