Governor Made Mangku Pastika has reiterated his desire that construction of the Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) Monument Park be completed as soon as possible so it can assume its rightful role as a tourism icon for the Island of Bali. The Governor called for a speedy completion of the giant statue during a meeting with the management team of GWK and the monument’s sculptor Nyoman Nuarta. Nyoman Nuarta explained to the Governor that the statue is now 80% complete. Nuarta said the biggest challenge faced by those constructing the monument are the strong winds. The GWK Monument, when completed, will be nine times larger that the Statue of Liberty in volumetric terms. Nuarta told the Governor that the GWK Monument will take at a maximum of two more years to complete. A director of PT Garuda Adhimatra Indonesia, who manages GWK, said his company is committed to completing the monument as soon as possible. He also explained that the completed park would also include a range of supporting facilities, such the development of a hotel on the site. The construction of GWK restarted in May 2013 after construction was halted for a number of years. The Governor called on GWK to ensure that no rules and regulations are violated in the completion of the monument park.
