Tshering Tobgay

Carbon neutral?

July 5, 2010Government

Dorji, commenting on my last post, GNH vs GDP: … what is surprising is that OL seem to have been engrossed in counting the repetition of GNH instead of the substance of the address itself. Dorji is right. We should pay attention to, and analyze, the substantive parts of the PM’s address. So that’s exactly what we’ll do over the next few days. Here’s the plan: I’ll pick up some issues, one at a time, and we’ll discuss them. Let’s begin with something easy: the environment. In his State of the Nation address, the PM informed the Parliament of…

GNH vs GDP

July 3, 2010Government8 Comments

How important is GNH to the government? In the prime minister’s State of the Nation address (which, incidentally, sounded more like a political campaign speech than a statement by the head of government) GNH was mentioned 14 times. Plus he made 6 separate references to happiness. On the other hand, he mentioned GDP just once, and that to caution against being “swayed onto the GNP/GDP path.” How important, in reality, is GNH to the government? In the finance minister’s budget report (which explains how the government will finance its policies) GDP was mentioned no less than 46 times. And…

Taxing job

June 30, 2010Government, Legislature40 Comments

Breaking News! Opposition Leader calls for Finance Minister’s resignation! Actually, that's yesterday's news. That's when the opposition leader called for the finance minister’s resignation, during the budget discussions in the National Assembly. But, for some reason or the other, the news has still not reached the media. Bhutan Today, Kuensel, BBS and all the radio stations have been remarkably silent on the opposition leader’s demand. The media may be uninterested. But you, I’m quite sure, want to know why I proposed such an audacious measure. Here’s the story. Chapter 5 of the 2010-2011 National Budget is about the tax…

Increase civil service salaries

June 30, 2010Government

The day before yesterday, during budget discussion, the seven reasons I reported on why it may be time to review civil service salaries: Domestic revenue of the government, through tax and non-tax measures, has increased considerably since the last salary increase. In 2008-09 domestic revenues were projected to be Nu 11,932 million. In 2009-10 it was Nu 14,108 million. And in 2010-11 it is projected to be Nu 15,816 million. Domestic revenues have increased by a whopping 33% while civil service salaries have remained stagnant. Between 2008-09 and 2010-11 budgets, the government’s overall outlay has increased by a considerable…

Suicide case

June 29, 2010Health

During question hour today, I asked the minister for works and human settlement if and when wages for the National Workforce would be increased. This issue has already received considerable attention in the National Assembly. Still, I went ahead, hoping to push the government to raise the wages of our workers. It didn’t work. And during question hour today, I wanted to ask a second question, this one on an issue that we have not talked about at all in the National Assembly. I’d wanted point out the growing number of suicide cases in the country. And ask the…

Domestic air service

June 28, 2010Government

The government has reassured us that domestic air services will begin by its October 1st deadline. But, with barely three months left, the government is yet to decide who will run the domestic airline. On 16th June, Kuensel reported that: Four companies submitted proposals by the February 12 deadline. Two companies, national airline Drukair, and a UK based company, Route Network LLP, were identified on May 7, by an inter-ministerial committee. The final decision was then left to the cabinet. Of the two proposals it appears that the government favours Route Network LLP. Kuensel, on 26th June: With Drukair…

Why the government may be lazy

June 26, 2010Government

We should be concerned that the government has been slow to implement the 7 billion Small Development Projects grant provided by the Indian government. The SDP grant is part of the 10th Five Year Plan and is for: implementing smaller, short-gestation and community-oriented projects in vital sectors of health, education, rural infrastructure (conference hall, farm roads, small bridges, etc), water supply, irrigation channels, Renewable Natural Resource (RNR) centres etc. It is expected that over 2000 such projects will be implemented all across 20 districts of Bhutan in five-years time. Two years of the 10th Plan is already over. And…

Why I’ve been lazy

June 26, 2010Health

Three reasons why I’ve been less than diligent with my posts recently: The National Assembly is in session; The World Cup is on; and My cough persists. It refuses to go away, and has kept me, and my family, awake for many frustrating nights. But, countless home remedies and two ill-advised rounds of antibiotics later, good sense eventually prevailed – I consulted a physician. The specialist ordered a sputum culture, identified the offending bacteria, prescribed the right antibiotic, and, just like that, I’m already feeling better.

Spect-actors

June 21, 2010Civil society

I tried to avoid eye contact. And deliberately scanned the audience, desperately seeking the volunteer who would rescue me. But there was none. And, from the corner of my eye, I could see the emcee walking purposely towards me. “We have a volunteer,” she announced, smiling yet staring firmly at me. “Me?” I argued, and quickly looked left then right to my immediate neighbours, hopelessly expecting that she was addressing one of them. But the emcee was already looming over me. “Yes,” she declared, and led me on to the stage. As I steadied my buckling knees, I scolded…

Corrupt quotas

June 18, 2010Government20 Comments

The government’s decision to increase taxes on vehicles has caused a bit of stir. Many people I’ve spoken with agree with the progressive taxes based on engine capacity. But most, like I, doubt if simply increasing taxes will help achieve the government’s goal of controlling the growing number of vehicles in Bhutan. Why? Because public transport, in Thimphu and elsewhere, is still inadequate. And, in the absence of a reliable public transport system, we will continue to buy cars, even at relatively higher prices. A real reduction in traffic volume will be possible mainly by improving the public transport…

Laurence of Taba

June 18, 2010Government

The road between Langjophakha and Dechhenchholing is being expanded. Good.
Traffic on the single-lane road that connects the upper precincts of Thimphu valley with the town had become heavy and dangerous. So it was time to widen the road to accommodate the growing number of vehicles.
The government is executing the work departmentally. And they’re doing a pretty good job. It’s been barely 3 weeks since starting the project in Langjophakha and they’ve already reached the Dechhenchholing bridge area. Impressive.
But some people have complained. Sonam commented that commuting has become difficult and unpredictable. And Laurence set me this email, which, incidentally, has not been published by the newspapers.

Unrestrained Truth

June 18, 2010General

Two readers – Truth and Linda – went “off topic” on a recent post. “Truth” raised an issue that was totally unrelated to the post. “Linda” suggested that we should have a way of allowing readers to initiate new topics for discussion. And I agreed. I’ve thought about it. And rather than incorporating an online forum in this blog – we already have Kuenselonline and Bhutantimes.com for that – I suggest that you send, by email, a short written account of the topic that you’d like to draw our attention to. But please permit me to review your contribution…

About administrative action

June 16, 2010Government

The second issue in “Administrative action” asked if prime minister had the authority to issue “… directives to the home ministry, the judiciary and the police to take appropriate actions against the senior dzongkhag officials.” Again, several of you felt that, as head of the government, the prime minister does have this authority. And again I refer to the laws of the land. Chapter 19 of the BCSR is dedicated to administrative discipline in the civil service. And in its pages are contained procedures for the identification, investigation and adjudication of offenses by civil servants, all powers for which…

Appointing dzongdags

June 16, 2010Government

My last post generated a lot of discussions. Good. Most of you feel that the cross transfer of the Samtse and Haa dzongdags does not represent new appointments. That they are merely transfers of existing dzongdags. And, that the home ministry has the authority to transfer existing dzongdags. I disagree. The home ministry cannot transfer existing dzongdags for two reasons: One, dzongkhags are not under the home ministry – they are independent, autonomous agencies. So, the home ministry does not have legal administrative authority over dzongdags. According to Chapter 16, Section 2.1.3 of the BCSR, only the RCSC can…

Administrative action

June 14, 2010Government

The Samtse Dzongdag has been transferred to Haa. His transfer, which was decided by the home ministry, is meant to be an administrative action against him. But Article 2, Section 19(q) of our constitution states that: The Druk Gyalpo shall, by warrant under His hand and seal, appoint: … Dzongdags on the recommendation of the Prime Minister who shall obtain nominations from the Royal Civil Service Commission. If it is the Druk Gyalpo who appoints dzongdags, then how is it that the home ministry has appointed a new dzongdag for Haa? And a new one for Samtse? Kuensel raised…