Yesterday’s sessions

The two sessions we had yesterday are: “Challenges of youth in pursuit of GNH in globalized world” and “national strategy for corruption-free society”. We had the chief justice, lyonpo Sonam Tobgay and dignitaries for the first session and for the second one, Dasho Neten Zangmo and the officials from ACC. However, dasho Neten had to leave right after her speech because she was summoned to the palace by the royals. Since it was a weekend (Saturday), the labour minister Lyonpo Dorji Wangdi decided to attend too.

I wanted to ask a question of GNH and youth but nothing came up since I am still so new to this concept and as a result I could not ask any. However, I did ask something in the second session on corruption. The following is my question:

The government is doing so many things against corruption. The best example of this could be: The National Assembly parliamentarians refusing DHI’s leather bags on December 22, 2008.

“I will not spare you”, said Lyonchhoen Jigme Y Thinley on corruption. He also said, “Termination is the obvious choice for guilty civil servants”. The termination of seven education officials without any benefits is the best example.

However, the arbitrary transfer of 12 dzongdags and reappointment of 3 as directors in the ministry of home and cultural affairs by the cabinet, and not by the RCSC, throws a serious doubt on the government’s promise of respect for law and transparency.

And also RAA (royal audit authority) reports suggest that, the government is still soft of bureaucrats in corruption. This was contrary to the new government’s policy of ‘zero tolerance’ against corruption.
Lyonchhoen also said, “Constitution is not a stick” and that we should not interpret it too strictly.
By this statement, does it mean the government is not going to abide by the constitution?

The question was answered by some official from the ACC but since it targeted the government, his Excellency, lyonpo Dorji Wangdi was not satisfied so referring to me as ‘that lady’ he supplemented to what the ACC official has said. He said, regarding the transfer of Dzongdags as not corruption but the mandate of the cabinet. He also answered the other parts of the question.