Year 2000 could be the most difficult time for Caltex

The year 2000 has almost ended but for Caltex Pacific Indonesia the year would be difficult to forget. It could be the most difficult time it has ever had. Protests from the local people against the company's operations have become the daily menu of the oil giant. Some have even caused major disruption to the company's oil production.

Caltex president Humayunbosha acknowledged that the storms of the people's opposition against the company had often caused a major disturbance to the company. "The year 2000 is really the most difficult year for Caltex," he said in an interview with Riau Pos on Monday,

A series of protests have hit the company since the start of the year including the blockage of roads leading to some important production sites in Tanahputih in the Rokanhilir district. Only few weeks, ago the local residents set on fires at the sites.

Humayunbosha said that the company had suffered a loss of between US$15,000 and $30,000 or up to Rp 2.8 trillion due to damages in the company's production facilities and the disruption in the oil production activities.

He acknowledged that the increase in the protests during the year was partly due to the weakness of the company's community development program. "The community development program is not effective enough in dealing with the people's disappointment against the company's operation," he said.

Humayunbosha said that the management had agreed to make a major change in the community development program to ensure that all its activities will really address the people's needs. "

According to him, many people still regarded Caltex only as a company, which worked only for its own benefit and ignored the lives of the local people. (*)