Friday, September 18, 2009

Jero Karang for the Next Culture and Tourism Minister



Tourism community in the eastern part of Indonesia expects President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to select qualified professional as the Minister for Culture and Tourism in his next cabinet to work between 2009 and 2014. Having the right person in position is essential to bring Indonesian tourism back from the set back caused by various issues including terrorism and global financial crisis as well as building strength to stand the competition especially against neighboring countries.
“In organizing his new cabinet, for the position of Minister for Culture and Tourism, we the tourism community of eastern Indonesia expect the President to choose experienced practitioner with proven success in tourism business”, Nico Pasaka, the regional coordinator for eastern Indonesia of Indonesian Association for Tour and Travel Agencies (ASITA), said in Tanjung Benoa.

Nico believes that among candidates considered suitable for the position and therefore deserves a full support is Balinese tourism practitioner Jero Gede Karang Tangkid Suarsana. “We, tourism community in eastern Indonesia support Jero Karang for the Minister of Culture and Tourism. In our views, he has been well tested, ke knows exactly the problems and challenges of tourism industry. He has also delivered his merit in building international image of Indonesian tourism through cultural tourism programs”, Nico continued.

Having experienced practitioner in the industry as the minister, Nico confidents that Indonesian tourism will quickly recovers from the current setback, the situation which currently taken as an advantage by neighboring countries to grow their own benefits.

“We need the right person who knows exactly the various problem of tourism industry such as promotion, airlines, and so on to quickly address them instead of letting them carry on like the current situation”, he continued.



Saturday, September 5, 2009

Restaurant Waste Damaged Coral Reef



Coral reef revitalization project at Kelan Beach, Tuban, is facing obstacles. Damages to coral reef caused by domestic waste as well as hotels and restaurant disposed directly to the sea were found at several locations.? The situation was exposed by The Head of Office for Husbandry, Fishery, and Marine of Badung Regency, I Made Badra. However he confirmed that revitalization project of 12 hectares of coral reef at Kelan Beach to continue. Unfortunately level of damages caused by hotel and restaurant waste in certain locations came into serious extent that solution to restore them has not even elaborated. Damages caused by similar reasons were also found at Kuta Reef and Tuban Reef.

Badra said that the government of Badung Regency continuously intensify protection of the sea. At the moment protection of reef and water quality is conducted by related institutions between Tuban and Legian. “We continuously monitor water quality to measure level of pollution including in Legian area”, he said. Back to coral reef at Kelan Beach, Badra promised that physical implementation of the revitalization effort will start to become visible within the next one month.

At the moment the team is constructing media. Research on species to be planted is also in progress. The effort is expected to be expanded up to Legian area. “Revitalization area will be continuously expanded and in the future will be developed for marine tourism”, he added. “Management will be later on handed over to fishermen groups”.



Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Hotels in Lembongan Dispose Waste to the Sea



Management of hotels in Jungbatu, Lembongan, Nusa Penida, have shown their gut to violate regulations and ignore the environment. They disposed their waste directly to the sea as they did not have adequate waste processing system.

The situation has for sure brought negative impact to marine biota such as fishes and coral reefs. Unfortunately years of violation has never been responded with strict law enforcement by the government. So far all the government has done was something they called as coaching, despite of the fact that the water around Jungbatu, Lembongan, was designed as a conservation area and therefore deserved for extra protection.

As published by Bali Post daily, there are at least three tourism accommodation provider which dispose waste directly to the sea, as reported by local residents to Environment Office of Klungkung, namely CBR, LIBV, and BKR. All of those Bali hotels, Bali villas, and Bali resorts holds all documents related to environment in place, and have been in operation for at least five years.

Head of the Environment office of Klungkung, Dewa Oka Kusumajaya confirmed that his office has received the report about environmental violation conduct submitted by locat residents of Jungbatu. In response, his office has immediately sent an inspection team. However out of three hotels reported, only one has proven to be violating the regulation as reported, which was Bali resorts CBR, owned by Ni Luh Putu Kurniawati.

Dewa further explained that during the inspection, the team has expanded the target to 8 hotels instead of only 3 as reported. “For the time being we have warned them to stop their violation by building adequate waste treatment facility. We will closely monitor their progress. If they remain in negligence, we will be compelled to enforce the regional regulation of Bali No. 4/2005 on pollution and environmental damage. Penalty can be fine or revocation of operational license”, he said.