Friday, September 3, 2010

LIPI to be supported in Lucipara islands conservation program

Ambon - The Maluku Culture and Tourism Office will support the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) effort in Luciapara islands conservation program.

"Disbudpar Maluku will fully support LIPI`s effort in the Lucipara islands conservation program," Maluku Culture and Tourism Office chief Florence Sahusilawane said here on Friday.

She said that although the Ambon branch of LIPI has yet to confirm the the conservation program on Lucipara islands, she would fully support the activity.

"We will continue to wait for the confirmation from LIPI to make Lucipara islands a tourist destination in Maluku," Sahusilawane said.

She said Lucipara is made up of seven uninhabited small islands in the Banda Sea.
Also known as Penyu islands which are excellent for snorkellig they rise up out of the very deep surrounding open sea, some of which are not much more than sand spits.

"It is about 200 km south of Ambon and accessible in six hours by fast boat from Latuhalat village at Latuhalat sub-district in Ambon," Sahusilawane said.

Meanwhile, LIPI researcher Abdul Wahab Radjab said he had scheduled conservation and rehabilitation program at Lucipara islands in April or October this year to make them tourist destination area.

"We plan to make it either in April or October this year if the weather supports us, because we have to do some snorkelling to inventorize the sea biota there," Abdul Wahab said.

He said LIPI would soon inform Disbudpar Maluku about the activity if the schedule has been fixed to develop tourism at the seven small islands of Licipara.

"We are going to cooperate with Maluku Culture and Tourism Office in our effort to develop Lucipara islands into marine tourism destination area," Abdul Radjab Wahab said.(*)

Source: http://www.antaranews.com