DIVERSIFICATION PLAN IS SET TO DRIVE INDUSTRIALIZATION WHILE RESPECTING THE ENVIRONMENT

A.J SONDAKH Governor North Sulawesi Province

The northernmost province of Sulawesi is a marine and garden paradise attracting divers and eco-tourists from all over the world. North Sulawesi’s main draw for foreigners has been tourism, but now the provincial government has implemented an ambitious six-point plan to attract investment and diversify the economy.
Provincial Governor A.J. Sondakh says the six main elements in the program are law and order, education, technology and the environment, agriculture and agribusiness, fisheries and tourism. “We have good conditions here for investors and these have become pivotal in allowing development in North Sulawesi,” he says.

The province’s primary export commodities are coconut oil and fish and during the last five years foreign investment has been concentrated on agriculture, the food industry, timber, metal goods, and hotels, with a total investment approval of $224 million.

“Our main task is to attract more foreign capital,” says Mr. Sondakh. “With this we can guarantee the successful process of industrialization.” The Governor explains that, to achieve this, changes are under way in the investment environment. “We are revising the laws and making good governance a priority to help reduce the costs of doing business. In addition, we are getting the infrastructure ready to meet the demands of economic growth,” he adds.
North Sulawesi is accessible by air from both Singapore and Bali. The province has four airports, with Sam Ratulangi only a few minutes’ drive from the capital Manado. Visitors will be delighted by the warm and friendly reception given by the locals, the high standards of the province’s hotels and, its principal attraction, the diving resorts.

WHITE-WATER RAFTING and coral shores offer the adventurous traveler plenty of opportunity for an active vacation.

Most divers will tell you that Bunaken National Park is one of the world’s most wonderful ocean playgrounds, but North Sulawesi offers many others, such as those of the Lembah Straits. The clear tropical waters are warm and harbor a tremendous variety of marine life, from diverse coral to sharks and pygmy seahorses.
In line with the government’s diversification plans the province is also trying to make a name for itself on the broader tourism map. For eco-tourists there is the chance to see more wild and rare species living in one small area than anywhere else in Indonesia.

In the 22,000 acres of Tangkoko-Duasudara Nature Reserve there are 22 different mammals, 178 different species of bird and 15 kinds of reptiles, many of which can only be found on Sulawesi. It is certain that you will see crested black macaques, as Sulawesi is home to the world’s greatest concentration of this unique animal, as well as ornate lorikeets, dwarf hornbills, parrots and kingfishers.
The people of North Sulawesi are well aware that economic progress must be balanced with care for the environment. In areas like Bunaken funds are raised directly from visitors to support the ecology and employ locals to help with conservation.

The transition under way respects the importance of environmental protection, and Mr. Sondakh points out that the people remain supportive of what has been achieved so far.
“We are entering a new stage and although there are many changes that we have to make with limited preparation and experience I feel that we have the backing of a close society in support of the government’s policies,” he says.
“We would like our people to be leaders in justice, in peace, law and order, civility and welfare, and to become key players in Indonesia,” adds Mr. Sondakh.