Left Hanging in the Garden

(5/16/2011)

As reported by balidiscovery.com, the Ubud Hanging Garden Luxury Resort and Spa was ordered to close within 2 months on March 10, 2011, by Gianyar regency officials for failing to properly renew its operating permits and licenses [See: The Need for Good Paperwork in Bali].

Bali Post reports that the Ubud Hanging Garden Resort was granted a reprieve by the regent of Gianyar, Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardana Sukawati (Cok Ace), who has ordered a "temporary operating license" be issued to allow the resort to continue operations for at least two more months.

As noted by Bali Post, the term "temporary operating license" is heretofore unknown in the nomenclature of licenses and permits issued by the Gianyar governments. In any case, the temporary license has now permitted the hotel to at least remove the official closure order posted at its entrance.

The head of the Gianyar Enforcement Agency (Satpol Pamong Praja Gianyar), Wayan Kujus Parwita, said, "now the (closure) seal has been removed because the Ubud Hanging Garden has a dispensation from the Gianyar Licensing Office." Meanwhile, the head of the Licensing office (BPPT), IB Gaga Adisaputra, said the "temporary operating license" was based on tolerance given to the resort extended by the Gianyar government in light of efforts being made by the property's management to re-organize its licensing situation.

Bali Post is asked if the special licensing exception extended to the Ubud Hanging Garden will also be granted to other businesses in Gianyar who have received closing notices from the regency's administration?  Both the Secretary of the BPPR and the chief of the BPPT in Gianyar have refused phone calls from the Bali Post  or attempts to visit them at their homes seeking a clarification on this point.

The new "temporary operating license" represents an about face from the Gianyar government who initially ordered the hotel closed, following calls from the House of Representatives in Gianyar (DPRD-Gianyar) to remove the seal and allow the resort to continue operations.

The "temporary operating license" now held by the Ubud Hanging Gardens has a limited validity of only two months during which the hotel must finalize all its license and permit requirements.