Switzerland Deputy Ambassador, Daniel Derzic with stakeholders in Wamena (Jubi)
Wamena, 7/5 (Jubi) – Switzerland Deputy Ambassador, Daniel Derzic visited Wamena on Wednesday (7/5) to meet with the government of Jayawijaya Regency and other officials.
The Swiss delegation met Regent Wempi Wetipo, Regional Secretary Yohanes Walilo, the Jayawijaya police chief and the head of the local military command at the regent’s office to discuss the current situation in Jayawijaya, including the idea of establishing a Papua Central Highlands province.
Wetipo told reporters after the meeting that Derzic asked him whether the creation of a Papua Central Highlands province would help the local government to find solutions to existing problems.
“We explained to him about the current situation in this region. When he asked whether the establishment of Papua Central Highlands province would help the local government to find solutions for the current issues, I said yes. The Province of Papua Central Highlands would ensure the government focus on the infrastructure; we will build the roads and bridges to provide decent and better life to the community,” said Wetipo.
He said the new province would bring the focus of development to the region.
“So I thought Mr. Derzic had already known about this discourse. He even heard that 13 regencies has agreed to join the new province, but I said there are only 11 regencies represented by the Regent Association, and we’ll see who will join later “ he said.
The regent said he told Derzic that Wamena has become a health service center for the Central Highlands region since its hospital has been assigned as a referral hospital, but it has limited facilities.
Wetipo said he hoped the central and provincial Government will pay attention to infrastructure and provide the general hospital with medical staffers including doctors and equipment to accommodate the health services for the residents of the Papua Central Highlands region.
“He also asked whether the local government would build a Jayapura-Wamena highway. I said I was not able to answer this question because it’s the authority of the central and provincial government. But the distance between Jayapura and Wamena is about 580 kilometers, so we couldn’t develop it,” the Regent said.
Derzic also sought information on educational issues and expressed concerns about high prices of goods.
“We hope it serves as a feedback to the central government to seriously and genuinely care about the people in the Papua Central Highland region to live properly just like others in other regions,” he said.
Meanwhile, Derzic told to reporters the purpose of his mission in Wamena was part of his tasks as a diplomat, including observing Indonesian regions. He said Wamena as the centre of Papua has become his concern because of obstacles it faces, including in the education, health and infrastructure sectors.
“I was impressed to hear about the local government’s efforts to solve difficulties related to infrastructure. Of course the road is the important infrastructure to connect Wamena with other areas, so a plan to build a highway is very important to help the local people,” he said. (Jubi/Islami/rom)
