The Bali Senator has encouraged the central government
to continue with the proposal to reopen the border to foreign visitors and the
Work From Bali (WFB) initiative.
AA Ngurah Adhi Ardhana, the Head of Commission III of
Bali Senator, stated that despite the increasing occurrences of new Covid-19
variations in various regions of Java such as Jakarta, Kudus, and Madura, the
strategy to revitalise Bali's tourist industry must be carried out as planned.
“There is no link between the increase of Covid-19 incidences outside of Bali
and our goal to opening our border to overseas visitors, therefore the
initiative must continue.” Ardhana stated this on Sunday (20/6).
However, Ardhana acknowledged that the scenario may
raise tourists' hesitation to visit the island, but he remains hopeful that
Bali is still secure as long as all preventative measures are properly enforced
in all tourist areas such as hotels, restaurants, and tourist attractions. “If
we can prevent the island from becoming a red zone for Covid-19 transmissions,
I believe we should maintain the proposal to restore the border on track, as it
would give the people of Bali hope for an end to this crisis.” Ardhana
explained.
He also says that the Work From Bali (WFB) Program
might be one of the solutions for individuals in Jakarta to prevent the
Covid-19 transmissions that are now on the rise in Jakarta by working remotely
from the island and undergoing thorough screening upon arrival. He also
projected that if the central government chose to postpone the transport
corridor initiative, Bali's economy will suffer much more. “Most Bali people
are presently in survival mode, which may collapse at any time if the border
stays blocked. As a result, I encourage the government to keep the initiative
on track by instituting stringent prevention protocols.” Ardhana concluded