US Advises Jokowi to Focus on Infrastructure Development
17 September 2014 11:42 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - US Ambassador for Indonesia Robert Blake advised Joko Widodo government to focus on developing infrastructure to increase Indonesia’s economic growth at above seven percent. Good infrastructure will save up to 15 percent of company expenditures that are investing in Indonesia.
“Companies based in the US consider Indonesia as a good place for investment, but we hope there are thorough improvements in land, marine and air infrastructure during Jokowi government,” Blake told Tempo in Medan on Tuesday.
What Indonesia need to improve includes road system, seaports, airports and trains. General Electric is willing to help in preparing train infrastructure including locomotive that can pulls 40 train sets in one trip. “In infrastructure and mass transportation like trains are improved, Indonesia’s competitiveness will rise,” said Blake.
Cater Pilar, General Electric’s subsidiary, is also interested in working on infrastructure. Regarding the funding for infrastructure development, Blake said the Jokowi government can use several schemes such as Build Operate Transfer (BOT) system.
Blake added that the US has high hopes for the Jokowi government to focus on infrastructure development. Investors will come to help the government financially under some conditions such as incentive, availability of land and regulations related to the environment.
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