During her visit to a shipyard in Agats on Thursday (June 1), the minister was impressed by the 19 young local engineers capable of assembling 27 fiberglass longboats in nine months.
"It is not easy for them to construct the 27 longboats. It is not merely about the money but their perseverance to study and discipline," Rismaharini stated.
"They have learnt to be consistent in their work, and we can now present the 27 longboats for residents in Asmat," she added.
The new capability that the young local engineers have will be a breakthrough for residents in Asmat, and they will now have other ways to acquire a boat for transportation or trade besides just buying it from outside sources, the minister explained.
"I believe it was unimaginable for them in the past that they can construct a ship, but now, they have proved themselves capable," Rismaharini remarked.
The minister then drew attention to the importance of continuing the breakthrough by providing training and workshop on ship maintenance and repair to ensure the young engineers are always capable of the job.
"We see that the boats have many uses, but if the maintenance is non-existent, the boats will be abandoned because it will be dangerous if they leaked," she stated.
Apart from ensuring the boat and the shipyard's sustainability, providing such training and workshop would also encourage other local youth to join the industry, the minister added.
"I hope the pioneers will set an example for their peers and their brothers to continue moving forward, so they can catch up with improvement and (development) equity with other regions in Indonesia," Rismaharini stated.
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Translator: Devi Nindy Sari R, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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