Seven projects in South Sulawesi inaugurated

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)