faMaritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Fadel Muhammad is scheduled to launch Sail Banda in Ambon on April 17, 2010.

“We are making preparation for the launch of the international marine event on April 17,” Sail Banda local committee spokesman Cak Saimima said here on Wednesday.

Saimima said the maritime affairs and fisheries minister was appointed by Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on December 14, 2009 as Sail Banda national committee chairman, and thus the latter would launch the event in Ambon later in April but the specific location has yet to be decided.

“Sail Banda was launched at Borobudur Hotel in Jakarta on February 3, 2010, and hopefully we can decide the location in Ambon at a meeting here today (Wednesday),” Saimima said.

But he has yet to explain the detail of Sail Banda launch program in Ambon.

“After the specific location is decided, we will announce the detail of program and publicize it to net as many tourist as possible to visit Maluku,” Saimima said.

Meanwhle, Fadel Muhammad has said the Sail Banda was aimed at turning Maluku capital of Ambon into easter Indonesia`s main tourist gate and promoting the province`s potentials to the world.

Fadel Muhammad said such an annual event was expected to attract foreign investors, including those of China to the province in the future.

“Providing people in coastal areas with health services is also the objective of Sail Banda. That`s why, the social welfare minister will come to the targeted areas,” Fadel Muhammad said.

Sharing Muhammad`s views, Coordinating Minister for People`s Welfare Agung Laksono at the launch of Sail Banda at Borobudur Hotel in Jakarta early February said the international marine event was also expected to boost eastern Indonesia`s economic development.

“By promoting the natural, cultural and historical heritages that the areas have, we push the growth of tourism industry in eastern Indonesia,” he said.

Source: Antara