Working as a farmer is to work in a profession identified with poverty in Bali, with those engaged in working the land for a living generally unable to provide for their basic daily needs, let alone school their children.

As quoted by Septarbali.com, Professor Dr. I Wayan Windia of Udayana University, in describing the dire economic situation of farmers, said, “To buy enough food is difficult, making it impossible to even pay attention to the continuing education of their children.”

Professor Windia revealed that research carried out by one of his students showed that the income of a Balinese farmer is less than that earned by the beggars who frequent Bali’s popular tourist areas. That study showed that a farmer working a land parcel of one hectare earns an average Rp. 6 million (US$625) during a harvest season of six months. Spread across a year’s time, this results in a monthly average income of Rp. 2 million (US$208). Meanwhile, it is estimated that a beggar earns an average of Rp. 2.2 million (US$229) each month.

Making the economic contrast even more severe, Professor Windia says that the average farmer in Bali farms only 25 are of land(2,500 square meters or one-quarter hectare), with some farmers working fields as small as 10 are (1,000 meters of 1/10 hectare).

The Udayana academic said a new approach is needed that will address the welfare of farmers who eke out a living from narrow strips of diminishing farm lands in Bali.

Among the solutions being explored is developing schemes where farmers till the soil in combination with raising stock animals, utilizing the manure produced by the animals to fertilize their farm lots. The develop of organic farming methods has the potential of reducing the cost of production and increasing income by selling pesticide-free produce that fetch top prices.

 

In order to increase the number of cruise ship visits to Bali, Pelindo III is cooperating with the Ministry of Tourism and the Creative Economy and the Ministry of Transportation.

Beritabali.com reports that an agreement between the three parties was signed on Friday, October 19, 2012 in Kuta, Bali witnessed by Customs and Immigration officials, the Benoa port administrator and cruise operators.

At that ceremony, the general manager of Pelindo III at the port of Benoa in south Bali, Iwan Sabatini, said the cooperation is being undertaken to promote the use of Benoa by cruise ships.

“This cooperation is being done to attract as many foreign tourists as possible arriving on cruise ships,” said Sabatini at a Cruise Workshop held in Kuta.

Sabatini said all parties to the agreement share a strong commitment to increase tourism numbers to Indonesia, especially in the field of cruise tourism.

[Cruise Ship Handling by Bali Discovery]

The Ministry of Tourism and the Creative Economy is in the process of preparing special sea routes for visiting yachts in order to lure a larger segment of yachts undertaking round the world cruises.

Firmansyah Rahim, the director general of tourism destination development at the Tourism Ministry said that past efforts to lure yacht tourism to Indonesia have been limited to sailing regattas and yacht races, such as Sail Indonesia, Sail Banda, Sail Morotai and similar events.

On the average, 500 foreign yachts have visited Indonesia each year.

“Now we hope that beyond the assistance of sailing events, individual yachts visiting Indonesia can reach 10,000 – 20,000 vessels each year, said Firmansyah.

He went on to explain that 70% of Indonesian territory is comprised of water that can be used by visiting sailing yachts from around the world.

As reported by Bisnis.com, in order to stimulate yacht tourism the President has issued a new regulation for this sector on October 31, 2012. These regulations have adopted a “prosperity approach” - utilizing mechanisms and procedures that remain user friendly without sacrificing security and safety.

“Unfortunately, after the Presidential Regulation was published, the number of visiting yachts did not increase causing us to contact sea tourism operators to determine how to overcome obstacles to their implementation in the field,” said Firmansyah Rahim at a seminar on Indonesian Yachting Opportunities held in Bali.

Firmansyah revealed that yachting routes are being prepared including technical data on wind directions to assist yachtsmen in their efforts to reduce fuel consumption.

The tourism office insists that yacht tourism has great potential to increase the average length of stay of foreign tourists in Indonesia and the average expenditure of those visiting tourists. Moreover, yacht tourism has the potential of penetrating the economic isolation of remote areas of Indonesia that are otherwise difficult to access due to infrastructure limitations.

He also emphasized that the independent and free-spirited nature of world yachtsmen is very much in keeping with Indonesia's rich variety of cultures and geographic areas covering an area equal in size to the United States.

The Indonesian Sea Tourism Association (GAHAWISRI) and the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy estimate that there are 50,000 yachts cruising the Asia-Pacific region each year. From that total it is hoped that Indonesia will be able to secure a 20% market share or about 10,000 sailing vessel.

If each of these 10,000 vessels carry a crew of 5 people and sails through Indonesian water for a period of three months spending 40 days on shore visits, the yachting sector has the potential of earning US$200 million in foreign exchange annually.

Also worthy of note, this income will occur in remote island areas of Indonesia, bringing a substantial multiplier effect to economic development in those areas.

[Yacht Handling by Bali Discovery]

Bashir Gadafi Polikoko, a 39-year old Ugandan caught at Bali’s airport trying to smuggle 1 kilogram of methamphetamines in 66 swallowed capsules, has heard Bali prosecutors ask for 16 years in prison as the punishment for his crime.

Quoted by Kompas.com, the public prosecutor told the Denpasar District Court on Tuesday, October 23, 2012, that the proof was clear that Polikoko has violated the narcotic law of 2009.

Prosecutors are seeking an additional fine of Rp. 800 million that, if left unpaid, will add an additional year to the man’s prison sentence.

Polikoko was arrested on Wednesday, May 30, 2012, after disembarking a Qatar Airways flight form Doha. After undergoing an initial inspection by Custom’s officials, the Ugandan was sent to a local clinic where medical imaging revealed the 66 capsules concealed in his digestive system.

In the following two days, the concealed capsules were coaxed from the man's intestines yielding 1.055 kilograms of methamphetamine.

The Ugandan's trial continues in the Denpasar District Court

Related Articles

[Choking to Death]

[And Another One Bites the Dust]

Local residents and visiting foreign tourists are complaining about the disorder and confusion surrounding the building of the underpass now taking place at the Simpang Siur intersection in Kuta, Bali.

Beritabali.com quotes a German visitor, Julia, who said: “I don’t feel safe passing this project. In addition to the dust, there are many piles of dirt along the side of the road, which is very dangerous for those passing through this area, especially those on motorcycles. The road project is very good for overcoming traffic congestion, but the work needs to better organized.”

Julia added: “In my country (Germany), there are no projects like this. (There) The contractors pay attention to the safety of the public.”

Similar complaints have also come from local citizens who travel through the construction zone. One of these is Made Sukarno who lives in Denpasar and works in Nusa Dua.

“Frankly, this road project is causing people stress – there are traffic jams and it’s very dusty. There are also piles of dirt on the side of the road. This is very dangerous for road users, even more so when it rains when the soil becomes muddy and slippery,” Sukarno explained.

Made Sukarno said he hope those working on the road project can work in a more organized fashion and pay attention to road user safety. He also asked that the piles of dirt and pools of water on the sides of the road be eliminated to enhance safety.

In response to these complaints, the government official overseeing the Simpang Siur Underpass Project, Hendro Satrio, explained that the road project has entered the phase of pouring cement on the left side of the roadway heading towards the Ngurah Rai Airport, claiming the underground project is now 62% completed.

“For this reason we apologize for any inconvenience caused to the traveling public. The pools of water (along the road) are not caused by broken water pipes, but we are in fact spaying water in these areas to reduce the heat and make the road more comfortable for the public,” said Hendro.

Bali’s first underpass project was commenced in 2011 and is scheduled for completion in 2013. The estimated cost of the project is Rp. 179 billion (US$18.6 million)

The Simpang Siur underpass is one of several infrastructure projects sponsored by the Central Government to prepare the island of Bali for the APEC Conference to be held in the last quarter of 2013.

The Committee for Environmental Advocacy (Kekal) adopted a somewhat different approach in their latest rounds of protest demonstrations staged to call on Bali’s governor to withdrawn a 55-year use permit granted to a private firms to manage a 102.22 hectare mangrove forest area located near Bali’s airport and to halt the building of the suspended highway connecting Benoa-Ngurah Rai Airport - Nusa Dua.

The protests were held on Tuesday, October 23, 2012, in front of the Governor’s office in downtown Denpasar. According to Radar Bali, only 17 protestors participated in the spirited street theatre, which was covered by 25 members of the press and 32 law enforcement officers.

The protest saw a group of protestors wearing masks resembling governor Made Pangku Pastika dance in “Gangnam Style” – an erratic dance style currently sweeping the globe and made popular by the South Korean rapper Psy. Prompting the unique form of protest were comments made earlier by the Governor suggesting those protesting various projects on environmental groups were “di-Gangnam Style-kan” or, in other words, acting as the paid pawns of others hiding out of sight.

The chairman of Bali’s Friends of the Earth (WALHI), Gendo Suardana, speaking to the Bali Post said: “We are dancing Gangnam Style as a protest because governor Made Pastika said we were ‘di-Gangnam Style-kan’ by certain parties. Please show who it is that is manipulating us!”

Clearly indignant, Gendo challenged governor Pastika to undertake an audit of all communication between the staff of WALHI and Kekal Bali. Adding: “I am ready to be audited. If it’s not enough to just audit Gendo, then please go ahead an audit my wife’s bank accounts too. If that’s not enough, then go ahead and search my house.”

Continuing, Gendo suggested that after the proposed audits of WALHI and Kekal are completed, the Governor should also be prepared to undergo an audit. Pursuing his point, Gendo said: “This is an open challenge to determine who (among us) is cleaner, more independent and who it is that is actually battling on behalf of Bali. Since 1995, I have demonstrated and protested without a single cent being paid to me. Moreover, we defended the governor completely when efforts were underway by the regencies and cities to revise the RTRWP (provincial zoning law).”

The demonstrators vowed to continue their protest until the Governor is prepared to meet with them personally and answer Kekal’s challenge to hold an open debate and present proof in support of his allegations that WALHI and Kekal are being manipulated.

Photo: Jaringnews/Sri Lestari
 

Garuda Indonesia has ended Q3 2012 with a US$56.06 million dollar profit, increasing 51.55% from the same period last year when a US$36.99 profit was booked.

According to the State News Agency Antara, a published reports submitted to the press by Garuda’s CEO Emirsyah Satar stated that the improved profitability is being driven by an increase in revenues to US$2.38 billion, up from US$2.08 billion through the end of Q3 2012.

Explained Satar: “The Company’s income is comprised of revenues from scheduled flights totaling US$2.12 billion dollars; unscheduled flights totaling US$60.54 million and other income of US$196.32 million dollars.”

In concert with the increase in company revenues, the expenses of the company have also increased to US$2.29 billion through Q3 2012, compared to US$2.04 billion in 2011.

The company’s profit has undergone a significant improvement in Q3 2012 to US$92.75 million, from just US$38.59 billion in 2011.

Through the end of September 2012, the Indonesian Stock Exchange (GIAA) books total assets of the company at US$2.2 billion, increasing from US$2.07 billion shown as of December 31, 2011.
 

The State News Agency Antara reports that Bali’s governor Made Mangku Pastika has announced that the provincial government of Bali will now shoulder the cost of hemodialysis for Bali residents under the Provincial Medicare Program (JKBM) commencing January 2013.

Speaking at a program to launch an electronic JKBM administration system in Denpasar, Pastika said that his office was now in the process of calculating how large a budget allocation must be set aside to cover the hemodialysis treatments.

Pastika asked: “If the provincial government is able to pay this expense, then why not?”

The governor said that the cost of a singe hemodialysis treatment can run Rp. 800,000 (US$83) and that patients suffering from kidney failure can need as many as two hemodialysis treatments every week.

Pastika said that chemotherapy treatments – used in cancer care, remain beyond the ability of the JKBM system to pay due to the very high cost of such medication. Similarly, the cost of treatment due to road accidents is not paid by JKBM, as coverage for road accidents are paid by the Jasa Raharja State insurance scheme.

In response to those that feel the e-JKBM program is not yet operating in an optimal manner, the governor expressed the opinion that the problem rests squarely with hospitals lacking the necessary political will to make the program run smoothly.

“I request that by the end of this month that everything is running smoothly, for if the program is not already up and running we will never know where the obstacles are,” explained the governor.

Meanwhile, the head of the Bali Health Service, Dr. Ketut Suarjaya, told the press that the e-JKBM system is in full operation at a number of hospitals and community health centers. But, in order to maximize the system, he said, the e-JKMBM must be integrated with the Health Information System (SIK) in operation at community health centers and the information systems running at hospitals.

Dr Suarjaya estimates there are sixty-some local health centers (puskesmas) that have already fully integrated the e-JKBM system, while another 50-some are still using an outdated diagnosis code system not compatible with the e-JKBM system.

According to Suarjaya, once the e-JKBM system becomes fully integrated the hospitals in Bali will benefit greatly in terms of financial efficiency, diagnostic procedures, prescriptions and the coordination of treatments.

Repeating the governor’s view, Suarjaya said the only remaining problem is the commitment of hospitals and health centers to make the program a success.

The provincial government has prepared 650 e-JKBM cards for use by Balinese residents in obtaining free medical care.

Indonesia Raya News reports that the 13th Developing Countries Vaccine Manufacturers Network Meeting (DCVMN) will take place in Kuta, Bali, October 31 - November 02, 2012.

“With the trust given to Indonesia to act we are also hoping that Indonesia can form partnerships with developing and Islamic countries, especially in research and development of new vaccine,” said M. Rahman Rustan, corporate secretary of PT Bio Farma.

In addition Bio Farma hopes to produce new vaccine strains for the developed countries.

Rustan says that “PT Bio Farma is Indonesia’s only vaccine manufacturer that hopes to become the research and the vaccine development center.

Rustan hopes that via the meetings to take place in Bali, the ability to both produce and ensure high quality of vaccine manufactured by developing countries can be enhanced in order that public health can be advanced.

This international meeting involves 37 manufacturers from 14 countries including Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cuba, Egypt, India, South Korea, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.

DCVMN’s membership is comprised of vaccine manufacturers several developing countries, first formed in 1999 in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia.

DCVMN’S First President was the then CEO of PT Bio Farma. The initial formation of the group reflected Bio Farma’s desire to help protect developing countries against the global threat of contagious disease.

According to Rustan, this challenge has been met in large part through increasing the supply and quality of vaccines produced by developing countries.

Much of the vaccine available in the global market today is manufactured by developed countries and sold at prices that are costly for the developing nations.

DCVMN’s commitment to encourage developing countries in the production of high quality and affordable vaccines is intended to eventually provide the third world with more financial independence.

Contributed by Denny Lim.

Imagine desperately wanting to go to school and not being able to because your family can’t afford to buy you a school uniform, notebooks or even a pencil. That’s the heartbreaking situation for countless children around the globe – which Pencils For Kids, Inc. is working hard to change.

Pencils for Kids, Inc. is dedicated to helping children in need in developing countries to attend school and, in doing so, build the foundation for a better future. They partner with other like-minded individuals, organizations and corporate sponsors to fulfill this mission. Pencils for kids believe that by working together the world can be transformed one child at a time.

[Pencil for Kids Website]

Following a recent visit to Bali with fellow-volunteer Retta Jitner, Bill Vogel of the Executive Advisor Board of Pencils for Kids wrote the following reminiscence of that visit:

+++

Every July, for the past 5 years, Retta Jitner and volunteers from America and Bali have been distributing uniforms and backpacks full of school supplies to children on the island of Bali. Retta’s charity, Pencils for Kids, Inc. is based in Los Angeles and is dedicated to providing needy school-aged children with the basics required in order for them to attend school.

As a board member of Pencils for Kids, Inc. this July I had the thrill of visiting Bali for the first time, while joining in the fulfilling process of providing over 830 beautiful children with backpacks full of hopes and dreams. Wow!....The sweet and gentle people of Bali; the magnificent beauty of the island; the warm and sincere thank you's (“terima-kasih”) from each child, each parent, each teacher all made my heart sing a melody I have never experienced before......

“Bali Ha’i May call you,
Any night, any day,
In your heart, you’ll hear it
call you: ‘Come away...Come away’”

As corny as it seems, all through the long flights from Los Angeles to Taipei and from Taipei to Denpasar that song repeated in my mind. Upon arrival, the congested sights and cacophony of sounds of the airport didn’t give me a clue about the beauty of the island and the sweetness of the people that I was about to experience. Within an hour after touchdown and after a very friendly greeting at The Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa, I was walking along the golden beach in front of the hotel....and that evening, dinner grilled on gorgeous Jimbaran Beach completed my transformation into the heaven-on-earth that is Bali.

The next day, over 30 volunteers from the hotel and around the island came to fill the backpacks (made in Indonesia) with all of the supplies shipped from the US. We formed an assembly line and with lots of laughter and fun the job was completed in about two hours. The next four days were long, but joyful, as we left the comfort of the hotel by 8:00am and drove on paved roads and dirt trails to villages from the city of Denpasar the mountain village of Jatiluwuh, to Ubud to Munduk Village...lakes and mountains, beaches filled with docked boats, monkeys on the side of the road, spice markets and temples...all leading us to school rooms filled with excited and beautiful children who were thrilled by our arrival and grateful for our gifts.

Many classes had prepared special dances, or songs, or greetings for us and they all performed with nervous pride and sincere warmth. Many had practiced saying, “thank you’, in English and all seemed so very grateful...for some, this was the only gift they would receive all year. In some places, the entire village came to greet us. At other stops, the parents came to cheer us on and to personally thank us. Some prepared special refreshments and one town made us an elaborate lunch.

We met teachers who work for little pay, with dedication and self-satisfaction, to educate the kids. We met a couple who founded and run 3 schools, charge the families nothing and support this effort on their own; another couple who run an orphanage for kids of all ages; a native of Bali who grew up in a poor village, became a successful businessman and is giving back by founding and funding schools. One small village was so grateful that they gave us a gift of two bags of coconuts.

Each day ended after sun down, but was filled with love and joy.

I left for home feeling so blessed to have had this experience, yet frustrated in knowing that I only scratched the surface of Bali and I shall always find special meaning in the lyrics:

“If you try, you’ll find me
Where the sky meets the sea.
‘Here am I your special island
Come to me, Come to me.’”

Bill Vogel
Pencils for Kids, Inc. - Executive Advisory Board
 

The foundations of an ancient temple has been unearthed in the yard of the Balinese priest, Ida Resi Bujangga Wesnawa Ganda Kesuma, on Jalan Trengguli Gang IV D in the Penatih area of Denpasar.

A research team of Denpasar-based archaeologists is estimating the temple dates from the 14th century.

As reported by Kompas.com, the discovery of the temple occurred when the land’s owner was attempting to create a water run-off area. While excavating the land, workers discovered 21 large blocks of stone.

The discovery was subsequently reported by the land’s owner to the Denpasar Archaeological Agency on October 14, 2012. Subsequent visits by a team of archaeologists uncovered large foundation stones measuring 1.2 meters each.

Officials have now excavated an area 11 meters long and 1.5 meters deep revealing in the process the foundations of what may prove to be the largest ancient temple yet discovered in Bali or any of the islands to the east. Experts, who have yet to discover the full extent of the buried foundations, have also found a separate site 40 meters away from the original discovery that may form part of the same temple structure.

Experts also see the stone foundations discovered as distinctive in style and composition for archeological sites in Bali linked to temples built in the 15th under the Majapahit dynasty.

Authorities now speculate that the aboveground elements of the temple were removed during the Japanese occupation of Bali in the 1940s.

Experts continue to investigate the site while discussing whether or not the location should be declared a protected historical site.

In keeping with its reputation as the host of a long series of premier culinary events, The St. Regis Bali have announced a night in which “Super Tuscan” wines will take center stage on Saturday, November 10, 2012.

Hosted by the owner and producer of the Tenuta San Guido Winery, Sebastiano Rosa and the St. Regis’ Chief Sommelier Harald Wiesmann, the memorable evening of outstanding Tuscany wines carefully paired with outstanding cuisines starts at 7:00 pm with cocktails, champagne and canapés at Kayuputi Champagne Bar.

Sassicaia Estate

Tenuta San Guido produces three wines from their estate in Bolgheri: Le Difese, Guidalberto and the iconic Sassicaia.

The Sassicaia estate in Bolgheri, coastal Tuscany, has been owned by the Gheradesca family since 1800. The magnificent avenue of Cypress trees, which lines the road for over three miles from San Guido up the hill to Bolgheri, was planted by Guidalberto Della Gheradesca at the beginning of the 119th century. Those trees now form an iconic landmark of the area, protected under law,

The first vineyard was planted on the estate in the early 1940’s using French grafts of Cabernet Sauvignon purchased from Château Lafite near Castiglioncello. The site was selected because of its perfect microclimate and the shelter from the sea breezes provided by the castle. The vineyard carries the name of the castle, a tradition honored at other vineyards at the estate adopting the names of nearby farmhouses or landmarks.

Tenuta San Guido’s Sassicaia and the vineyards of the island of Sardinia merged ten years ago to form Agricola Punica, bringing together Super-Tuscan sensibility and Sardegnian flair. Some of these new wines have been awarded 3 Bicchieri (equivalent to 95 points in the Wine Spectator) in the prestigious Italian wine book, Gamberro Rosso.

Outstanding Cuisine

The St. Regis’ Executive Sous Chef and Kayuputi’s Chef De Cuisine Agung Gede will present a 6-course degustation menu at the Mezzanine Level of Kayuputi at 07.30 pm. A refined dinner will be paired with 6 handcrafted boutique red wines from the Tenuta San Guido, Bolgheri and Sardinia area in Italy.

Dinner including wines is priced at Rp. 1.400.000 net per person (US$146)


WINE DINNER MENU

Kayupti - St Regis Bali

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Sassicaia Wine Dinner

+ + + +

Amuse-bouche
Otoro of tuna “Tataki”
with escargot and young root vegetable ragout, vanilla-milk foam

Montessu, Agricola Punica, Tenuta San Guido, Isola Dei Nuraghi, IGT, Sardigna 2009
Carignano, Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot

+ + + +

Pan seared duck foie gras
in red onion-wine consommé with thin slices of cured duck magret, organic egg yolk, caramelized onion and crispy red onion

Le Defise, Tenuta San Guido,
Bolgheri, Tuscany 2009
Cabernet Sauvignon & Sangiovese

+ + + +

Butter poached lobster tail from the Indian Ocean
tortellini of veal cheek with black truffle meat jus

Barrua, Agricola Punica, Tenuta San Guido,
Isola Dei Nuraghi, IGT, Sardigna 2008
Carignano, Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot

+ + + +

Slow roasted medallion of venison
served with braised venison shank,
wild mushrooms, pumpkin mousseline and juniper berry infused meat jus

Sassicaia, Tenuta San Guido,
Bolgheri, Tuscany 2007
Cabernet Sauvignon & Cabernet Franc

+ + + +

Fine selection of cheese from Tuscany
served with walnut bread and poached fig

Sassicaia, Tenuta San Guido,
Bolgheri, Tuscany 2008
Cabernet Sauvignon & Cabernet Franc

+ + + +

Hot bitter Guanaja chocolate fondant
kir sherbet, cocoa bean tuile, red wine coulis

Sassicaia Magnum, Tenuta San Guido,
Bolgheri, Tuscany 2007
Cabernet Sauvignon & Cabernet Franc

+ + + +

Coffee or tea
Mignardises


Reservations are a must and can be made by telephoning ++62-(0)361-300 6786 or by [Emailing Kayupti] 

For the second time, the regional government of Bangli in cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism and the Creative Economy sponsored the Batur Lake Festival at Kintamani on October 19-21, 2012.

The three-day festival was festooned with competitions, seminars, culinary events and cultural performances.

Denpost reports that outside several technical issues in the Festival’s execution, the Batur Lake Festival is generally considered to have been a successful event in terms of managing to present the range of programs promised by its organizers. But, if success is measured in terms of the Batur Lake Festival’s ability to bring tourists to Kintamani, either domestic or international, the event’s reports card is decidedly less stellar.

The press is reporting that during the three-day festival it was virtually impossible to identify any foreign tourists who had traveled to the area with the express intention of participating in the Festival. Those tourists who were in Kintamani discovered the Festival only by coincidence.

The lack of tourist visitors at the Batur Lake Festival was blamed on a lack of promotion by the event organizer.

Wayan Diatmika, a Kintamani resident who traveled back to his home turf to witness the festival first-hand, said: “Almost all the exhibition stands erected (at the festival) had few visitors. If anyone visited the stands, they were local people.”

There were other suggestions that the range and variety of programs presented during the festival were monotonous, designed primarily to accommodate the desires of selected locals. As a result, the stage performances attracted minimal interest.

The regent of Bangli, I Made Gianyar, spoke at the opening of the Festival calling on the organizers to take note and learn from the shortcomings of this year’s Festival and devise ways to use future events as a means to promote tourism to Kintamani. Said Gianyar, “Let’s not repeat the failings in the executive of last year’s and this year’s festival.”

The regent also recommended that next year’s event have more activities that will engage foreign tourists.

A Bali tourist leader, however, said the fundamental failure of the Batur Lake Festival in not creating an agenda for the event sufficiently far in advance and then publicizing the program internationally.

Related Article

[Eruptions of Joy]


 

That there are a great number of unlicensed and illegal villas operating in Bali’s southernmost regency of Badung hardly classifies as “news.”

Nonetheless, the escalating number of these villas seen as contributing to Bali’s oversupply of accommodation is becoming an increasingly divisive topic within the larger community, prompting those charge with protecting the regency’s finances to promise to survey the illegal villas and move against these business that fail to contribute to the island’s tax revenues.

The renewed promise of governmental action against illegal villas us being greeted enthusiastically by the advisor of the Bali Villa Association (BVA), Ismoyo Soemarlan.

As reported by Radar Bali, Ismoyo has asked the regency’s taxation officials to meet first with the BVA before moving against illegal villas in order that the competency of the review team can be adequately assessed.

“Why do we want to meet first? Because we want to know if the government’s team is qualified or not to do this job. If they are incompetent, then the exercise is a waste of time. There are many illegal villas who know how to trick the officials,” explained Ismoyo.

Ismoyo explained that if the illegal villa sector is properly surveyed and the rules enforced the additional tax revenues for the regency run between Rp. 10 – 25 billion (US$1 -2.6 million). Proper law enforcement measures would also serve to bring into line an estimated 250 illegal villas from an estimated 700 villas operating in the Badung region at the moment.

“The illegal villas contribute to unhealthy price competition. The legal villas who apply the official 21% tax and service charge required under law are automatically more expensive than the illegal villa,” said Ismoyo. “Because of this please arrange a meeting between the government survey team and the BVA.”

In response to Ismoyo’s request, the head of the Badung Revenue Department (Dispenda), I Wayan Adi Arnawa insists his team is ready and has no objection to being given input by BVA. “We appreciate the request of the BVA. A meeting between the survey team and BVA is a good idea. In addition to their input, we will also achieve maximum results,” said Arnawa.

The Badung regency has reportedly paid Rp. 200 million (US$20,800) for a digital software system that will identify and locate all villas in the Badung regency.

The provincial government of Bali is estimating that 325,000 vials of rabies vaccine will be on hand at the end of 2012 to enable phase IV in mass vaccination programs of dogs in Bali set to get underway early in 2013.

The head of the Livestock and Animal Health Department for Bali, Putu Sumantra, said on Thursday, October 25, 2012, predicts that only 50,000 vials will be used through the end of 2012 from the current stock of 375,000 vials.

Quoted by Seputarbali.com, Sumantra said, ‘Using vaccine available from last year and the support from the FAO (United Nations), some 280,000 dogs have been inoculated, leaving sufficient remaining stocks of vaccine (for the program to continue).”

Experts estimate that the total dog population of Bali stands at 320,000 animals. “Most of the 50,000 dosages of vaccine used in 2012 were for the inoculation of new born dogs and for ownerless street dogs. Hopefully, by November 2012 we will be able to complete the 2012 vaccine program,” said Sumantra.

Based on projections, the remaining 325,000 dosages should be sufficient to meet Bali’s needs through all of 2013 and into the beginning of 2014. This Sumantra sees as very good news and forms an essential part in Bali’s plans to once again become rabies free.

Sumantra used the occasion to remind residents of Bali to take good care of their animal, sterilizing their pets to control the dog population and surrendering dogs they can’t care for to new owners or the government.

Sumatra said Bali is overpopulated with dogs at 320,000 animals. He feels a more sustainable population would be 200,000 animals.

The sailing ship INS Sudarshini – a sail training ship of the Indian Navy arrived at Benoa Port in Bali on Saturday, October 27, 2012 for a five-day visit.

Commissioned in 1997 and built in Goa, India, the ship is 54 meters long and carries of total 20 separate sails. The ship’s complement of 73 includes 32 sailor, 34 cadets and 7 officers.

The ship’s name of “Sudarshini” translates as “the beautiful lady Sundari” and refers to a half-sister of the Lord Buddha.

On an extended training and friendship tour, the Sudarshini will return to it home port in India in March 2013.

According to the Bali Post, the ship that departed India on September 15, 2012, is spending an extended period in Indonesia having already paid visits to Padang (West Sumatra) and destined to visit Manado (North Sulawesi) November 10-13, 2012, after its Bali port-of-call.

The ship will visit 9 countries and 13 ports within the ASEAN region during its current cruise itinerary.

Captain Shyam Sundar of the INS Sudarshini told the press in Bali that the ship’s route is retracing the traditional trading routes traversed by Indian ships 5,000 years ago that brought commerce and religious missionaries to the ASEAN region.

He added that the mission of the voyage was to unite the youth of India and Indonesia, together with the youth of ASEAN as a whole, via a program of people-to-people contact.

During its Bali visit the ship was open for visits to the public on Sunday and Monday, October 28-29, 2012.

The once lucrative business of operating small family inns and home stays in Denpasar is in danger of becoming a part of Bali’s past, as many of the island’s losmens, Hotel Melati and Pondok Wisata are facing a non-sustainable economic future.

The backpackers, domestic tourists and traders who once filled these small hotels continue to come to Bali in record numbers but have forsaken these traditional forms of accommodation in favor of city hotels, furnished apartments and private residences available for rent on a monthly basis.

Occurring simultaneously with this downturn in business has been a burdensome increase in property taxes and a system of local taxation in which officials insists a “minimal” hotel occupancy tax rate apply, regardless of whether or not guests have occupied the small inns.

Quoted by Denpost, some small inn operators complain that it is not uncommon to go for a entire week without a new guest checking into their rooms that rent for as little as Rp. 100,000 per night (US$11).

In fact, the small hotels are finding it difficult to compete with the numerous City Hotels now operating in Bali’s Capital of Denpasar that offer air conditioned rooms with private en suite facilities, TVs and WiFi services at rates as low as Rp. 330,000 a night (US$34).

Local inn operators and other critics of the wave of City Hotels complain that Denpasar authorities too readily grant licenses to new hotels, ignoring rules existing regulations on setbacks, minimum room size, minimum number of parking spaces and green-coefficients of 40% from the total building area in thepermit process.

In response, Denpasar Tourism officials respond by saying the additional numbers of rooms are still needed to facilitate growing tourist arrivals and that the root cause of the empty small hotels and inns is the poor management of those businesses.

Putu Budiasa, the head of Denpasar’s Tourism office said: “Many of the ‘Melati’ hotels in Denpasar are managed under family business model and are not professional. This fact is surely influenced by the lack of synergy in the staffing and level of service they offer to their guests.”

In addition to failings of management, Budiasa also points to the declining physical state of many of these hotels and the lack of renovation. “If hotels are good, clean and neat then automatically their will exist a desire to use these properties, This is what is sometimes not acknowledged by the hotels’ owners,” cautioned Budiasa.

Budiasa told the press that Denpasar currently has 195 melati hotels, 34 pondok wisata and 28 starred hotels.

Budiasa said his office has received no reports of local hotels going bankrupt, saying his office provides training and guidance to small hotel owners to help them remain financially sustainable.

The Denpasar Meteorology and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) is warning local citizens that the imminent change of season heralding the start of Bali's rainy season is likely to bring localized whirlwinds or “mini-tornadoes” capable of inflicting destruction on local homes and businesses.

These mini-tornadoes – known locally as “puting beliung,” descend rapidly from cumulus nimbus cloud formations removing rooftops and leveling local building not constructed to withstand such strong winds in the process.

Experts blame the creation the “puting beliung” weather phenomenon on easterly winds interacting with especially high temperatures creating windstorms in which the velocity of the winds can be as high as 20-30 knots.

The rainy season in Denpasar is forecasted to begin in the second half of October.
 

The regency of Badung in Bali – the island’s southernmost region - is often accused of “selling” operating permits for new hotels. Within this context, the emergence of new “City Hotels” offering minimalist and modern facilities at bargain prices have been likened by the Bisnis Bali to the proliferation of mushrooms in the rainy season.

The regional government of Badung claims they have little legal basis for halting the growth in hotels and villas in their region, but, however, is studying new local regulations that could bring the unbridled growth of "City Hotels" under control.

“Indeed, City Hotels are not the type of hotels that should be emerging in Badung, although this is the case of late. But we cannot stop (these developments) so easily as there is no legal basis governing this area. We are in the midst of preparing regulations to control the development of City Hotels, “ explained the head of the Badung Tourism Office, Cok Raka Darmawan, on October 18, 2012.

According to Darmawan, the rules currently under review to control the growth of City Hotels may consider rules on minimal areas of land needed for new hotels.

Notwithstanding any new regulations under consideration, the exisiting 2009 provincial Zoning Law (RTRWP)  governing hotel developments in Badung already contains sections specifying minimal parking areas and the requirement of a 40% coefficient of open space for new hotel developments.

As a result, the chairman of the Badung regency of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI), I Gusti Ngurah Rai Surawijaya, told Bisnis Bali that many City Hotels violate many building existing codes and, because this, enforcement action must be taken now.

Badung Enforcement Officials (Satpol PP Badung) recently descended on the construction site of the Club Residence Canggu in Tibubeneng Village, North Kuta to forcibly halt the ongoing construction of that multi-townhouse development.

As reported by DenPost on October 15, 2012, officials seized and hauled off construction site equipment and issued a summons for the owner of the project to report to their offices.

According to the head of Satpol PP Badung, I Ketut Martha, his officers visited the construction site to confirm that the 14-unit housing development lacked the mandatory building permit (IMB). "We asked the developer to halt construction until an IMB was issued," said Martha.

Previously, based on reports sent to by local residents to Satpol PP Badung, two formal written warnings were issued by the regency calling for a stop on construction at the Club Residence Canggu. Those written warning have apparently been ignored.

Martha blamed the consultants involved in villa, hotel and housing developments for failing to process in a timely and correct manner the various principle permissions, environmental permits, environmental impact studies and building permits needed to build in Bali. When owners are called to his office to respond to summons, they typically reply by saying they did not understand the regulations and had been misinformed by their project consultant.

Martha called on all construction projects to post the required sign at the front of their project site listing the name of the developer and the details of the IMB needed to commence construction on a project.

In lieau of the required signboard with details of the projects licenses and IMB number, The Club Residence Canggu has a roadside billboard offering 3 bedroom units with private swimming pools on a “freehold” basis. (See image: DenPost)

The same billboard proclaims that many of the units under construction have already been sold, despite the units apparent lack of legal standing.

Also, that the units are being offered on a “freehold” basis remains legally dubious. Quite simply, “freehold” for foreigners does not exist under Indonesian law. While Indonesian nationals may purchase property on an equivalent “hak milik” basis, the presentation of that option in English could be interpreted to presuppose that that foreign nationals are being offered property ownership under legal structure that is strictly unavailable to them in Indonesia on what, according to local press reports, remains an illegal property development.

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Efforts by 300 law enforcement officials drawn from the Bali police headquarters, mobile police brigade (Brimob), and Denpasar and Kuta police precincts - led personally by the vice-chief of the Denpasar Police Putu Mahasena, and accompanied by officers of the Surabaya Commercial Court were forcibly prevented from executing a court order on the Hotel Bali Kuta Residence (BKR) on Tuesday, October 23, 2012.

The massive grouping of police and court officials were barred from taking over the hotel complex by what Denpost describes as hundreds of "muscled men" wearing white ribbons and the owner of the BKR.

Police officials, fearing an escalation in violence and a breakdown in civil order, did not charge the roadblocks set up on the access road manned by the men who also occupied the Hotel’s lobby area.

The police, wearing full anti-riot gear, took a position some 100 meters from the BKR Hotel. Meanwhile, negotiations took place between the owner of the BKR, Gusti Agung Made Agung representing the owners and the police.

Eventually, a police representative, Police Commissioner Alit, said that as a representative of the Bali police his officers were only performing their assigned duties and had no desire to enter into open combat with members of the local community.

The judicial seizure of the BKR Hotel is linked to the bankruptcy of the property's developer and efforts by creditors to assume control of the investment. Both the bankruptcy and the decision of the Surabaya Commercial Court surrendering control of the hotel to the creditors are being resisted and under judicial appeal.

Ignoring threats of violence from those opposed to the takeover, representatives of the Surabaya Commercial Court read aloud the judicial decision, albeit at a distance from the actual property. After reading the court’s decision, the court official said their job was done and the matter now rests with the curator.

A spokesman for the developers insisted the court's decision cannot be enforced while the decision is under review and the process that declared the project bankrupt was the subject of a criminal investigation.

Agus Samijaya, speaking for the developers and those barring official access to the BKR Hotel said: “Where’s the justice? Law without morality is bullshit, and this is clearly a robbery!”

By mid-day the large group of police and court officials withdrew from the roads leading to the KBR Hotel, leaving the “muscled men” still guarding the property.
 

A proposal by the Indonesian government to eliminate English and Science from the national curriculum of grade school students has been greeted with shock and dismay in many quarters in Bali.

Quoted in Nusa Bali, the secretary of Commission D of the Bali House of Representatives (DPRD-Bali), A.A. Putu Wibawa said that the removal of English for the grade school curriculum by the Ministry of Education and Culture must be seen as a retreat and a sidelining of advances taking place internationally in technology.

The man who administers the DPRD Commission charged with oversight of educational matters commented, “Now, if you even want to access a computer you need a foreign language.”

In Wibawa’s view, English language forms the basis of international knowledge, especially in the fields of information and technology (IT). Because of this, if Jakarta’s plans to eliminate English language and science education for young Indonesians goes ahead, he is asking that a requirement for English lessons be imposed on the provincial level in Bali. Adding, “I think that lessons in English must be maintained, even (if only) as a local component in their education.”

Commenting further, Wibawa questioned the arguments put forth by the Ministry of Education that the elimination of English was needed to optimize the study of Indonesian and regional languages. Asking: “What’s the connection between the elimination of English? There’s no correlation with (advancing Indonesian and local languages) eliminating English.”

Meanwhile, educational experts have joined the chorus, decrying the elimination of English as a step backward in Indonesian educaitonal policy, insisting the proposal be carefully reviewed.

Among those calling for a reconsideration are Bali educational experts Dr. Ir. Putu Rumawan Salain M. Ed. and Drs. I Putu Sarjna M. Sci..  Said Putu Sarjana, “The recommendation is a step backward in a global situation in which competition is increasing.”

If this plan goes ahead, Sarjana said the students will suffer, citing the example of the Scholastic International Olympiad for grade school students that is always conducted in English.

The educator said that if the government wishes to strengthen knowledge of Indonesian and other languages, the government does not need to eliminate the study of English. He also commented that the use of English is especially important in Bali as an international tourism destination. He concluded, that without a command of English the people of Bali will be increasingly marginalized and incapable of competing internationally.