The biggest Jakarta Fair ever opened
JAKARTA (JP): Vice President Try Sutrisno on Saturday opened the Jakarta Fair in Kemayoran, hoping that the annual trade exhibition will help promote Indonesian products.
"One thing which we often forget is the lack of information and the absence of aggressive promotion of our products, including the tourist sector. As a result, prospective consumers know little about our products and services despite the fact that the quality is not inferior to those made abroad," Try said in a ceremony attended by a number of cabinet ministers and foreign ambassadors.
Try said the promotion campaign should be accompanied by improvements in quality to make the products more competitive.
This, he said, in turn requires improving the capabilities of the people.
"The goal can only be accomplished by human resources which are creative, determined and reliable," Try said.
The Jakarta Fair is held annually as part of the celebration of Jakarta's June 22 anniversary.
This year's fair, the 27th in the series, which is being held on 39,500 square meters of land and will last through July 16, carries the theme "The Jakarta Fair as a Means to Enhance Competitiveness of Local Products through Firm Human Resources."
A total of 2,002 participants will join the fair, 172 more than last year.
With the exception of Bali, Jambi, West Kalimantan and Southeast Sulawesi, the other 23 provinces across the archipelago are taking part in the fair.
Foreign countries on the list of the participants are Taiwan, Australia, Pakistan and Iran.
"Visions for the Future" is part of Australia Today Indonesia '94.
Soekardjo Hardjosoewirjo, president director of the Jakarta International Trade Fair Corporation, which organizes the fair, said some trade-related seminars will also be held during the fair, including one on July 4 and 5 on the impact of the GATT/Uruguay Round on foreign trade.
Blend
As at previous fairs, the ongoing fair also attempts to blend business with pleasure.
Jakarta Governor Surjadi Soedirdja noted in his speech that aside from promoting trade and investment, the fair also serves to promote both educational and recreational opportunities for the public.
The fair features both local and foreign shows, but the latter appear more dominant.
The "Dinosaur Park" and "Reptiles, Amphibians and Pet Shows," from Japan and Hong Kong, are being staged at strategic locations on the right side of the plaza and on the fourth floor of the Trade Mart Building, respectively.
Traditional Betawi entertainment, including a "ghost house" game called "Kerajaan Siluman" and a carousel, are less strategically positioned to the rear of the fair ground.
Celebrated artists are slated to perform daily throughout.
Surjadi said he was especially grateful to the fair organizers for employing 18,500 people, mostly unemployed youngsters living around the fair ground.
The organizers expect around three million visitors during the fair and have opened 22 bus routes to all parts of the city by operating a total of 535 buses. (jsk)