Bengkulu Mayor Ahmad Kenedi said here on Thursday that the British colonial heritage has so far been managed by Jambi provincial archaeological department.
Therefore Ahmad Kenedi said Bengkulu city government found it difficult to perform various activities and other things at and around the forth.
"I have sent a letter of request to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism that the Forth Marlborough, the largest British colonial heritage in Southeast Asia, be managed by Bengkuku city government in the future," Kenedi said.
The fort is actually located in Bengkulu but unfortunately it is managed by Jambi provincial archaeological department.
Consequently, Bengkulu`s effort to revitalize, to renovate, and to promote the fort as tourist attraction to improve regional revenue did not function optimally.
"We want to revitalize and promote the forth as tourist attraction but we can do nothing because strange enough the British colonial stronghold really belongs to Jambi but it is fully managed by Jambi province," the Benkulu mayor deplored.
Kenedi said that if the management of Forth Marlborough was entrusted to Bengkulu city, the local government would preserve it and make use of it as an education and cultural tourism object.
Meanwhile, Bengkulu Culture and Tourism Department spokesman Teguh A Roni said the forth could not produce revenue to Bengkulu because its fees were collected by officials from Jambi province.
"We hope the fort will be managed in the future by Bengkulu city government so that its maintenance and preservation can be guaranteed," Teguh said, adding that the present condition of the fort is very apprehensive. (Uu.O001/HAJM/F001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
