Unregulated construction

We would like to ask the honorable Jakarta Governor, Jakarta councillors, city planning officials, environment activists, and developers to pay close attention to the following crucial but sensible matter.

The many new construction projects currently taking place around Jakarta worry us, mothers with children who need green open space for recreation. When we want to take our kids to a park or a playground, we always run out of ideas on where to take them. Where can we take them so they can play freely other than the amusement places provided inside of shopping malls. We'd like to take them to a place surrounded by lush green trees where they can breathe natural, fresh air, not the air recycled by mall air conditioners.

We are deeply concerned and worried that the lack of parks for our children to play together with their peers will affect them adversely, and result in a growing number of selfish, unsociable children because they have to be confined to solo games.

We are deeply concerned and worried because the lack of parks creates pollution, which increases illnesses and thus creates more problems for our children. It is possible that the floods we have been experiencing in Jakarta over the last few years are also caused by the lack of open green spaces with trees and grass. They have been covered by buildings and more buildings.

We do not need more shopping malls or apartments. What we really need are vast green open spaces with trees, flowers and green grass. So, we are asking you, ladies and gentlemen, to stop the construction of new buildings, apartments, shopping malls and offices and focus instead on the development of green city parks, for our sake, for the sake of our children and our future. And there's no better time to start than now.

IKA ARDINA Jakarta

LET79B. ROS

;JP;DAHLIA; ANPAk..r.. Letter-nursing education On nursing education JP/7/let

Educating nurses

I refer to your article on your website on Aug. 19 entitled Labor exporter speaks out on abuse.

We would like to clarify that the School of Nursing (Fakultas Perawat) at the University of Indonesia (UI) should not be termed "Nursing Academy" as was written. The School of Nursing at UI has had a full bachelor's degree program since 1985 and master's programs since 1999.

We need to clarify this information so Indonesian people have the correct information about nursing education in Indonesia.

DEBIE DAHLIA Public Relations & Cooperation Manager School of Nursing University of Indonesia