e-PIT

Posted inGovernment
Yes! I can now file my PIT online. Actually not fully online, but electronically – download the PIT return form and send it in as an email attachment.I’m not complaining. This is a huge step forward. So, well done. I’m going to file my PIT electronically. Are you?Internet came to Bhutan in June 1998. It’s been more than a decade. Let’s see what I can now do online: I can read the news, participate in online forums; maintain a blog; check government announcements, complain to ACC, check if I’m a registered voter, download government forms, apply for foreign labour,…

What’s decentralised

Posted inGovernment, Local Government
Consider this: each minister would enjoy entitlements and benefits totaling about Nu 9,942,000 during the 10th Five Year Plan period. This is at current pay scales. (See my conservative estimates towards the end). Now consider this: 40 gewogs would each get capital funds amounting to less than Nu 9,942,000 each during the 10th Five Year Plan period. This is according to what has been budgeted in the draft 10th Five Year Plan. Three of them (Soe, Samrang and Khatoe) would not even get Nu 3 million each for the entire 10th Plan period – in other words, each of…

Comment on comments

Posted inMiscellaneous
I don’t want to moderate your comments. Your views, as far as I’m concerned, are as important as anybody else’s, including mine. That’s why I have chosen not to remove – or reply to – any of the comments attacking me. But, I cannot, and will not, allow personal attacks on any other person. These I will remove immediately (I've already removed a couple of comments on the PM). Also, every reference to His Majesty the King will be monitored – “…His person is sacrosanct” (Article 2.15 of our Constitution). That said, I’m not a journalist. So I will…

Watching BBS

Posted inMedia
Consider this: The BBS has already televised the prime minister’s speech during the National Day celebrations in Pema Gatshel on four different days – 23rd December, 25th December, 28th December and 31st December.Now consider this: The BBS has televised His Majesty the King’s address to the nation during the National Day celebrations in Thimphu only on one day – 17th December.

A Girl with AIDS

Posted inCulture, Health
My blogging efforts are paying off – yesterday I was invited to a private screening of “A Girl with a Red Sky”, a film about HIV/AIDS.The film is short. But it is powerful. Tashi Gyeltshen, the film’s writer and director, presents a series of matter-of-fact conversations between the protagonist, a nine-year old girl dying of AIDS, and Death who has come to get her.The film highlights the horrors of HIV/AIDS from a very different perspective – it shows Death shocked by the ruthlessness of the dreaded disease.“A Girl with a Red Sky” was funded by UNICEF and YDF, and…

Dragon Mania

Posted inCivil society
There’s a festival going on at the Clock Tower Square. It’s an art festival. And it features the dragon, our county’s namesake. Young artists have gathered to create dragons of all types, sizes and colours. And our children are invited.Take your children there. It’s warm and sunny outside. And the organizers have put together a range of activities to keep children and parents busy and interested. Naturally, there are plenty of dragons. Plus there are exhibitions, calligraphy, music, outdoor chess, street art, juggling, on-the-spot art classes, and rock climbing.Rock climbing? Yes, rock climbing. The clock tower, it turns out,…

No to bags

Posted inMiscellaneous
The first item the National Assembly debated yesterday was bags. To be precise, bags worth Nu 1800. It turns out that traditionally, members of the National Assembly are given a bag each at the start of every session. This tradition is not uncommon – countless bags and satchels have been distributed in workshops and seminars throughout the kingdom. For this session of the National Assembly, the DHI offered to present the bags.Trouble is we are not allowed to accept gifts valued above Nu 1000. So the honourable members unanimously decided not to accept the bags.This is significant and historic.…

What’s in a name?

Posted inPeople6 Comments
My friends call me Massive. And many of them still don’t know my real name. But I don’t have a problem with that. In fact, I like my nickname. It’s short. It’s unique. And it’s easy to remember.My nickname is an adjective without a noun. So it makes people think. And wonder about that always absent noun. It causes embarrassment. And disappointment. But I’ve had other embarrassing and disappointing nicknames too.My first nickname was a question. At five, before I knew a word of English, I was sent to a boarding school in India. There my teachers and fellow-students…