N. Sulawesi to tap natural resources to raise incomes

Jongker Rumteh, The Jakarta Post, Manado

The North Sulawesi provincial administration is striving to tap the region's natural resources to diversify its revenue base.

To realize its goals, the administration has embarked on various initiatives, including its decision to host the World Ocean Conference in the North Sulawesi capital of Manado in 2009.

"I want support from all sides for the conference as it will not only promote North Sulawesi to other regions throughout Indonesia, but also to the world," North Sulawesi Governor Sinyo Harry Sarundajang said.

"I'm pretty sure the conference's success will be followed not only by higher exports from the province, but also increasing numbers of tourists," he said.

Sarundajang's optimism is based on the assumption that the international conference will be attended by between 2,500 and 3,000 participants, including heads of government from various countries, scientists, investors, NGO representatives and journalists.

The participants will discuss current international maritime issues, and the use of marine resources to promote the welfare of all human beings.

The governor said he had discussed the plan with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Vice President Jusuf Kalla and a number of Cabinet ministers in 2006. Further, he had also visited the United Nations Headquarters in New York to secure support and sponsors.

Sarundajang said he hoped the central government would fund a number of projects to support the holding of the conference, such as the expansion of Sam Ratulangi airport, the widening of some major roads, and the construction of conference venues. He also urged investors to build more hotels in Manado to accommodate the expected large number of visitors.

"I want Indonesia to become a center of marine research. I expect that by holding the conference, marine tourism in North Sulawesi, and all over Indonesia, will grow significantly," Sarundajang said.

He said that besides the conference, the provincial administration was also promoting a number of other sectors to help promote public welfare.

"We have tried, for example, to eliminate poverty around the province by implementing programs in a number of sectors, such as agriculture, fisheries and tourism," Sarundajang said.

The administration has also successfully encouraged people to plant corn on more than 80,000 hectares of fallow land. At least 16,000 people have participated in the corn-planting drive over the last two planting seasons.

It has also promoted seaweed cultivation on over 400 hectares of coastal land in projects that now employ about 4,000 workers, the processing of virgin coconut oil (VCO) involving 100 farmers' groups that now produce 40 tons of VCO every six months, and the cultivation of castor plants on more than 3,000 hectares to produce castor oil as an alternative fuel.

The North Sulawesi administration has also provided low-interest loans to develop micro industry.

In the education sector, the administration has provided scholarships and extra allowances for part-time teachers.

Provincial data shows that economic growth came in at 4.9 percent in 2005 and 5.87 percent in 2006, and is expected to hit up to 6.30 percent this year.

The number of tourists also increase from 19,940 in 2005 to 22,328 persons in 2006, according to the figures.

The governor said that he would continue trying to improve the business climate, and provide both fiscal and non-fiscal incentives to attract investors.

Sarundajang also criticized the many local administrations that depended heavily on the central government for funding.

He also said that central and local government needed to establish good cooperation so as to help improve people's living conditions.