goodmorningpapua.com – A Deputy II of the National Border Management Agency of the Republic of Indonesia (BNPP), Komjen Paulus Waterpauw, has his own way of generating economic potential in the border areas of Papua and Papua New Guinea.
One of them is by holding a typical Papuan Cultural and Culinary Festival in Skouw, on the Papuan border. For him, this festival will be a stimulation for economic awakening at the border.
He said, as the main task of Deputy II of BNPP is managing border areas, so that by the end of 2021, creative young people and young entrepreneurs in the culinary field will be involved in the festival at the border.
This potential, said Waterpauw, must be developed, especially with the issuance of Presidential Instruction No. 1 of 2021 concerning an economic acceleration in border areas, mainly at three areas, namely Skouw in Papua, Muatay in Belu, NTT and Aruk in Sambas, East Kalimantan.
In the future, similar activities will remain to be the agenda to stimulate the economy and tourism. “The Skouw border is also a tourism destination, so that tourists later will not only come to enjoy the atmosphere of the border but also enjoy culinary delights and watch cultural performances,” he explained.
A head of PLBN Skouw Yan Numberi, who was met at the same location, explained that Skouw Market was built with the concept of a modern market, which is equipped with mosques and churches, meeting rooms, food courts, mini theaters, and green open spaces and has become a border icon.
Numberi said, many tourists who visit the border will stop at this market for shopping activities or just walking around enjoying a comfortable atmosphere or doing worship.
Unfortunately, since Skouw Market was taken over by the Papua Provincial Government, this market has been ignored and seems neglected. As soon as you enter the Skouw Market complex, you can see garbage scattered about, areca saliva polluted the floor and many stalls were closed. ‘
When managed by BNNP, as many as 60 workers of cleaning service did cleaning and maintenance of the market and its area so that at that time it was very clean. However, after the transfer of assets to the local government, the funds for clean-up were stopped from the BNPP.
He hopes that the market will be well cared for and used for the common good where the improvement of the people’s economy can be started from a cross-border post with a modern market.
According to Komjen Waterpauw, the conditions occurres in the People’s Market had been reported to the Minister of Home Affairs, the Secretary of the Minister of Home Affairs and the Deputies at BNPP.
Later, Komjen Waterpauw said, the Skouw People’s Market matter would be cleared, the decision could be managed by the local government or it could be returned to the BNPP.