State of the party
Last Sunday, in the Bhutan Times...
Financing political parties
The Royal Audit Authority, in its annual report to the Parliament, pointed out what we all know: that both our political parties are in serious financial problems. As of 30th June 2008, PDP owed Nu 20,326,924 to the Bank of Bhutan and Nu 3,588,232 to other various other suppliers. DPT owed Nu 14,253,975 to the Bank and Nu 7,708,010 to other suppliers. Yesterday, the National Assembly spent a good hour discussing the Royal Audit Authority’s observations on the financial status of our two political parties. Actually, we did not really discuss the audit observations per se. Instead, we talked…
PDP meeting
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.
Financing parties
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…
Raising funds honourably
I was surprised to learn that "... the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT) leaders recently told their members of parliament (MPs) to raise money for the party." (Read the Kuensel article). This is illegal. And I'm sure that the DPT leaders know that this is illegal. The National Assembly Act of the Kingdom of Bhutan, 2008 forbids members of the National Assembly from fund raising. Section 54 under Chapter 7 (Role and Responsibility of the Members) specifically states that "A member shall not resort to any form of fund raising from individuals or ay agency." I've already accepted that we…
Compulsory contributions?
I’d promised one anonymous reader that I’d give my views on an unrelated comment on “Sustaining happiness”. This was what our anonymous reader had asked: I have been reading about the contribution of the MPs salary towards sustaining thier offices and wondered how that worked. How is accounted for in the election commission. To me, its seems like an advantage over other parties and perhaps something only DPT is capable of right now. given, that PDP has only two members even if they wanted to contribute , it wouldn't compare. The comment relates to talk about the DPT requiring…
Our Punakha party
Yesterday, our secretary general Sonam Jatso and I visited Punakha. The PDP Dzongkhag office there had invited us to attend their general meeting. About 100 party members including members, workers and supporters had gathered to discuss strategies to further strengthen our dzongkhag office.I was delighted. We lost both the Punakha constituencies last year. And our president, Lyonpo Sangay Ngedup, who hails from Punakha, resigned to take moral responsibility for the poor election results. Yet, not a single party worker or supporter has left the party. Instead, they are closer and more focused than ever. And they are determined to…
PDP Secretary General
Last week, in a quiet ceremony, Lam Kezang Chhoephel, PDP’s secretary general, formally handed over the party’s files to the incoming secretary general, Sonam Jatso.Lam Kezang joined PDP in July 2007 and served as the party’s first secretary general. He successfully registered PDP as Bhutan’s first political party on 1st September 2007, and was instrumental in establishing and developing PDP’s party offices throughout the country.Lam Kezang leaves the PDP to join a private company. I thank him from the bottom of my heart. And I wish him success.
A unique example
Last year, in Sherubste College, a student asked me: “We’ve been told, many times, that democracy in Bhutan is unique – please tell me how it is unique.”The fact of the matter is that all democracies are based on, more or less, the same principles, and none can claim to be really unique. But, on the other hand, no two democracies are exactly the same, making every democracy, unique in its own way. So to claim that our particular form of democracy is unique, in the way it is structured for example, would not make much sense.But in one…
2nd general convention
The PDP held its second general convention yesterday.Despite strong appeals, from every party member, PDP president Lyonpo Sangay Ngedup resigned, taking full “moral responsibility” for the party’s loss in Bhutan’s first general elections.The general convention confirmed the following nominations:President: Tshering TobgayVice Presidents: Damcho Dorji, Ritu Raj Chhettri, Yeshey DorjiSecretary General: Sonam JatshoTreasurer: Namgay DorjiSpokesman: Dr Tandin DorjiThe general convention also approved a new executive board.
PDP general convention
Tomorrow, 22nd March, PDP will hold its general convention.We anticipate a large turnout. People from every dzongkhag have telephoned to inform us that they’ll be participating in the meeting.The convention is open to all party members. To attend, please be at the RAPA hall by 9:30 AM.
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.
Increasing voluntary contributions
The election commission’s decision to increase the voluntary contribution ceiling to political parties is hazardous to the health of our fledgling democracy (read ECB’s notification).It’s hazardous because increasing the amount that members can contribute will strengthen the two existing parties, and place any future party at a big disadvantage. It’s hazardous because increasing the voluntary contribution ceiling by 500% to Nu 500,000 per member per year disproportionately favors one party – the ruling party, DPT, which also enjoys an overwhelming majority. To be sure, even a ceiling of Nu 100,000 favours DPT more than PDP, but that ceiling was…
Opposition in hot water
I liked Bhutan Observer’s caricature for two reasons. One, they managed to make me look content and happy. And two, Gyamtsho, my son, predicted my response. When his friends had expressed concern for me, he had assured them that I would find it funny. What did I do when he showed me the cartoon? I laughed. And the more I looked at it, the more I laughed.I like the cartoon very much. But they got one thing wrong – the opposition is not “in turmoil”.I wish we were. If we were in turmoil, it would mean that we were…
Paying commission
Public anxiety over the pay hike issue is on the rise. And a lot of grief and surprise is directed at the huge increase that we, politicians, are expected to get – the pay commission has recommended an increase of 130% for the prime minister, 66% for ministers and 100% for parliamentarians. The public should be surprised. After all, the previous cabinet had already approved the draft Parliamentary Entitlement Acts and made public what aspiring politicians could expect to earn. And that was essentially Nu 30,000 per month plus 20% for house rent plus a chauffeur-driven car. Everyone knew…