E Nusa Tenggara Police To Guard Komodo Island, Labuan Bajo

Kupang, (Antara Sumbar)- East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Police will deploy personnel to guard the province's iconic tourist attractions, Labuan Bajo and Komodo Island.

The police personnel deployment was meant to ensure safety of tourists visiting the islands, Inspector General Agung Sabar Santosa, head of the East Nusa Tenggara Police, was quoted as saying by Senior Commissioner Jules Abraham Abast, spokesman of the NTT Police, here, Monday (Oct 2).

"If the tourists feel comfortable while enjoying their stay in this region's tourist destinations, we believe that more tourists would come to visit and as its impact, it would help boost the local economy<" he said.

The police officers would also monitor waters off the islands by boats.

Meanwhile, the number of tourist arrivals on Komodo Island, has risen steadily and contributed to a significant increase in revenue.

Revenue from the tourism industry had exceeded the target set by the Komodo National Park Office, Sudiyono, head of the office, revealed here, Friday.

Until August this year, some 60-70 thousand tourists had visited the national park, he said.

During the period, the park had earned Rp19 billion from tourist visits, exceeding the target of Rp15 billion, he pointed out.

Last year, the park had earned Rp22 billion from a total of 90 thousand tourists visiting the park.

With regard to waste polluting the park and its coast, he said most of the garbage came from the residential areas in Laboan Bajo. The park's management has deployed employees to collect the trash, mostly comprising plastic waste.

"We need everyone's cooperation to tackle the waste problem and to preserve the ecosystem in this tourist resort," he noted.

Several facilities and infrastructure, such as toilets, bridges, and sidewalks, are currently being built on several small islands under the supervision of the Komodo National Park's office.

The park's management has also organized a beach clean-up drive in cooperation with the World Wildlife Fund, the maritime affairs and fisheries office, and several non-governmental organizations.

"We organize it routinely, and Thank God, it has a positive impact on the environment of this area," he remarked. (*)

Editor: Vicha Faradika