Unspun

 After years of drinking in public waterholes, the foreign correspondents in Jakarta may at last have their own clubhouse in which they can drink copious amounts of alcohol cheap, bore each other senseless with their latest exploits in Papua , Aceh or the Indonesian bureaucracy amid a following of diplomatic and NGO-type groupies and, Unspun supposes, PR types.

The latest indication of this is a e-mail notice of an EGM  sent out yesterday to Jakarta Foreign Correspondents Club (JFCC) members (below). Unspun understands, however, that negotiations are still on between them and said businessmen, who’s a friend of Jason T.

The businessman will probably fund the clubhouse in exchange for the naming rights of the bar or the clubhouse lounge after his product. Not a bad deal all round if it means a decent watering hole that does not charge exorbitant rates as the current one for foreign hacks. The email message:

Dear members,
The Executive Committee is in discussions with a businessman that might lead to the opening of a JFCC clubhouse and secretariat. In order to realise this project, article 3 of the constitution, on limitations, needs to be amended.
If the project proceeds it would be a major and exciting development for the club, greatly enhancing our effectiveness and raising our profile in the city. For that reason, the committee believes it is crucial to pass this amendment – the details of which are below.
These proposals will be voted on at an Extraordinary General Meeting which will be held at Face Bar, La Na Thai restaurant at 7.15pm on Thursday 19 July, during the Third Thursday mixer.
Only foreign journalist members are entitled to vote. If you are unable to attend, please give your proxy to someone who intends to be present. Absentee ballots are also allowed. Both of these can be done by emailing ida@jfcc.info the name of the person you wish to be your proxy or whether you wish to vote for or against the amendments.
Furthermore, the executive committee has noticed one technical inconsistency in the constitution and would like to clarify how the constiution can be amended. We will be taking the opportunity of this meeting to make these two further amendments (details below).

We look forward to seeing you next Thursday

Regards

The Executive Committee