Bhutan Today has quoted MP Ugyen Wangdi, the National Assembly’s legislative committee chairman, of accusing the opposition leader of trying to “hoodwink the people of Bhutan” and taking “the people of Bhutan for a ride”. He was referring to my continuing protests over the government’s unlawful tax increases.
Obviously, Dasho Ugyen is entitled to his views. [...]
The projected order of business for the Fifth Session of the First Parliament for Bhutan had, among many others, the following two entries:
Thursday, July 1:
Presentation of the Annual Report on the State of the Nation, including Legislative Plans and the Annual Plans and Priorities of the Government, to the Druk Gyalpo and to the Joint [...]
The Parliament met in a joint sitting yesterday to conclude its fifth session. And just like that, the first Parliament of Bhutan has already completed half of its 10 regular sessions.
So I’ve been thinking about the past five sessions, and researching how we, your members of parliament, have bought you pride or disgrace during the [...]
The National Assembly passed the Financial Services Bill last week. I voted against it. I did so because the Bill seems to favour foreign investors over our own people and companies.
Section 50, on restrictions on ownership of financial institution and investments by financial institutions, reads:
No person shall hold more than the following percentage of interest [...]
Today, for the second time in less than one year, a joint sitting of the Parliament will discuss the Civil Service Bill. Parliament had discussed and rejected the Bill last year due to irreconcilable differences on some fundamental principles of the bill.
I hope that this time we, parliamentarians, can find a consensus to pass this [...]
The prime minister, in his State of the Nation address, on differences between the National Council and National Assembly:
Already several issues have arisen between the National Council and this House which inevitably raised the question of seeking the guidance of the Supreme Court even before it was established. Now with its establishment, the wisdom of [...]
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 [...]
Support for the Royal Monetary Authority Bill was unanimous. Every one of the 66 MPs present in the Parliament today endorsed the Bill.
But if the Bill is so popular, why hadn’t the two Houses each passed it on its own? Why was a joint sitting needed?
In fact, there were differences. And the most critical one [...]
Yesterday, as expected, the joint sitting of the Parliament passed the Tobacco Control Bill. Support for the Bill was almost unanimous. 61 of the 65 MPs present and voting endorsed the Bill, whereas only 4 of them rejected it.
I was in the minority.
Tobacco control is a good idea. But the Bill that we just passed [...]
Today is world no tobacco day. And, not coincidentally, the Parliament, in a joint sitting, discussed the Tobacco Control Bill. The bill had already been debated in both the Houses last year – today’s discussions were to iron out the differences between the two Houses.
Parliament will probably pass the Tobacco Control Bill tomorrow. And I [...]
Tshering Tobgay is a Member of Parliament representing Sombaykha Constitutency in Haa. He is the Leader of the Opposition Party in the National Assembly of Bhutan.
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