W. Java administration to build southern port
W. Java administration to build southern port
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The West Java provincial administration, as part of a grand plan
to embark on several infrastructure projects, will build a
"modest" international fishing and commercial harbor near
Cikalong, Tasikmalaya in the southern part of the province, to
help boost economic ties with Australia and other countries.
The port, which will be facing the Indian Ocean, is expected
to boost trade of coal and other minerals, textiles, handicrafts
and other goods with Darwin, and other Australian cities, the
administration announced on Thursday.
At a press conference, West Java Governor Danny Setiawan
revealed a plan to commence massive infrastructure projects in
the province to help ignite its economy, so it could grow by
around 8 percent in the next five years, from the current rate of
around 5 percent.
The port, according to Brussels-based consultant PA Asia Ltd.
-- which helped the administration in developing the port
building plan -- would be built in stages.
Such stages were needed so that the capital and operational
cost requirements could be managed within a competitive level and
the financing burdens would be acceptable to the province's
budget.
The firm further elaborated that to ensure a modern and well-
run port that contributes to overall economic development, it
needed to be connected to other parts of the Southern region.
Therefore, private investors and donors were invited to
participate in just the road development part of the project,
excluding the harbor development, it said.
"By developing Cikalong port, the underdeveloped southern
region of West Java could be opened up for further development,"
said PA Asia Ltd. board member Rio D. Praaning Prawira
Adiningrat.
Rio, whose grandfather came from Tasikmalaya, was particularly
concerned with the fact that the economic development of the
Southern part of West Java had historically lacked behind the
northern part.
The firm also helps the province prepare a West Java
Infrastructure Summit in August, which will mark the offering of
some 50 infrastructure projects throughout the province worth Rp
150 trillion.