The real Yangphel archery tournament...

Last year, Yangphel organized its biggest national archery tournament ever: 900 archers from all over Bhutan made150 teams and played a total of 180 matches over almost two months. The tournament commemorated a hundred years of monarchy and celebrated the coronation of our fifth Druk Gyalpo.

Yesterday, Yangphel organized its annual internal archery tournament: 30 archers, all Yangphel employees, made six teams and played a total of five matches over two days. The final was played today. And, in true Yangphel style, prizes included television sets and cash.

But to me, everyone – proprietor, management and employees – was a winner. After all, the last two days was a celebration of the excellent relations between workers and management of a successful company … a GNH-company.

Student on ice...

Nishtha Sinha is Bhutan’s first student to visit Antarctica.

Nishtha, an Indian, studies in Lungtenzampa MSS. So she represented two countries – Bhutan and India – when she participated in the 15-day Antarctic University Expedition 2009.

The expedition, which ended yesterday, was organized by Students on Ice, a unique program that takes students, teachers and scientists to Antarctica and the Arctic to learn about and to develop respect for the world’s ecosystem.

Nishtha, along with other student researchers from high schools and universities from a dozen countries, blogged from their “school” onboard the research ship, MV Ushuaia. Her second blog can be read here.

Well done Nishtha. And well done Lungtenzampa MSS.

Photo from www.studentsonice.com

Zeko’s dream...

Several people have told me that the quality of discussion among you, the readers of this blog, is unusually high. Your comments are educative, insightful and provide food for thought.

But I am concerned that most casual readers will not see your comments, especially if they read only the main entries. And I think that some of your views are too significant, and too valuable, to leave simply as one comment.

So I’ve decided to periodically post some of your comments as main entries — please let me know if this is okay. Reproducing your comments on the main page will, I hope, draw more attention to your views and encourage public debate.

I’m pleased to reproduce Ap Zeko’s comment on Weathering poverty. I suspect that Ap Zeko is the one and same celebrity featured in Kuzoo.

On February 26, 2009 2:25 AM, Ap Zeko said…

What a shame, when our farmers produce what the rest of the world covets – natural and organic food!

Have we forgot His Majesty’s Vision for the Nation? A nation of “strong dynamic economy” unique to the world? Here is what His Majesty said, at the 2007 Sherubtse Convocation:

“… if we begin to work today on building a Bhutanese economy designed for Bhutan’s needs, then just as we succeeded in creating a development philosophy unique to Bhutan, a democratic transition unique to Bhutan, we will be able to build a Bhutanese economy unique to Bhutan. You all are fully aware that in the past we embraced modernization based on our own terms and conditions. Today if we work hard, if we plan ahead we will be able to build a Bhutanese economy for ourselves and for our children’s future, once again on our own terms and conditions.”

Our economy’s strength and dynamism come from nurturing what is unique to Bhutan. That means, we must understand opportunities the world market offers, find those where we can excel, and combine the frontier of knowledge, information, and technology with our own tradition and age-old wisdom – resolutely and aggressively, in everything we do.

I can just hear what the readers might be thinking – “but the government isn’t doing anything!”

Well, well, well! It’s easy to criticize others, including “the government”. But, changes we want will never happen unless we act, ourselves. With a little capital, combined with a lot of wisdom and cooperative spirit, managing the uncertainty of rain will be nothing to our brave famers.

Let’s stop looking to the government to do something on everything. Let’s ask, “What can I do to change?” instead. Let’s dream big, like His Majesty did. Let’s start small, but start acting. That’s how all dreams come to reality.

Happy Losar!...

Losar Tashi Delek! I offer prayers that the Year of the Ox will bring even more peace, prosperity and happiness to our beloved monarchs, to our great nation, and to our people.

And as we begin a new year, I thank you for reading and contributing your valuable comments to this blog. You have nurtured the fire within me. Thank you very much.

Pictured is New York’s famous Charging Bull. This website has the interesting story of the 7000 pound bronze sculpture which was installed illegally in Wall Street.

Free media’s ace...

The ministry of information and communications finally has a secretary. Dasho Kinley Dorji, the former Kuensel MD, assumed his new office this morning.

Dasho Kinley, popularly called “Ace”, has a big responsibility. On the one hand, as the champion of a free media, journalists will expect him to continue leading and defending our still nascent media.

But as a government secretary, on the other hand, he will be expected to carry out the directives of the government, his political masters.

I wish him Tashi Delek! I also wish him, and the press, good luck.

Photo from www.kuenselonline.com

Weathering poverty...

Well it didn’t snow last night. And it didn’t rain enough. But it’s still overcast. And I’m hopeful.

Part of my excitement yesterday was because I was sure it would snow in my village, which, at about 2800 m, is higher than Thimphu. But it didn’t snow there either. The light drizzle was barely enough to “settle the dust” one uncle told me. He and his neighbours can’t begin to prepare their fields till enough water seeps into the parched earth.

Throughout our country, most of our farmers are completely dependent on rain water. This makes farming unpredictable and unproductive. And breeds unseen poverty in our villages.

Inspiring Bhutan...

I went on a field trip today. I went to see the Royal Thimphu College in Ngabiphu. The college is spread elegantly over 25 acres of gently sloping blue pine forest about 10 km due south of the capital. (See RTC website)

The construction of the college, which began only in October 2007, is already nearing completion. And by July this year, Bhutan’s first private college will have admitted its first students.

These students will be fortunate. Dormitories, classrooms, auditorium, sports facilities, gymnasium, dining hall, cafeteria, club house … the facilities they’ll enjoy are equal to those of the best colleges in our region.

These world class facilities were planned, designed and built by our own people. Gandhara Designs developed the master plan, zoning and all designs and drawings. And Phuensum Builders are the civil works contractors. Together, these two firms have shown that our construction industry, especially our architects, have come of age.

Only a few government officials have visited the college so far. Many more should visit. They’ll see that it is possible to improve the quality of construction in our country. And they’ll see that it is possible to develop education as a viable industry in our country.

But to improve the quality of construction or of private education the government must play a more meaningful role. It must provide vision. And genuine support to realize that vision.

The RTC’s motto is “Inspiring Education in Bhutan.” I am inspired.

Rhythm of the falling rain...

It’s drizzling outside. I hope it rains. In fact I hope it snows. We need the precipitation.

Our rivers have dwindled. And can barely turn the hydropower turbines that generate electricity – and revenue – for our country.

But, more importantly, our farmers have not been able to cultivate their land. Without water, their land is parched and cannot be tilled; cannot be prepared to plant potatoes. If potatoes are not planted in time, the potato yield will be bad. And potatoes are the only source of money for many of our farmers.

So I’m thoroughly enjoying the soft, percussive sound of the rain on my roof. But I hope it stops, as the rain turns to snow.

Party convention...

Here’s good news for PDP supporters:

A high-level party meeting today decided that PDP’s annual convention will be held on 22 March 2009. All registered members are entitled to participate in the convention, details of which will be made public this week.

Happy Birthday...

Earlier today, 14 lucky students got to wish His Majesty the King Happy Birthday! I’m very happy for them.

I’m also proud of them. For those 14 children, all toppers in the 2008 national examinations, gave our monarch a valuable gift – the promise “that their young little hands grow to become strong and worthy of carrying our nation to greater heights.”

On the happy occasion of His Majesty’s 29th Birth Anniversary, I join those successful students, and the entire nation, in wishing our beloved king Happy Birthday! And in offering prayers for His Majesty’s long life.

May peace, prosperity and happiness flourish in Drukyul under the glorious reign of the Fifth Druk Gyalpo.