03 June 2009

Bali booze deaths worry tourism chiefs

DENPASAR Ã¢â¬' A series of deaths caused by rice wine (arak) laced with methanol has focused attention of the huge taxes that the Indonesian government applies to imported alcohol.

Ida Bagus Ngurah Wijaya, head of BaliÃ¢â¬â¢s tourism board, has blamed the deaths on a combination of the prohibitive price of imported alcohol and a lack of regulation of arak producers.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœThis is a big problem for Bali,Ã¢â¬~ Wijaya said. Ã¢â¬ÅâœAlcohol imports are controlled but there are no controls on these small home industries.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœThe trouble is that the price of imported alcohol is so high that tourists on a budget prefer to buy the local drink and now they are dying.Ã¢â¬~

His organisation was lobbying the Government for more regulation of producers and was urging holidaymakers to avoid local rice wine.

"For the time being I would say only consume alcohol that has been guaranteed by the Government," he said.

More than 20 people have died in Bali after drinking rice wine laced with methanol.

One of them was named as Rose Johnson, 48, a successful painter who was based in Phoenix, Arizona, who died early on Monday in Sanur after drinking from a batch of poisoned arak. She was on holiday on the island.

Nineteen Balinese remain seriously ill in hospital.

Local police have found the source of the adulterated drink and are expected to lay charges when they complete their investigations.

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Your Comments (4)

Alcohol prices high in islands

High taxes on alcohol can be a big deterrant in buying imported "familiar" liquor, particularly in small south pacific islands that rely heavily on taxing tourists. I wasn't keen on paying nearly three times usual cost for mixed drinks in Vanuatu, so resorted to drinking local drinks or French wine which was significantly cheaper than Australian wine.

By Greg willo, Thursday, June 4, 2009
Don't Even Start

Clive that is the most ignorant response I've ever heard. Let me kindly undress your arguments, Firstly, Indonesia is a third world country. In my experience on my trips there, the only law that exists is a dollar sign. Radical extremists run rampant through most of Java & Sumatra. Don't think I'm not aware the Bali Bombers were Javanese. In saying that, there are active functioning terrorist cells in Indonesia (Jemma Islamiah, Free Ache etc) and security between mainland indo and Bali is less than ideal. Secondly, Why would Europe or the USA be 'off the tourists list'? Not counting natural disasters'¦.. Madrid Bombings, 9/11, London Bombings? These events were also perpetrated by radical extremists yet actions have since been put into place to ensure these things will most likely not happen again (the high side to the digital ages invasion of privacy). What have they done in Bali? Installed a gate in front of your hotel and having a guy with a mirror on a stick checking underneath the vehicles? Wow, I feel so very safe. No where is perfect, however, many places are "safe" Finally, don't even start with that. I always educate my clients on risk assessment. The simple fact remains, by going to Bali there is a very probable risk of being blown up/injured by an extremist or being poisoned by some moonshine concoction which is in existence as a direct result of ridiculous Indonesian law (don't even get me started on the other ridiculous laws). I would rather send my clients somewhere that doesn't have a history of blatant murder of innocent civilians and where I won't have to recall thousands of dollars in commission next time some a**hole blows himself up.

By Jason Nooning, Thursday, June 4, 2009
What a comment!

Jason, if people like you take that attitude then any place in the world would be off a tourists list, including all of Europe, USA etc if you want to take any / all incidents of harrasement, problems, politics et al. I have just returned from Bali and there and I saw none of the points you raised....if you a inferring that you have the perfect place, I will assure you that there are still negatives in it.... Maybe you should educate your tourists or yourself to realise reality and come out of utopia....every country has its problems and many are continually fighting to chnage things like the BTB are trying to do with authorities on Bali. Incidently the bombings in Kuta where not from Bali and so in that respect, don't blame that on the locals.

By Clive Bishop, Thursday, June 4, 2009
Yet Another Reason

Yet another reason to go somewhere else where: 1) You don't have to worry about getting blown up when you're having a nice dinner on the beach. 2) You don't have to worry about getting poisoned from the dodgy alochol. 3) You don't get harassed walking down the street. I'd rather spend my tourist dollar (and send me clients) somewhere safe(r).

By Jason Nooning, Wednesday, June 3, 2009