I just wrote this in response to two heartfelt comments published in The Jakarta Post's Readers' Forum by Brian Gunn, Culburra Beach, Australia and Michael Beer, Amlapura, Bali on Dec. 27, p. 7

I agree entirely with their comments, but felt compelled to go a bit further.

The traffic jam problems in Bali point to chronic corruption and mismanagement. Getting around the popular areas of the island (Ubud, Jimbaran, Tuban, Kuta, Legian, Seminyak, Kerobokan, Umalas, Canggu) means averaging less than 20 kilometers per hour, often far less. And it means sitting in long queues and chaotic logjams at many intersections (more like rugby scrums on wheels).

My next concern is crime and law enforcement. Crime levels in Bali have skyrocketed in the past five years.

Robberies, bag-grabbing, vandalism, vehicle theft, assault, prostitution, widespread use of drugs by the local population (notably MDMA, heroin and crystal meth), fraud, rape, firearms offenses and murder are now commonplace.

Touching on the broad issue of law enforcement, in addition to the serious crimes mentioned above, lighter ones like driving offenses (including driving under the influence of alcohol), are so commonplace as to be regarded normal, rather than extraordinary.

On my 8-kilometer journey from office to home, I made a ritual of counting all of the traffic offenses that caused me to brake or swerve during the journey.

My next concern is the dire state of public health, and of health care facilities in Bali.

This island is now experiencing an active rabies outbreak with numerous human deaths, ongoing avian flu infections in poultry, occasional localized cholera outbreaks which killed many in the past year.

This last point is relevant to tourism because the tourism "product" of Bali depends on delivering an experience that meets and exceeds expectations, and compares favorably to other tourism "products" on offer elsewhere.

The most lucrative target tourism markets around the world comprise people who enjoy quality and expect to find food and beverages of a global standard readily available when they are on holiday -- particularly when they are on holiday.

I must add here that in addition to what I see as the most basic problem here (bad education), there is the problem of corruption. Corruption is the other head of the serpent.

Education cannot be fixed without fixing corruption, and vice versa. With corruption as rampant as it is in Bali now, nothing can be fixed. Nothing can be changed.

SUSI JOHNSTON

Denpasar

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