Where is the opposition party?

April 18, 2019Posted inPolitical parties2 Comments
Article 18 of the Constitution requires the opposition party to “… play a constructive role to ensure that the Government and the ruling party function in accordance with the provisions of this constitution, provide good governance and strive to promote the national interest and fulfil the aspirations of the people.” But … where is the opposition? Yes, I see them attending ceremonies and photo ops with the prime minister and the government. That’s good. It promotes harmony. But just promoting harmony is not enough. In fact, if there’s harmony, but without a sound opposition, we risk undermining the institutional…

Dissolving the government

February 13, 2013Posted inGovernment, Political parties23 Comments
In his inaugural address last Friday, the Speaker announced that the government has proposed for the early dissolution of the National Assembly. According to Article 10, Section 24 of the Constitution: “… While the National Council shall complete its five-year term, premature dissolution of the National Assembly may take place on the recommendation of the Prime Minister to the Druk Gyalpo …” So yes, the government can recommend the dissolution of the National Assembly before the completion of its term. The government can do so. But they should not. Why? Because, the government is forcing early elections for their…

The art of politics

October 10, 2012Posted inPolitical parties39 Comments
Dasho Gado Tshering is taking the art of politics to new heights. The former health secretary resigned last year "... on moral grounds after an ACC investigation revealed serious lapses in the procurement of GOI-funded medical equipment before 2008." A few months later he announced that he would join politics. He has said that his decision to join politics was at the behest of the people of Haa. And he has insisted, consistently, that the people of his constituency will decide which party he will join. Dasho Gado Tshering is popular in Haa. So most people believe that he…

Clear to run(?)

September 13, 2012Posted inDemocracy, Political parties82 Comments
About 6 weeks ago, at a press conference, the prime minister claimed that the Election Commission of Bhutan should disqualify the opposition party from taking part in the next round of elections for failing to clear its debts by the 30 June deadline. Remarkably, the prime minister also suggested that the two members in opposition should not be permitted to run in the next elections … not as members of their current party, not by starting a new party, not by joining another party. As it turned out, the election commission, having reviewed the status of the two existing…

DPT leaders

March 2, 2012Posted inPolitical parties42 Comments
Allegations that Dasho Chang Ugyen had illegally acquired 10 acres of community and government land in 1987 has drawn widespread outrage and public condemnation. The allegations come even as the Gyelpozhing land grab case is still being investigated. Both the land cases involve the senior most DPT leaders. The president, both vice presidents and several senior members of the DPT are alleged to have acquired large tracks of land illegally. Some commentators here have pointed out that the land was acquired many years ago, much before DPT was established, and that, as such, DPT should not be linked to…

Good ideas

October 21, 2011Posted inPolitical parties27 Comments
Reports by BBS have confirmed recent rumours that Dasho Penjor Dorji and Dr Tandin Dorji are each starting a political party. That is good news. The next parliamentary elections will take place in 2013, in less than two years. So if we are to have more than two political parties by then – if we are to have a primary round of elections the next time around – it’s time to start openly working to establish new parties. The reports about new political parties in the offing should also be received as very good news, as new parties will…

Monkey business

July 8, 2011Posted inPolitical parties31 Comments
Last Sunday’s cover page of The Journalist features a troup of loud monkeys goading a horse and a couple of cranes to continue pushing for state funding. The dejected animals encircled by the rascals appear to complain: “…. And No Matter What We Do Or How We Spin It, They Are Still Gonna See State Funding As Monkey Business” The Journalist is right: no matter how you look at it, state funding for political parties is indeed monkey business. But The Journalist is also wrong: the horse wants no part of the monkey business, so it should not be…

Press conference

March 4, 2011Posted inPolitical parties11 Comments
The opposition party will hold a press conference at 3:30 PM today. Members of the media, and any other interested parties, are invited to participate. Venue: the conference hall of the National Assembly

Funding parties

November 25, 2010Posted inLegislature, Political parties
The ruling party today submitted a motion to amend the Election Act 2008. The motion sailed through the National Assembly, with only two members – both from the opposition party – objecting to it. The proposed amendment seeks to include a new provision in the Election Act that would permit state funding for political parties. According to Section 158 of the Election Act: The income of political parties shall be made up of: (a) Registration fee; (b) Membership fees; and (c) Voluntary Contributions from registered members. Section 158 was debated extensively during the first session of the Parliament when…

Dangerous talk

March 26, 2010Posted inGovernment, Political parties
I smell danger. The prime minister is going all out campaigning for state funding for political parties. In January, the prime minister informed the business community in Phuensholing that both the political parties were facing severe financial difficulties. Referring to the Parliament’s decision not to provide state financing for political parties, the prime minister complained that: We asked for financial support but, there was so much criticism about it being unconstitutional, we withdrew the plea … whatever the government had done so far is in accordance with the Constitution. Shortly afterwards, in Gelephu, the prime minister told the community…

Better party

September 15, 2009Posted inDemocracy, Political parties
That a group of people in Thimphu are forming a political party comes as very good news. Our two existing parties – one ruling, the other in opposition – cannot offer sufficient choice for democracy to take hold in our country. So we should be excited about the prospects of a third party. And we should encourage them. But we may need even more people to step forward and form political parties. After all, both the existing parties – DPT and the PDP – have huge loans, and may not be around to participate in the 2013 elections. The…

Letter trail

September 3, 2009Posted inPolitical parties
Several of you (Pro Media, Zamtap, Sonam, Kudrung and Kids) have asked me to post the letter that Lyonpo Khandu and Dasho Chencho wrote soliciting financial assistance from people who are not registered members of their party. One reader, Kids, almost begged: “I sincerely request your excellency to share the letters with us.” There’s no law prohibiting me from posting the letters (one in Dzongkha, the same in English). Yet, I feel uncomfortable. So please bear with me. But, be assured that my reluctance to post the letters here is not because I don’t want to share the evidence,…

Dear Kudrung

August 31, 2009Posted inPolitical parties
Kudrung recently sent me a letter. The letter was posted on this blog as a comment to an article. The comment had nothing to do with the article, “Illegal, immoral and dangerous”. Here’s what Kudrung wrote: My Dearest OL, I hate to say this but I just can't hold myself to say aloud how much I envy you. An Opposition Leader with the rank of the cabinet has all the the time in the world to create a blog, moderate them daily, write articles and finally post it. How can he do it ? I only wish I have…

What face?

August 19, 2009Posted inPolitical parties
I was alarmed to read Kuensel’s story “Bjemina volte face” in which Gup Tenzin was quoted as saying that he heard from a tshogpa that: “… PDP supporters went from house to house talking to people and convincing them.” This is a serious charge. So, I telephoned Gup Tenzin. He denied having said anything of that sort. I then called the reporter, Tenzing Lamsang. And, he claimed that Gup Tenzin repeatedly confirmed that PDP supporters did go from house to house convincing them to support the stone quarry. I don’t understand what’s going on. But, I must try to…

Illegal, immoral, dangerous

August 19, 2009Posted inPolitical parties41 Comments
Three months ago, some PDP members in Paro received a letter. The letter was signed jointly by the DPT MPs from Paro: Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk and Dasho Chencho Dorji. The letter, which apparently targeted businessmen, asked the recipients for financial support to run the DPT office in Paro. Article 15.4(d) of the Constitution declares that political parties can only accept money or assistance made by its registered members. And, Section 146(c) of the Election Act states that a political party may be dissolved if “it has solicited or resorted to collection of funds from private individuals or any agency…