Bali is so pleased with its eyes-in-the-sky that it wants to add an additional 1,000 closed-circuit television cameras throughout the beach resort island.

 

Nyoman Silanawa, who heads the province's National Politics and Public Protection Bureau, said that the cameras will go up in a major city and across eight island districts. It has allocated a budget of $2.4 million, he said.

 

The cameras will be monitored and controlled by local police stations and the Disaster Prevention Operations Control Center. At present, the Island of the Gods has monitoring cameras hooked up at 12 strategic and often tourist-heavy locations. But the Gilimanuk port in west Bali, which serves as a major gateway to and from Java, and the Padang Bay port, which is mainly used for traffic between the island and Lombok, will also be hooked up with the cameras.

 

There will also be additions at Ngurah Rai International Airport and Benoa, he said, adding that the island's dominant tourism industry has been a major driver of increased security programs in the province.