W

hy is Bali, the Island of the Gods, being desecrated by unbridled mindless development? Has Bali lost its way in the maze of international trade and commerce; or has the ethics of a vibrant ethos been put on sale to the highest bidder(s)?

Every sphere of island life, including the environment, has been infiltrated and contaminated by the pawning of family heirlooms, all for a dollar. And in this disgraceful gold rush, the majority of ordinary Balinese have been overlooked.

Here is a brief survey of Bali today.

Education: School children must buy their textbooks from their teacher. There is no standardization of textbooks. In government schools, tuition fees are waived for all students until grade six. But overhead such as uniforms, books etc. has to be paid for. Many children drop out after grade nine on completing junior high school (SMP), because their families cannot afford to pay the tuition fees etc. for grade 10 onwards into high school (SMA). One can see such youths working in warungs and other businesses at the bottom rung of the workforce.

Employment: The minimum wage is often not paid to thousands of Balinese workers. Basic costs like the increase in price of cooking gas and food grains etc has created a piquant situation whereby workers are now spending a higher percentage of their earnings on food. Added to this is the stark reality that the basic minimum wage (US$73.66 to $86.56) is not paid by many commercial establishments in Bali even though it is mandated by law.

Health: Free healthcare services are available for a minority. Many Balinese on the lower rung of the social ladder have to make do with only the local doctors. Clean drinking water and basic hygiene is lacking in many rural areas. This has resulted in skin diseases and even leprosy in some areas. The continuing rabies problem that has killed more than 100 Balinese people has yet to be brought under control. And the latest reports reveal that bird flu is on its way back to haunt the island.

Agriculture: Subsistence rice and other farmers are starving. Suicides are believed to be common. Their land is slowly being sold/mortgaged for villas of vanity. And yet there is no one to help them. They pay water charges to the Subak Authority, the government taxes them and the Banjar takes a slice of the harvest. Who protects the farmers? Environment: Garbage appears to be a problem. Media reports continue to spew out data of the seriousness of the problem including skin diseases, breathing problems, eye and stomach infections and the contamination of food etc.

The clearing of trees has caused denudation resulting an increase in the surface temperature, depletion of natural water resources and contamination of ground water. Plastics and other wastes are thrown into sacred rivers, into the sea and/or simply discarded by the roadside. The ubiquitous plastic bottle is now a tourist attraction.

Traditional villages: The Banjar system and Desa Adat have failed miserably in containing the rapid dilution of Balinese culture. Very soon Balinese ceremonies will be reduced to theatricals devoid of any spirituality.

The dollar has infiltrated Balinese communities where women vie with one another to spend enormous sums (often borrowed or obtained from sale of land) on offerings (with expensive imported fruit), costly kebayas; while children race around on new motorcycles and/or fiddle with the latest brand of handphone (they too need to keep up with their friends).

Mark Ulyseas
Denpasar