President Inaugurates the Opening of Sentani`s Doyo Baru Market
1 May 2016 10:46 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo has inaugurated Sentani's Doyo Baru Market in Jayapura, Papua on Saturday, May 30, 2016. Through his official speech, President Jokowi has asked local residents, regional governments, and traders to keep in mind that the new market needs to be kept clean, dry, secure and comfortable for everyone.
Trade Minister Thomas Lembong, who is a part of President Jokowi's entourage, said that the inauguration of the Doyo Baru Market is a special moment. "Local residents have been waiting for a very long time for this moment to arrive - so we want to make sure that the market will bring as much benefit as it could for every stakeholder," said Lembong through a release on Sunday, May 1, 2016.
The construction of Doyo Baru Market began in 2015, and it is one of the 47 markets that the government is planning to build across Papua and West Papua. Out of the 47 markets, 15 are markets at the regency level - and the entire construction of the 15 markets is expected to cost some Rp140 billion. Some Rp207.43 billion have been allocated to fund this project across Papua and West Papua.
Lembong said that these markets were not built simply to house traders. "These markets should be centres of commerce, and culture - not merely a place for traders to ply their trade," he said, before explaining that markets could be a place where local tribes and visitors could interact, which in turn could harmonise inter-tribal and inter-communal relations. "Physically, it should be modern and clean - it should reflect our dignity and position as human beings."
The Minister also expressed his thanks to Papuan tribal leaders for their contribution in making the project happen. "They have utilised their position and influence to quell any opposition to the decision to build the market - without them, these markets would have never been constructed in the first place," said Lembong.
The Secretary General for the Trade Ministry, Srie Agustina, has asked the Government of Jayaputa Regency to assist the relocation of traders who often haphazardly places their stalls on the sidewalks of Jayapura Police Station and Sentani's Yowari Hospital to Doyo Baru Market. "We'll spent some Rp1.09 billion to create stall dividers so they could maximise the use of the space," said Srie.
ANGELINA ANJAR SAWITRI
