Code language...

What we, as a country, need to do to rescue the Thimphu Tech Park. Yes, it will take a full generation to get there. But that’s why we must start immediately, with a sense of urgency.

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Posted by Tshering Tobgay in Economy, Education on March 1, 2013 8:22 am | 4 Comments

Expensive talk...

The Ministry of Agriculture says that the prices of local vegetables is increasing. They are right. In fact, the prices of local vegetables have not just increased; they have skyrocketed. Between this time last year and now, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, the price for local cabbages increased from Nu 37.43 to Nu 48.75. [...]

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Posted by Tshering Tobgay in Economy on July 30, 2012 7:43 am | 34 Comments

Shopping for poi...

Walk into a shopping mall, and you’ll be greeted by customers sampling various perfumes. Walk into the Norling Building in Changangkha, and you’ll also be greeted by customers sampling various perfumes. But there’s one big difference. The customers in the Norling Building, in Nado Poi shop to be exact, would be trying out different types [...]

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Posted by Tshering Tobgay in Culture, Economy on July 13, 2012 8:48 am | 1 Comment

Taxing issues...

The National Assembly passed the Tax Revision Bill last week. The Bill is now with the National Council. The Council will discuss the Bill, but, because it is a “money bill”, the Council can only make suggestions and recommendations that the National Assembly may, or may not, chose to accept. (Last year, the Assembly did [...]

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Posted by Tshering Tobgay in Economy, Government on July 2, 2012 7:02 am | 12 Comments

Responsible government?...

“As the Honourable Members are aware, our balance of payments with India has been worsening and the RMA has been facing a severe scarcity of Indian Rupees…” That was the finance minister’s opening line when he introduced the Tax Revision Bill in the National Assembly earlier today. Yes, our balance of payments with India is [...]

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Posted by Tshering Tobgay in Economy on June 20, 2012 10:08 pm | 66 Comments

Business on pedestrian day...

The central secretariat complex outside the Tashichhodzong wore a deserted look on pedestrian day, this afternoon. No doubt, our civil servants were busy in their own offices, working, since they wouldn’t be able to attend the otherwise unending number of meetings that plague our government. Norzin Lam, Thimphu’s main street, also wore a deserted look [...]

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Posted by Tshering Tobgay in Economy on June 19, 2012 11:46 pm | 34 Comments

Real losers...

Does anyone know why the government insists on permitting only FCB to import vegetables? I don’t. The prime minister had explained that only FCB would be provided Indian rupees to import vegetables as FCB would be able to buy in bulk and would not be motivated by profit, which would make prices come down. But [...]

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Posted by Tshering Tobgay in Economy, Government on June 17, 2012 8:27 pm | 28 Comments

Too good...

Yesterday’s economic forum was scripted and implemented to perfection. The forum, which was organised by GNHC and supported by the UNDP, was called “Macroeconomic Challenges, Opportunities and Policy Options for Bhutna” and held at the National Convention Centre. The forum was attended by the prime minister, cabinet ministers, senior civil servants and The forum was [...]

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Posted by Tshering Tobgay in Economy, Government on May 31, 2012 10:54 pm | 32 Comments

Really important business...

Doing business in Bhutan is already difficult. But it’s getting even more difficult. Each year, the World Bank publishes a “Doing Business” report in which they rank countries according to the “ease of doing business” in those countries. Here’s how our country has fared in their report over the last few years. In 2008, Bhutan [...]

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Posted by Tshering Tobgay in Economy on May 29, 2012 11:02 pm | 6 Comments

More essential stuff...

In my previous post I had proposed that, “the government is getting ready to sell even more foreign currency from our reserves.” What if I am correct? What if the government is, indeed, preparing to sell foreign currency to alleviate the rupee crunch? If so, what is the procedure? Last year, four months ago, the [...]

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Posted by Tshering Tobgay in Economy, Legislature on April 17, 2012 10:43 am | 21 Comments

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