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NTT Governor Slams New7Wonders Group

By webadmin on 5:03 pm February 5, 2011.
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Eras Poke

Kupang. The governor of East Nusa Tenggara criticized the organizer of the New7Wonders of Nature competition on Friday for threatening to suspend Komodo Island National Park from the contest over money issues.

Governor Frans Lebu Raya said the possible suspension is “beyond logic” as many people around the world had supported the national park’s nomination.

“If people of the world have chosen Komodo as a seventh wonder of the world but it gets eliminated because Indonesia cannot fulfill the $45 million requirement, for me it is beyond logic,” he said.

Home to the rare komodo dragon, the park was named one of 28 finalists in the New7Wonders of Nature competition.

Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik claimed on Wednesday that the New7Wonders Foundation had essentially told the government to pay $45 million to keep the park in the competition and to host the awards ceremony in November. The government rejected the offer, saying the price tag was too steep.

However, Frans said he was confident the park would become more famous due to press coverage of the disagreement.

Eamonn Fitzgerald, a foundation spokesman, said on Wednesday that the price would actually be around $10 million, while Indonesia would stand to benefit from hundreds of millions of dollars in free promotion.

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NTT Governor Slams New7Wonders Group

By webadmin on 5:03 pm February 5, 2011.
Category Archive

Eras Poke

Kupang. The governor of East Nusa Tenggara criticized the organizer of the New7Wonders of Nature competition on Friday for threatening to suspend Komodo Island National Park from the contest over money issues.

Governor Frans Lebu Raya said the possible suspension is “beyond logic” as many people around the world had supported the national park’s nomination.

“If people of the world have chosen Komodo as a seventh wonder of the world but it gets eliminated because Indonesia cannot fulfill the $45 million requirement, for me it is beyond logic,” he said.

Home to the rare komodo dragon, the park was named one of 28 finalists in the New7Wonders of Nature competition.

Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik claimed on Wednesday that the New7Wonders Foundation had essentially told the government to pay $45 million to keep the park in the competition and to host the awards ceremony in November. The government rejected the offer, saying the price tag was too steep.

However, Frans said he was confident the park would become more famous due to press coverage of the disagreement.

Eamonn Fitzgerald, a foundation spokesman, said on Wednesday that the price would actually be around $10 million, while Indonesia would stand to benefit from hundreds of millions of dollars in free promotion.

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