DENPASAR ~ American Ambassador to Indonesia Cameron Hume has congratulated I Mangku Pastika for winning last month’s gubernatorial election, and offered wide-ranging support for the island.  

Hume said Pastika’s win would make Bali’s security tighter, and promised that a recent lifting by Washington of its travel warning for Indonesia would help bolster Bali’s economy.

“In the future, we’ll do all we can to help Bali, in cooperation with the Bali government. We removed the travel warning two months ago, which should make big differences within Bali,” he said following a meeting with the governor-elect.

The US promised to help with infrastructure, healthcare and education and would recommend Bali as a good place for international conferences.

Pastika said he planned to develop an international standard of safety and education and would offer free healthcare services for the poor.

“One of the first steps will be environmental improvement. Because of high demand for timber in Bali, we will be implementing a tree-plantation program as a priority,” Pastika said.