Few Balinese want to resettle

Few Balinese want to resettle

DENPASAR, Bali: The densely-populated tourist island of Bali
is finding it difficult to resettle its people to the less-dense
provinces of East Timor and Irian Jaya, Antara reported
yesterday.

The news agency quoted I Gde Suratmadja, head of the
provincial resettlement office, saying this year's target of
sending 87 families to the two eastern provinces has yet to be
met.

Suratmadja said sometimes the failure to meet the set target
was caused by the unreadiness of recipient provinces.

He insisted, however, that Bali had a good resettlement
record. "In the last three years, five resettlers from our
province have been named the best resettlers," he said.

In fiscal year 1996-97, Bali plans to send 1,985 families to
several provinces in Eastern Indonesia. "So far we have been able
to send 1,230 families," he added.

Bali and Java are Indonesia's most densely populated islands.
(swe)