Preserving Paotere’s Past
Not too long ago, Paotere in Makassar, South Sulawesi was a busy port serving traditional boats and tall ships plying the high seas of the archipelago. But they are losing ground to bigger and more modern ships, causing many of their crew to lose their jobs. To capitalize on the historical value of this old port, Paotere has been named a principal destination of the Visit Makassar 2011 program, while the business community looks into reactivating the traditional shipping industry. Can tourism and a creative business strategy preserve Paotere’s past and sustain its future? The correspondents of Tempo English Edition report from Paotere, South Sulawesi.
April 27, 2011
THE traditional port of Paotere was deserted that noon. Only a small number of vehicles and people were entering the port. Workers and truck drivers were relaxing at a coffee stall or under a tent. Ship crew members were lying while enjoying Indian-tinged dangdut pop songs that sounded out of tune. Loading and unloading were only seen on one truck carrying cement owned by PT Semen Bosowa Maros.
Deputy supervisor of PT Teluk Mandar, Abdul Hamid,
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