Island golf

Island golf

An advertisement you ran a couple of weeks ago for a cruise
ship offering island golf jogged my memory about Bira Island, one
of the Thousand Islands north of Jakarta. In May or June last
year the media questioned the legality of a proposed golf course
on this island, which lies in a protected nature reserve. At that
time, the necessary permits were not in place and the outcome of
the environmental impact study was pending. As far as I know,
since then everything has gone quiet. Perhaps the Post would run
a follow-up on the conclusion to the study.

It will be interesting to see the results of this study,
particularly with respect to possible long term effects on the
environment of by nutrients and chemicals used to maintain the
greens affecting the coral that forms the island and hence into
the surrounding seawater.

NICK FENTON

Jakarta