"The ticket price should not be expensive. It is better to subsidize the ticket price, so that the people can utilize the facility," Jokowi said.Wondama Gulf, W Papua (ANTARA News) - The government plans to subsidize sea toll transportation to fulfill the transportation necessities of the people living in remote areas, according to President Joko Widodo (Jokowi).
"The ticket price should not be expensive. It is better to subsidize the ticket price, so that the people can utilize the facility," the president noted in his speech during the opening of Wasior Port on Tuesday.
The sea toll transportation program will boost connectivity in Indonesia, particularly to unite the nation from Sumatra to Papua.
Jokowi stated the government had built several ports in the outer regions of Indonesia to maintain the countrys maritime territory.
The president remarked that with the implementation of the sea toll lines program, the Indonesian people would be able to utilize this mode of transportation to travel to the motherland.
"The Acehnese people can travel by ship to Java, Sulawesi, and Maluku and head to Wasior in Papua. The Papuan people can also travel to Sumatra utilizing the sea toll lines," Jokowi stated.
He pointed out that the authority had been operating the three sea toll routes since last year. In 2016, Jokowi plans to add six sea toll routes.
Jokowi stated that the government was also targeting to complete the construction or expansion of 27 ports in Indonesia.
The government plans to add 68 ports by the end of 2016 across several provinces including in Papua, Maluku, East Nusa Tenggara, and Sulawesi.
He hoped the improved connectivity would also facilitate the smoother distribution of goods and logistics to rural areas in Indonesia.
The enhanced connectivity is believed to lower the prices of goods to improve the economic conditions in remote areas.
President Jokowi inaugurated the operations of Wasior seaport at Wondama Bay District in West Papua Province on Tuesday.
The Wasior port was built as a part of the sea toll lines project in the eastern region of Indonesia.
The port was built to support connectivity and to meet the needs of public transport facilities and infrastructure in Wasior District.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2016
