World Bank Loans For Channel Normalization Project

Tempo Interactive, Thursday, 28 January, 2010 | 15:06 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The World Bank will facilitate funding for a normalization project involving a number of river channels in Jakarta. “We are supporting the project so that it runs smoothly,” said the World Bank East Asia and Pacific Development Director, John A. Roome, at Jakarta City Hall yesterday.

According to Roome, the river channel normalization and the flood canal projects are an important step that must be taken by the Jakarta municipality. “We are convinced that this project can manage flooding problems more effectively,” he said.

Jakarta governor Fauzi Bowo added that the channel normalization project is currently in the dredging phase. “The World Bank’s financial support will come through in June 2010,” he said.

Fauzi also said the dredging project is done to normalize all the canals, including those in the micro, sub macro, and macro channels. “These are all canals that have never been dredged for 30 years,” he added.

Fauzi admitted that the project was delayed due to administrative procedures. “The flooding problem is an agenda that must be managed by the central and provincial governments,” he said.

However, Fauzi refused to mention the amount of the World Bank’s support. “We are still waiting for the President’s policy on this. When it is signed by the president, the fund will be disbursed,” he said.

The disbursement will be coordinated with the Finance Department which will then distribute it to the central government as well as the Jakarta municipality. “There are stages that must be followed according to the agreed policy,” Fauzi said.

RIKY FERDIANTO