Suggestions to Ancol Marina

We would like to express our most sincere appreciation to Arthamara Wisata (Ancol Marina) and the staff at Bira Besar island for a most relaxing and enjoyable Easter weekend.

However, as professionally run as the actual vacation was, the trip to and from the island was an experience that left us as less than satisfied customers.

Our comments and suggestions are as follows:

1) On arrival, the docks at Ancol Marina were under construction, leaving holes large enough for a small child to slip through, or for a customer to fall in and break a leg. Our suggestion to the management of the Ancol Marina would be to close a single dock and complete all work on that dock before opening it to the paying public.

2) There are fuel lines laying exposed on the docks, and both dock workers and customers are not prohibited from smoking on the docks. As this clearly represents an explosion risk, smoking should be prohibited in or around the dock area. "No Smoking" signs need to be clearly posted and the rule enforced!

3) The "speed boats" were obviously overloaded, and only insistence of the customers prevented the boats from leaving under these dangerous conditions. Our request would be that the boats have the capacity clearly posted, and that no boat be allowed to leave with more than the legal capacity. Perhaps a naval officer or port official should be charged with this responsibility, and the captain of the boats be held strictly responsible. (Perhaps losing their captain's license for violations?)

4) On the return trip from the Thousand Islands to Jakarta, the boat was supposed to land at Ancol Marina, but because of the size of the ship, it was diverted to a different port. This caused considerable frustration as people were trying to contact their drivers to alert them to the change in arrival destination. We are not sure who is responsible to organize the trips out and back from the islands, but these kinds of snafus are an indication that the management is not taking responsibility to adequately organize and coordinate the efforts.

Our experiences in dealing with the staff was positive, yet they clearly lacked the authority to make the changes the customers were demanding. As long-term residents of Indonesia, we are appalled at the seeming inability or unwillingness of the management of Ancol Marina to put in place simple "common sense" solutions that would turn the Thousand Island experience from one of frustration and danger, into a world-class tourist destination.

Reform is not just a "top down" process, but requires "bottom up" changes. When is this going to happen at Ancol Marina?

PAUL D. GIAMMALVO

Jakarta