AT A TIME when Bali’s economy is booming, one of its businessmen, Kadek Wiranatha, is more hopeful than ever for the island’s fortunes, describing Bali as being in its “taking off” phase.

Having long been involved in the tourism sector, with a string of fashionable entertainment ventures in popular areas such as Seminyak and Legian, Kadek says he is confident of good times ahead.

“It’s good. The economy is dependent on tourism,” he said.

Kadek, however, is nothing if not a humble man, and refuses to accept accolades for his, or Bali’s, successes. “There are many other people who have built up Bali,” he said.

Others involved in Bali’s tourism industry point to Kadek as facilitating investment in the island and driving its tourism industry. …click here to read more

Popularity: 12% [?]

IN a last-ditch attempt to overturn the death penalty, Scott Rush’s lawyers will call on three witnesses to give evidence in the Bali Nine inmate’s final appeal in the Indonesian Supreme Court late next month.

Rush’s Indonesian lawyer, Robert Khuana, would not disclose the identities of the witnesses for security reasons, but he has not ruled out calling courier Renae Lawrence, who is serving 20 years with Rush in Bali’s Kerobokan prison. Mr Khuana said on Tuesday he was afraid that Rush, who is facing the death penalty for drug smuggling, would be moved from Kerobokan to a prison island off central Java, as the Bali bombers were in preparation for their execution.

Rush, 24, will be the first to lodge his appeal, ahead of fellow Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, also facing death for their part in a plot to smuggle 8.3kg of heroin from Indonesia to Australia in 2005.

Mr Khuana outlined the arguments he would use to try to save Rush from execution, saying Rush was a courier, not an organiser, did not technically export the drugs, and that the judges failed to read all the facts and did not differentiate between the cases.

Leading a six-member legal team, Mr Khuana will present Rush’s case in the PK, or Reconsideration, a review of the prisoner’s last failed appeal to the Supreme Court in 2007, before different judges. …click here to read more

Popularity: 22% [?]

On an island where the rush to develop modern structures completely devoid of any architectural elements that pay homage to Bali and its ancient heritage is in full throttle, some projects are so fundamentally shocking as to earn special disfavor in the misguided race to abandon Bali’s natural beauty, its local traditions and established zoning laws.

Two such projects, now in various stages of development – C151 Dreamland (PT Hanno Bali) and Anantara Uluwatu threaten to irrevocably blemish the majestic limestone cliffs of Bali’s southernmost peninsula.

What Moratorium?

Running desperately short of fresh water and electricity, Bali’s officials have sporadically promised to put a freeze on new hotel projects. But these project which between them offer luxury restaurants, wedding chapel’s shops and business centers manage to squeeze past any moratoriums, presenting themselves as “private apartments” that are curiously available at nightly rents of up to US$10,000. …click here to read more

Popularity: 43% [?]