Bali's giant statue project begins
By Pandaya
DENPASAR (JP): The construction of a 140-meter tall monument worth Rp 200 billion (US$83 million) has begun on the holiday island of Bali, a bold move expected to boost tourism in the coming century.
The Garuda Wisnu Kencana monument, being built on a 174- hectare plot on top of Ungasan Lime hill, 12 kilometers south of here, has been dubbed the future "landmark of Indonesian tourism".
Its architect, Nyoman Nuarta, promised the monument would be this century's greatest that would be on a par with world wonders like Temple Borobudur, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Statue of Liberty.
"It will be a blend of art, technology and business," he said when introducing the gigantic project to a pack of journalists on the luxurious Quicksilver cruiser on Genoa Bay on Saturday.
When the idea was made public in the early 1990s, the project met strong opposition from the Balinese. Local intellectuals and entrepreneurs voiced concern over the impact it would have on local culture and small-scale craftsmen.
Amazed by the huge cost, critics said the monument was a misplaced priority in the government's development program.
After the debate died down, the government and Nuarta went ahead with the plan.
Although actual construction began some time ago, the groundbreaking ceremony was only held yesterday at the project site where hundreds of workers race against time to complete the project by the year 2000.
Nuarta, well-known for his giant statues, has almost completed the 12-meter tall God Wisnu's head in his studio in Bandung. The statue will be shipped in segments to Bali.
Present at the ceremony were Bali Governor Ida Bagus Oka, Minister of Tourism, Post and Telecommunications Joop Ave, Minister of Mines and Energy I.B. Sudjana and top local officials.
The Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue depicts Wisnu, a Hindu god that safeguards the world, riding an eagle. It symbolizes people's support of development that aims at improving the nation's welfare.
The monument will be visible to visitors arriving at Ngurah Rai Airport and Genoa Port, Bali's gateways.
As soon as the statue is completed, recreational and business facilities will be built in the immediate vicinity, and nearby will be lagoons, a shopping center and banks.
Project officials estimate the project will break even in 2007.
Joop Ave said the monument was a breakthrough in that so far tourism development focused on building hotels and infrastructure but not on creating tourist attractions.
"The monument is expected to become one of Bali's main attractions for at least one century," he said.
As to funding, no project official would go into detail.
Nuarta said that "most" of the money came from PT Garuda Adhimatra which he controls. The rest is provided by state-owned Bali Tourism Development Center and donors.