Our health is in our hands

Posted inHealth
It’s the tourist season. And at mealtimes, tourists across our country – in restaurants and in dining tents – will regard, with some amusement, their guides roll and set aside small balls of rice. “Bhutanese way of washing hand!” our guides will declare referring to their pre-meal rituals. Some of the tourists will, as always, give it a try, and end up, as always, with streaks of black starch on their hands. The other tourists will laugh. And the guides will attempt to explain how we, Bhutanese, “dry clean” our hands. This traditional way of “washing” our hands may…

Prophesy fulfilled

Posted inReligion
Many years ago, while resting in Mesina, Je Geshe Gedun Rinchen, surveyed the horizons, and predicted that, one day, a monastery would be built on the high hill that stood before him. Yesterday, that prophesy was fulfilled. In a sacred ceremony, His Holiness the Je Khenpo consecrated Bhutan’s newest monastery, the Sangchhen Dorji Lhendup Lhakhang. The monastery, built in traditional Bhutanese style, stands on the prophesized site, a prominent ridge overlooking almost all of Punakha, Wangduephodrang and Toebasa. The monument was painstakingly built by Yab Ugyen Dorji over the last two years, and is a showpiece of traditional art…

Questionable lottery

Posted inGovernment7 Comments
According to Business Bhutan, Nu 150 billion worth of Bhutanese lottery tickets were printed illegally every year in the Indian state of Kerala alone. That’s a lot of money by any measure. But to get a proper sense of how much Nu 150 billion really is, consider that our entire GDP is only about Nu 60 billion. Or that the Tenth Five Year Plan outlay is Nu 148 billion (the Ninth Plan outlay was Nu 70 billion). So I was surprised to learn that the prime minister’s fist response to the alleged lottery scam was remarkably casual. The prime…

Leadership of the Self

Posted inMonarchy2 Comments

Leaders

About 1,300 graduates are taking part in the annual graduate orientation programme. And like last year, and the year before, the opposition party will not have the opportunity to meet them.
Last year, I blogged about what I would have spoken about had I been able to meet the graduates. And over the weekend, I’ve been thinking about the wide range of issues that might interest this year’s graduates. But one topic stood out: His Majesty the King’s recent Convocation Address to the students of the University of Calcutta.
As the students in Kolkata prepared to enter the real world of work, His Majesty the King had urged them to live their lives guided by the values of kindness, integrity and justice. To exercise “Leadership of the Self”, His Majesty commanded, is to become better human beings. And that to bring change in the world – to eradicate poverty; to reduce inequalities; to reverse environmental degradation; to improve healthcare – we need to actively seek out “Leadership of the Self”; not leaders to lead the masses.
His Majesty the King’s message is even more relevant for every one of us at home. And it’s particularly pertinent for the 2010 graduates, our future leaders, for whom I reproduce His Majesty’s address in its entirety.

Haa mela

Posted inMonarchy
Yesterday, the thousands of spectators who had gathered in Haa to celebrate Imtrat’s 48th Raising Day were treated to a memorable programme of sensational parajumps, equestrian displays, motorcycle stunts, dog agility, gymnastics and martial music. But what really enthralled the eager crowd – locals and Indians alike – was HRH Prince Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck unexpectedly riding “Tipu Sultan”, an army thoroughbred, at a full gallop, attempting to pick up tent pegs with his lance. The banner features our dashing prince on the young charger.

Security Council?

Posted inGovernment18 Comments
Our government has started to campaign for non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council. Is this a good idea? Take the poll that asks: “Should Bhutan lobby to join the UN Security Council?”

McKinsey poll

Posted inGovernment
During the last session of the Parliament I asked the prime minister to explain what Mckinsey were doing that couldn’t be done by our own civil servants. Subsequently, I ran a poll that asked you “Are civil servants impressed with McKinsey’s work?” Of the 569 who took the poll, 408 (or 72%) replied with a emphatic “No!” while only 72 (or 12%) said “Yes!” The others (16%) answered “I don’t know.” Our poll results are straightforward: An overwhelming majority of you are not impressed with McKinsey’s performance. That is terrible, especially if, as I suspect, many of you who…

Lottery scam

Posted inMedia5 Comments
An excellent piece of investigative journalism, about Bhutan’s role in the Indian lottery scam, by Business Bhutan’s Tenzing Lamsang, that screams for answers.

ECB’s right

Posted inLocal Government
The Election Commission of Bhutan is correct in cautioning the government that the local government elections would be incomplete and unconstitutional if those elections were conducted without first finalizing the yenlag thromdes (satellite towns). Yenlag thromdes have still not been identified for the Dzongkhags. So holding the local government elections now would, as ECB maintains, result in incomplete Dzongkhag Tshogdus, and risk violating Article 21 Section 9 of the Constitution according to which: The Dzongkhag Tshogdu shall comprise: (a)            The Gup and Mangmi as the two elected representatives from each Gewog; (b)            One elected representative from that Dzongkhag Thromde;…

Kilu music

Posted inMiscellaneous
The banner features Kilu students singing Michael Jackson's "Heal the World" during Radio Valley's second food festival at Thimphu's clock tower square yesterday.

Recalling 21/9

Posted inLegislature
Yesterday, we marked the first anniversary of the 21st September earthquake. It gave us reason to recall the widespread destruction that the earthquake unleashed on the Eastern parts of our country, and the untold sufferings that our people had to endure. It also gave us reason to celebrate the indomitable spirit of the Bhutanese people. During the past year, thousands of homes and countless lives have been rebuilt, as people from all walks of life – famers, civil servants, the clergy, the business community, armed forces, students, and civil society – throughout our kingdom, came together and joined the…

I’m back!

Posted inMiscellaneous
I’m back. And it feels good to be back home. My broken jaw has been corrected by way of a metal plate that now holds the fracture in place. But my jaws have also been wired shut to allow the damaged bones to heal properly. So till the wires come off – which will be in about five weeks – I’ll be speaking through clenched teeth. And subsisting on a full liquid diet. I’m grateful for the many emails and messages that I received during the last two weeks. Your good wishes, support and prayers have helped me recover…

About fines

Posted inGovernment, Legislature
I’m impressed at the government’s readiness to abide by the law. Bhutan Today (whose website has been woefully inadequate) had recently reported that: The prime minister has ordered the information and communication ministry to pay about Nu 2.3 million in penalty for not following the environmental impact assessment (EIA) procedures in the construction of the Bathpalathang airstrip in Bumthang. But I’m not impressed at the prime minister’s cavalier disregard for the basic principles of accountability when he added that: … the fine will have to be levied even if it means paying from one pocket to another. I wonder…

Tour of the Dragon

Posted inMiscellaneous15 Comments
Twenty-five bikers took part in the inaugural Tour of the Dragon yesterday. The Dragon, a one-day bicycle ride from Bumthang to Thimphu, crosses 4 passes, all of them over 3,000 meters, and covers 268 kilometers through five dzongkhags. The breathtaking route offers an elevation gain of 4,000 meters, a whopping half of which is on the final ascent from Wangdiphodrang bridge to Dochula. The Tour of the Dragon must be one of the more beautiful one-day bike rides in the world. It’s probably one of the most difficult ones too. The official records are not yet out, but more…

Zoom on zoom

Posted inCivil society
Quick updates on my previous post: I’ve uploaded some photographs in the gallery. Most of the officials who were invited to the art festival never did show up … But, many other visitors turned up, especially on the final evening … And, the prime minister made an unscheduled and unannounced visit to the closing ceremony of the festival. I applaud our PM.