DENPASAR – Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika received an invitation from the Indonesia Coordinating Maritime Affairs to discuss the publication of Bali Sustainable Transport and Connectivity Initiative by the World Bank Consultant. The meeting held on Monday (3/19) was also to clarify the cancelation of Buleleng Airport in North Bali.
On his Press Release on Tuesday (3/20), Head of Public Relations and Protocol Bureau of Bali Province I Dewa Gede Mahendra Putra explained, at the meeting, Governor said that some of the World Bank Consultant’s study is not feasible and only relying on economical aspect, while an ideal study according to the Governor, should also considers other aspects such as social, political and cultural.
Pastika explained that the plan to build a new airport in North Bali is based on a larger interest to overcome economic disparity of South and North Bali. According to him, the airport in North Bali has been coveted for a long time and has been included in Perda (Local Regulation) No. 6 of 2009.
He believes the new airport will bring benefits to the surrounding community and the development of Bali. “Not only in terms of income, the creativity of people around the airport will also increasing,” he added.
Related to the suggestion to build a road through the hills to shorten the access of Denpasar -Singaraja, Pastika argues that it can be worked simultaneously with the construction of the new airport.
Pastika also regretted that the study conducted by World Bank Consultant did not involving the Bali Provincial Government. Therefore, if there will be another study, he hopes the World Bank will involve the government and the people of Bali as the side who know what infrastructure development is needed for Bali.
Meanwhile, the Deputy of Infrastructure Coordination of Coordinating Maritime Affairs Ridwan Djamaluddin said to complete this task intensively. The next meeting is scheduled to be held next week.
