Tuesday, December 8, 2015

BALI…Latest Updates…Om Swastiastu ...





Bali’s Deputy Governor warns that HIV/AIDS cases are on the increase in Bali.


Corruption-related news leads this week’s Bali Update. A leading lawyer has publicly accused Bali’s Deputy Governor of criminal conspiracy in the falsification of land titles for a major project at Uluwatu. And, the trial of two airport immigration officers is about to commence in Denpasar where they are charged with extorting money from a Chinese tourist.

Protests against the reclamation of Benoa Bay have gone international by mounting public protests against reclamation in Paris at the COP 21 talks.

In transportation news, hundreds of Go-Jek Drivers are protesting their sudden terminations at the Denpasar headquarters. Those traveling by UBER in Bali can now pay in cash.

The Bali police have convened a meeting of foreign consuls in Bali to share details on how security has been stepped up in the post-Paris attacks and the run-up to local elections and year-end celebrations. And, to make Kuta more secure, 90 more CCTV cameras will be installed in 2016.

Bali’s Governor traveled to Karangasem in East Bali to scold regency officials for taking pointless overseas trips at the public’s expense and candidates for making elections promises they can't afford to keep.


Last week saw Bali focus on the problems of its disabled residents. The Bali Sports Foundation and Solemen Indonesia hosted a joyful International "Disabled Day" via a day filled with sports activities. From Bali’s north, we have the story of a courageous young woman making an important mark in the art world despite the burden of severe congenital deformities.

Weather and nature remain in the news. Bali’s weather forecasters say a heavy rainy season will cover the Island in January. Perhaps due to a generalized shortage of water, large bottles of mineral water are “drying up.” Alert levels on Mount Bromo volcano in East Java have been raised. Meanwhile, Mount Barujari is showing revitalized signs of life on the Island of Lombok that is again posing a possible threat to Bali aviation.

Hotel and Restaurant News. Jamie’s Italian Kuta Beach Restaurant launches a healthful new menu for both adults and children. Bali’s Governor threatens to publish a list of hotels that have failed to incorporate Balinese architectural elements in their final structural design that he sees as representing a failure to embrace the Island and its culture.

Aviation News: Indonesian aviation officials have published the results of a yearlong review of the crash of AirAsia QZ8501 in December 2014.

Cultural News: UNESCO has elevated nine Balinese dances to World Heritage Status. A religious figure in North Bali reminds that the inner sanctum of Balinese temples is reserved exclusively for the devout involved in prayer and should be off-limits for photo sessions by visiting tourists.

The struggle to save Bali’s iconic Starling continues, as rangers fight efforts by poachers to capture and sell the bird struggling to re-establish a wild population at the West Bali National Park.

Bali by the Numbers: Read our report on tourist arrivals through the end of October 2015 in the latest installment of “Bali by the Numbers.” While, a leading economist says the Rupiah will pass the Rp. 14,000 rate to one U.S. dollar by year’s end.

Looking Ahead:


 

 

Om Çanti Çanti Çanti Om ...

J.M. Daniels,
Editor Bali Update
Bali Discovery Tours
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