Growing Trade Market, Governor Viktor Supports Ministry Of Transportation Opening Merauke Sea Toll Road To NTT

East Nusa Tenggara Governor Viktor Bungtilu Laiskodat (ANTARA/HO-Public Relations Bureau of the Regional Secretariat of NTT Province)

NTT - East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Governor Viktor Bungtilu Laiskodat supports the Ministry of Transportation (Kemhub) to open a sea toll road from Merauke, Papua Province to NTT to support economic growth in the two regions.

"I fully support the opening of this sea toll route because it can spur economic growth in the eastern part of Indonesia," he said in a press release from the Public Relations Bureau of the NTT Secretariat received in Kupang, Antara, Thursday, August 19.

The governor said this when receiving an audience with the Special Staff of the Minister of Transportation for Inter-Institutional Relations, Buyung Lalana, with officials from the Directorate General of Sea Transportation at the Ministry of Transportation, Bharto Ari Raharjo.

He said that with the Merauke-NTT sea toll road, the trading market for various commodities could be expanded.

When Marauke has excess rice production, he said, it can be supplied to NTT, as well as NTT also has a lot of potential that can be transported by sea toll to be marketed in Papua.

Governor Viktor gave an example, such as the salt commodity which is widely produced in Sabu Raijua Regency with the best quality, but difficult to market.

"I have to call the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs about this. Instead of exporting salt from abroad, it is better for us to buy thousands of tons of salt from farmers," he said.

In addition, he said, NTT also has the potential for beef, seaweed, and others that can be marketed to Papua and surrounding areas via the sea highway.

"Therefore, it is necessary to support transportation infrastructure so that these various commodities can be marketed to various other regions so that the economy in this area can grow quickly," he said.