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eferring to The Jakarta Post news story entitled '€Udayana backtracks on Benoa Bay study'€ on page five of the Sept. 3 issue, PT Tirta Wahana Bali Internasional (TWBI) has made the following statement:

We have contacted the 15-member expert team of Udayana University that conducted the feasibility study on the Benoa Bay development project in Bali. Ida Bagus Putu Adyana, the head of the team, explicitly stated that the whole team strongly stood by the conclusion of the study that the project was environmentally, technically, socially and culturally feasible. The only aspect that has yet to be studied is related to the financial viability.

The study team presented its report and the conclusion of its study at an official meeting at the Bali Governor'€™s Office on Aug. 3, which was also attended by the governor, mayors and regents from across Bali province, Bali'€™s informal leaders and representatives of non-governmental organizations.

The firm conclusion presented at the meeting was that the development project was technically, environmentally, socially and culturally viable provided certain conditions were fulfilled. Hence, the whole government and public in Bali province should have been well informed of the firm conclusion of this study.

We wonder then how such a thorough, scientific study, including elaborate focus group discussions conducted for almost one year, by 15 experts formally assigned by Udayana University'€™s Senate, could have been so hastily assessed to be unviable by the Senate after a meeting of only several hours.

We wonder how such a short desk review could so easily turn down the conclusion of a scientific field study conducted for almost one year.

Hendi Lukman
DirectoR PT Tirta Wahana Bali Internasional (TWBI)
Denpasar, Bali