Tourist guides set up rival body

KUTA, Bali: The Indonesian Reform Tourist Guides Committee (KPRI) was established here on Sunday, shrugging off protests from the government-sanctioned Indonesian Tourist Guide Association (HPI) and the provincial administration.

A ceremony held at Hotel Sahid here to mark the inception of KPRI was attended by hundreds of tourists guides. None of the government officials who were invited attended the event.

KPRI secretary-general Wayan Gede Suardana said the association was legitimate because it had registered with the Ministry of Home Affairs in April.

"We have no intention to become a rival to the older organization," Wayan said, responding to a warning from the HPI branch in Bali that KPRI would harm tourism in the country's main tourist destination.

Governor Dewa Made Beratha earlier announced his office would not recognize KPRI, and confirmed that HPI was the only recognized tourist guide organization in Bali.

The chairman of HPI in Bali, Made Sudira, said KPRI consisted of unregistered tourist guides who did not have adequate skills. (zen/01)