Tshering Tobgay

More dogwood

June 16, 2009Miscellaneous

Blooming dogwood prompted Tongyal to visit the Clock Tower Square and spend a good half an hour among the dogwood trees. Since Tongyal enjoyed the experience so much, I'm posting another picture - this one shows a blooming dogwood at the Motithang Hotel. Thimphu has a few other good dogwood spots. Some of them are old. All, at this time of the year, are quite beautiful. I invite our readers, and especailly Tongyal, to look for them and send me the photographs.

Civil service bill

June 16, 2009Legislature

You can download the Civil Service Bill of the Kingdom of Bhutan, 2009 from the National Assembly's website. This is important bill will be discussed during the forthcoming session of the Parliament. So please read it. And share your thoughts and comments here.

Archery stars

June 15, 2009Culture

This week's featured photo is again about archery. The finals of the Silver Jubilee Coronation Tournament, which was, till 1998, called the Coronation Cup, concluded yesterday. As predicated, Team Phojas won the coveted trophy. But Team MPAB put up a good fight. They won the second game. And matched the Team Phojas karey for karey in the third game, which was far more interesting and competitive that what the final score showed (25-8). In a dramatic finish, Lop Kinley Tshering, MPAB's anchor, hit the target with his second arrow and cut Team Phojas' choenda, which had been planted by…

PDP meeting

June 13, 2009Political parties

Today we organized a special meeting for our financial supporters. During the meeting, we made presentations on the status of our party, and talked about the way forward. Our supporters resolved that the PDP must continued to be strengthened in order to provide an effective opposition to the government, and to ensure that our people have access to a credible alternate party. Several supporters offered voluntary financial contributions. Others volunteered to join the fund-raising committee.

Archery finals

June 13, 2009Culture

The 2009 National Coronation Cup archery finals are being played in the Changlimithang grounds. Team Phoja, who are widely regarded as the strongest team this season, needed just four rounds to win the first game. The score: 25 - 0. And the time: only 10:30 AM. Most spectators were resigned to a quick second game, and hence the match, in favor of the much more superior team Phoja. Some even ventured that the match would be over before lunch. But team MPAB didn't give up. They began the second match by scoring points before team Phoja, preventing, much to…

Blooming nuisance

June 12, 2009Towns

In my last entry, Blooming dogwood, Romeo, a regular commentator, pointed out an "...uncovered drain right next to the lower police gate that is very risky for pedestrians and vehicle drivers during the day as well as night." Romeo is right. The open drain is dangerous. I don't know how long the drain has been left like that, but I first spotted it about ten days ago. The City Corporation is obviously repairing something inside the drain. But they should either secure the area properly, or cover the drain when no one is working on it. Since they haven't,…

Blooming dogwood

June 12, 2009People7 Comments

If you go to Thimphu's Clock Tower Square these days, you'll find the dogwood (phetse shing in Dzongkha) there in full bloom. In the midst of what is fast becoming a concrete jungle, the dogwood trees, though there are only three left, provide refreshing refuge. The Clock Tower Square, before it was extensively renovated in 2004, used to have many more trees. Maple and dogwood were some of the trees that Friends of the Square, a group of volunteers, planted along with bamboo, azalea and marigold to convert an unkempt, dirty square to a well organized garden with proper…

Protecting our judiciary

June 11, 2009Justice

On 9 June, Kuensel reported that the selection of the new DDC secretary may have violated the RCSC's position classification system. If this is the case, RCSC should look into it. I have no problem about a member of the judiciary applying of a civil service post, and the RCSC accepting that person's candidature, or selecting that person. No problem that is, as long as both the Judiciary's rules and the RCSC's rules are followed. So the RCSC may wish to ensure that due process was followed. RCSC should also consider if it has infringed on the independence of…

Being blunt

June 10, 2009Government

The cartoon in the last issue of Bhutan Times showed Lyonpo Nanda Lal Rai announcing: "I'm going to be blunt. He (opposition leader) along with other MPs will get the CDG. But he's creating all this noise to gain political mileage. If people are misinterpreting the Constitution from day one, they're asking for trouble." I take issue with Lyonpo Nanda Lal on four counts. First, I cannot and will not accept the CDG if I continue to believe it to be unconstitutional. My understanding of our obligations to safeguard our Constitution will not allow me do so. In fact…

Site update: gallery

June 9, 2009Miscellaneous

I'm pleased to announce the latest addition to our website: a gallery where I'll post photos occasionally. I hope you approve. And, naturally, if you'd like to share your photographs, I'll be happy to post them too. The "gallery" button is on the navigation menu above the featured photograph. The inaugural album is of my last trip to Punakha. All the photos were taken at Talo's archery grounds.

About the CDG

June 9, 2009Government

Last month, Archibald read "Illegal grants" and commented: "...i've been wondering what the CDG is..." A few other people have also asked me about the CDG. So let's talk about the CDG. Or, better yet, let's see what the National Council has said about the controversial grant. But first, let's recall how the grant was first introduced. It went something like this: On 23 June 2008, during the first session of the Parliament, the National Assembly discussed the budget for the year 2008-2009. The proposed budget made no mention of a CDG. When the National Council debated the proposed…

Gifted Kunzang

June 8, 2009People

Here's a gift from Talo, Punakha: Kunzang Lhaden, aged 12, singing a soulful rendition of "Mitse Dina", a soundtrack by Namgay Jigs from the movie "Jigthar". Kunzang learnt this song, and others, by listening to BBS Radio. Enjoy...

Talo archery

June 8, 2009Culture

I was in Puankha over the weekend to participate in a friendly game of archery in Talo. The game was organized by the local people to celebrate the inauguration of the Talo Sherda library by Her Majesty the Queen Mother Ashi Sangay Choden Wangchuck. Built by the Zhabdrung, Talo's historic archery grounds have seen fierce competitions among many successive generations of the neighboring villages of Talo and Nobgang. And the tradition of the grueling four-day archery challenge between these two villages continues to be the highlight of the local calendar even today. This week's photo features team Talo-Nobgay distracting…

Impersonating OL

June 6, 2009International

A friend of mine asked me to look at a certain Govinda Rizal's blog. I did. And I was shocked. Mr Rizal claims that we had been in touch. And that I had written to him. I did no such thing. So someone has impersonated me. I don't see why anyone would want to pretend to be me. But I'm concerned that this may be an attempt to bring discredit to the opposition. And to defame me.

Financing parties

June 4, 2009Political parties15 Comments

About a month ago Kuensel reported that DPT MPs had insisted that "... only state funding would save them from sinking under." And quoted Lyonpo Thakur Singh Powdyal as saying: "Given the experience of the party so far and the need to have a responsible and respectable political system in the country, it's desirable to have state support, because the existence and functioning of spolitical parties have critical implications on the health of the state." I'm amazed that DPT politicians continue to expect state funding for their party. After all, the first session of the parliament had decided that…