The foundation that launched the New7Wonders of Nature competition announced on Monday that Komodo National Park in the Sunda Islands would remain in the running despite earlier threats to drop it.
However, the foundation said the Ministry of Culture and Tourism would no longer be allowed to act as the supporting committee for the park’s campaign.
The ministry had failed to meet several obligations as the park’s backer, prompting tensions with the New7Wonders team. The ministry also failed to meet requirements in its bid to host the declaration ceremony for the competition’s winning entries later this year.
New7Wonders president Bernard Weber said in a statement on the foundation’s Web site that the ministry had to be dropped in order to keep the national park in contention.
“In the case of Komodo, the evidence clearly points to the unsuitability of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism as our authorized New7Wonders Official Supporting Committee,” he said.
“Therefore, this status is revoked with immediate effect. This removal allows us to keep Komodo in the campaign.”
Weber said his organization refrained from a complete withdrawal after receiving “numerous and encouraging requests” to keep Komodo in the contest.
Nia Niscaya, the ministry’s director of conventions, declined to comment on the statement. “We’ll discuss with our lawyers how to respond,” Nia said on Monday
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