Tuesday, March 23
Tourism Ministry developing new tracking app for people visiting tourist sites + Health patrol in Seminyak nets foreigners, Rp. 1 million fines issued + Foreign flights to begin w/charters + more!
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Weather & Waves
Today’s Weather for Southern Bali
Today’s Tides
Surf Outlook
Weather forecast from Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology & Geophysics Council (Link)
Tide table from Tide-forecast.com.
Surf outlook via Windy.com.
Local Covid Numbers
Click here to see the national numbers infographic and a Regency-by-Regency breakdown of yesterday’s local numbers. And in case you missed it, check out Sunday’s update for a summary of last week’s overall totals, with perspective on how they stack up against previous weeks + detailed breakdowns of the virus’ spread on a Regency-by-Regency level.
The Big News
"Providing Information on Prokes and Capacity of Tourist Destinations, Kemenparekraf Utilizes the Tlusur Application" from Tribune Bali(Indonesian): The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy will use the "Tlusur" application to provide information on tourist destinations in Indonesia. Menparekraf Sandiaga Uno said this application can be used to provide information such as the application of health protocols (Prokes) in tourist destinations, as well as the number of visitor capacities in these destinations. "This application will report its users when a tourist destination is empty, and vice versa," Sandiaga said... Sandiaga Uno also said that the application that will enter the alpha testing period is planned to be collaborated with existing tracing applications, such as E-HAC from the Ministry of Health and Care for Protection from the Ministry of Communication and Informatics. Hopefully in June or July when Bali opens this application can be used, "explained the Menparekraf. However, Sandiaga Uno said that later this application would be implemented in all tourist destinations in Indonesia.
"5 Foreigners in Bali Were Fined Rp1 Million for Violating Health Care Services, Only 2 Paid" from iNews Bali (Indonesian): Foreign nationals (WNA) in Bali who violate health protocols will be fined Rp1 million. But not all of them are able to pay. This was revealed by the Head of Satpol PP Bali, I Dewa Nyoman Rai Dharmadi. In the raid, there were three foreigners who were caught and could not pay the fine. There were also four foreigners who received verbal reprimands for wearing an improper mask. "For Indonesian citizens, there are those who pay a fine of Rp. 100,000, cannot pay and get one person each," explained Dharmadi.
Context: This incident was widely reported in the media yesterday, with several other articles noting that this was a targeted sweep of an area that is known to be popular with foreigners.
"Plans to Reopen International Flights to Bali, Menparekraf [Says There will Be] Several Stages" from The Bali Post (Indonesian): "In essence, we will continue to practice because we cannot immediately open it in June-July. We must have simulations continuously and airport readiness must be continuously improved, there must be trials, there must be a pilot project and there must be several stages," (Menparekraf) Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno said. He said that in the simulation his party would prepare a number of program plans. So, all related parties can be better prepared to welcome foreign tourists back to Bali. "So this is what we will start simulating later with several charter programs or special programs so that airport authorities as a whole have to be in really good condition," he said.
>> Classifieds <<
Community is so important- especially in times like these. If you’re looking to connect with the community of dedicated, engaged people in Bali who’ve stayed during this pandemic, you can reach them with a classified ad in this space. Check out this page to find out how.
Other Headlines
"10-Day BaliCore: Bali COVID19 Relief Expedition" from Indonesia Expat: From 2-11 April 2021, a small group of hikers will participate in BaliCore’s inaugural 10-day, a coast-to-coast walking expedition through the heart of Bali. Participants will explore regions largely untouched by development and mass tourism along this expedition. From Tanah Lot in the southwest to Candidasa in East Bali, hikers will venture through jungles, scale mountains, and traipse along rice paddies. BaliCore has goals of boosting the COVID-19 relief efforts of five of the leading Bali-based NGOs, help to alleviate the humanitarian disaster and devastation and shine a spotlight on Bali’s untouched and pristine nature across the heart of this island.
Vaccination Update
Nation: "5,533,379 Indonesians Have Been Vaccinated Against Covid-19" from Antara
Island: "Pursuing Vaccination Target In Bali, 300,000 Doses Will Be Sent By The Ministry Of Health This End Of March" from Bali Prawara (Indonesian)
Island: "200 Bali Cruise Workers Scammed For Vaccine Fees" from The Bali Sun
Badung: "5,000 Ngurah Rai Airport Officers Start Covid-19 Vaccination" from Nusa Bali (Indonesian)
Denpasar: "Green Zone Vaccination in Bali, Sanur Residents Are Injected With AstraZeneca Vaccine" from iNews Bali (Indonesian)
Denpasar: "Vaccination in the Sanur Area is Conducted Simultaneously at 12 Points" from Bali Express (Indonesian)
Lombok: "Mataram Regional Hospital Delays Vaccination Because It Does Not Have Vaccine Stock" from Republika (Indonesian)
"The Death Rate of Covid-19 Patients in Mataram Soars" from Republika (Indonesian): The Mataram City Covid-19 Task Force, West Nusa Tenggara Province, stated that the death rate for Covid-19 patients in Mataram increased from 4.9% to 5.2% with a total of 125 cases of death. Spokesperson for the Mataram City Covid-19 Task Force, I Nyoman Swandiasa in Mataram, acknowledged that the implementation of the Covid-19 program in the community is currently very loose. This is triggered by various factors, including the presence of boredom during a pandemic, psychological factors and other external factors so that people become ignorant. "Data from the Health Office states that 99 percent of Covid-19 patients died from comorbid diseases, and all of them have been buried according to the Covid-19 health protocol," he said.
Health Protocols (Prokes) & Patrols
Island: "Prokes Remains Intensive Enforcement" from Nusa Bali (Indonesian)
Denpasar: "Yustisi Team Collaborates with Biznet and Primamedix to Network 18 Violators" from Bali Express (Indonesian)
Education
"Today, Gianyar Opens 50% Face-to-face Learning" from Nusa Bali (Indonesian): Gianyar regency began implementing face -to -face learning (PTM) 50 percent, this Monday. For the first day, said I Wayan Sadra, Head of Gianyar Education Office, PTM could not fully work. Disdik asked teachers and employees to conduct cleaning first. This activity is assisted by OSIS for junior high school and grade 6 elementary students. "It is necessary to clean the school. Especially the health protocol. Prokes are prepared, such as temperature gauges, sinks, hand sanitizers," he explained. The PTM process will only be fully implemented starting Tuesday. "On Tuesday all students entered with PTM 50 percent," he explained... The good news is that teachers or students are not required to do a swab or rapid antigen test before entering school. Sadra said, this has not been regulated. "We just follow the directions, while not yet. Just like this, we have a task force at school. Anyone who enters must obey the health program. Check body temperature, mandatory masks, maintain distance. Schools are ready to just take action," he said.
More...
"Disdikpora Denpasar Design Face-to-Face School Trial July" from Bali Express (Indonesian)
"This Tourist Area, the Highest Out of School Children in Klungkung" from The Bali Post (Indonesian)
"Kanwil Kum and HAM Authorized Two Foreigners to Become Indonesian Citizens" from Bali Express (Indonesian): Head of the Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights (HAM) Bali, Jamaruli Manihuruk, inaugurated two foreign citizens (WNA) to become Indonesian citizens (WNI), Monday (22/3) at the Regional Office of Law and HAM, Renon, Denpasar. Foreign nationals who have been inducted citizenship are Indara Jonae Rapp who was previously a German citizen and Michael Romeo Lorenti who was previously an American citizen... JR. Indra Jonas Rapp, born in Denpasar, November 25, 1989, has long devoted himself to Indonesia. In fact, he is fluent in Balinese and Indonesian. Currently he is a businessman by owning a Bungalow in the Penebel area, Tabanan. "Meanwhile, Michael Romeo Lorenti Jr. was born in New York, May 24, 1972. So far, he has lived in Bali for 23 years and has a skin care product manufacturing business," explained Jamaruli Manihuruk in Denpasar.
"Foreigners Dominate Tourism Investment in Bali" from Bisnis Bali (Indonesian): Investment in the tourism sector in Bali is dominated by foreign investors, so it is feared that local people will only be spectators. Based on data from the Bank Indonesia Bali Representative Office, domestic investment in the Island of the Gods during 2020 reached IDR 5,432.7 billion for 2,513 projects and foreign investment (PMA) in the same period valued at US $ 293.3 million for 3,967 projects. The portion of FDI to the hotel and restaurant sector reached 52%, with a value of US $152.516 million or IDR 2.19 trillion. The portion of PMDN to the hotel and restaurant sector amounted to 45% or IDR 2,444.7 billion. This means that in terms of value, investment in the hotel and restaurant sector in 2020 is indeed dominated by foreign investment.
Of Interest
"One Year to Handle the Covid-19 Pandemic, This Is the Level of Public Satisfaction With Jokowi-ma'ruf's Performance" from The Bali Post (Indonesian)
"Garuda Adds Seats Between Jakarta & Bali" from Bali Discovery
"Becoming a Spotlight, a Number of Badung Regency Government Service Vehicles Are Abandoned and Overgrown With Shrubs" from The Bali Post (Indonesian)
"Czech Freelance Diving Instructor Deported from Bali" from Indonesia Expat
"PLN Is Ready to Extend the Electricity Stimulus in the Period April-June 2021" from Antara (Indonesian)
"Intensify Patrols, Decisive Action on Illegal Logging" from Bali Express (Indonesian)
"The Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Issues Regulations for Underwater Cable Routing" from The Bali Post (Indonesian)
"Progress of Tamblang Dam Reaches 38%, Target of Completion in 2023" from Bali Express (Indonesian)
"Menparekraf Reiterates That He Does Not Want to Rely on Foreign Tourists, Pursuing Quality Over Quantity" from The Bali Post (Indonesian)
How You Can Help
In response to the collapse of the tourism sector in Bali and the resulting economic crisis, dozens of individuals and organizations have sprung into action, raising funds and distributing badly needed food and everyday essentials to the innumerable families who have suddenly found themselves without any source of income. We've been making an effort to document and raise awareness of these efforts. We will add information on projects in this space as we are able to confirm them. If you'd like to see a list of the efforts that we've featured so far and contribute to them with either time or money, visit our complete list here. You can also see a list of projects that have registered themselves at BaliSolidarity.org. If you know of an effort and would like to have them listed, please send their information to TheBaliBeat@outlanders.global.
About This Newsletter
This newsletter is a product of Migration Media, the hub for stories from and about the international migrant experience.
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