When Dasho Kinley Dorji was appointed as the MOIC secretary last year, I hinted that that could be both good and not-so-good for our media.
Now, it appears that the government has recruited Tenzin Rigden, apparently on a short-term contract, as their “media advisor”. Tenzin Rigden worked in Kuensel, owned Bhutan Media Services, and started and owns Bhutan Times. He’s commands considerable influence in the media circle.
So, like Dasho Kinley, Tenzin’s appointment to the Prime Minister’s Office can be good for the media. Or, it could be dangerous. We’ll know soon enough.
But for now, what we need to know is this: who is paying for Tenzin Rigden? If he is being paid by the government, his position should have been advertised and the recruitment carried out in accordance with the RCSC’s guidelines. It wasn’t.
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Brilliant! By all means, an unconvulated statement of facts. It is clear Karma Penjore had an axe to grind and was taking all of us for a ride. Goodness, how vicious people can sometimes be!
Now wait a minute. We appreciate Tenzin Rigden coming out openly with his post. But it is selective and the larger question may be what he is not telling us.
Honest to God, Rigden can’t deny that he is (was) not a big fan of JYT and DPT. I have heard him talk.
Anyway, there are two sides to every story. A lot of what Karma Penjore and Karma have written has a lot of truth too.
Hi fellows,
I think in a democratic country one of the silent form of government is the media sector where transparency and accountability is assured to the public. Media has to rather be apolitical then on to one side.
T.Rigden is what so ever a person in the media community where he can always influence the issues and articles, where now having T.R at the disposal of DPTs door, he is vital to any bios and nepotism to this party.
Hope T.R you follow the ethics as a media person where ever you are and how ever you serve.
How his recruitment succeeded is still interesting to know.
Did you guys read the story on two officials who got gold medals in their studies in India? The news in BBS TV showed tenzin Rigden talking to them, and the news in print media says “Lyonchen lauds the gold medals” or something like that. It is not Gold medalists recognised or A and B won gold medals but the emphasis is on Lyonchen doing this, Lyonchen doing that. If T.R is not putting a spin on such news articles, who is?
We want to hear from T.R if the rumour that 7 million lost due to mismanagment by your company Bhutan Times has been paid to you by JYT government. The same government that has now hired you to be their media spin doctor?
You guys still don’t seem to understand that when a PM or President hires a spokesperson, he is there to explain the activities of the PM, and whether you like it or not, promote the PM’s agenda.
Yes, the person should not be affiliated or own any shares, but you cannot say that just because he has good relations with the media or not, should be the criteria for his hiring. In fact, anywhere else in the world, the better his ties are with the media, the better qualified he is for that job.
If Tenzing has any shares or stakes in any of these businesses, he will have to forgo them/sell them off. But to say that his connections should discredit him from the post is like saying that a Doctor (not the spin Doctor medical Dr.) can only become a health advisor if knows no other Doctors or nurses. That was his business and what kind of influence he wields in that field should show how great he has been at his job.
P.S if this is a temporary post/on contract, then I am sure the criteria for his hiring does not require him not to have any stakes in the media business. But this will have to be debated or looked at in depth.
T.R said>>If I recall well, BT was the first paper to raise the issue of the constitutionality of state funding for political parties,
Now that you are with the PM, we will take that DPT will never ask for our tax money to be used for funding the two parties.
>>and BT’s voice against Constituency Development Grant was one of the loudest among the media circles.
But did your “loudest” voice make any difference? If you as editor-in-chief and CEO of Bhutan Times raised idealogical differences between JYT and you, and now you two (JYT and yourself) make up when they offer you a position in his government, it doesnot say a lot about your character. The fact that you wanted to think says you have some moral voice within you. Listen to that little voice, no matter how unaudible it may be. CDG, despite being very contentious among all people have been bulldozed through without any regard to your voice, and the government wants to portray to the world that there is nothing wrong as you are with them. This is the real nexus, isn’t it?
>>>Similarly, BT was the first to write on the black-out of the live TV coverage of National Assembly and adopt an editorial position against the decision.
If this is really correct, how can you now promote the PM? His government (I would say JYT government as he is the most powerful there) banned live BBS from national assembly despite our media being guaranteed freedom by the constituion. If you promote such a regime, don’t you become a part of that regime? You will be promoting PM despite all his ill intentions.
>>>Finally, please don’t forget that I am one of those who supposedly attained infamy for the Solidarity Walk.
I support that walk. It would have been bad precedence for the country but the constitution guarantees such freedom. Are you proud of JYT’s actions on the solidariy walk? And now you are ready to stand by him and promote him? If I were you, Tenzin Rigden, I could not sleep. My conscience would be knawing at me day in and day out. You are a journalist and fighter at heart, get out from there and be a champion of freedom and not a spin doctor for someone who wants to cling on to an authoritative regime.
>>Citing these points, of course, is not intended to portray myself as a PDP supporter; all I am saying is that we must all be discerning and not follow political leaders and political ideologues blindly.
Good that you did not support PDP and that seems to be the basis of arguments for many people here. You do have conscience, listen to it and do not support a regime that is not good for the country. If you did not support PDP, so what? 67% of the electorates voted against it but do not support the regime whose ideology you say you do not agree with. Don’t be a spin doctor. Help usher in genuine democracy in Bhutan.
@ Pema
I don’t think Tenzing Rigden was hired as an advisor over policies. Lets be clear, he was hired as a Press officer.
And whats this about “character” being in question. Every sitting government has people who agree and disagree. Just because you don’t agree on something doesn’t mean you can’t work together.
Does it have to be so bad that just because you don’t agree with someone’s policies or some of the things he did or said, means you don’t have anything to do with the person?
If this is how politics in Bhutan should be, I am truly worried about how far we will go – forget ten years- but even two years from now.
And whether the regime is good for the country or not, it is what the people have voted for and that is why they are there.
Just because you don’t agree with it doesn’t mean EVERYONE has to either.
Bipartisanship and this sort of miring in hateful politics is what has held back many poor, highly illiterate populated countries in South Asia from moving forward.
This kind of Dirty/Petty politics, just because their parties didn’t get voted in, is what has been the fall of many Democracies in the third world.
While you blame Tenzing Rigden, there are other’s think the same of you. Who is correct only time will tell.
Policies, of course, are made by the PM and the cabinet ministers. But the Press Officer is the one who communicates and promotes those policies to the people. So if you differ from the PM on some of the major issues like CDG, how can you promote his decisions and policies? Therefore, people will start questioning your integrity, character, and moral values.
To have a successful Democracy the government has to listen to the people. They have to remain true to “government of the people, by the people, and for the people.” By bulldozing constitutionally questionable programs like CDG, MP’s pay raise, intimidating BBS and media, etc., I don’t know if the present government is really serious about building a strong foundation for multiparty Democracy. It certainly looks like they are doing a lot to ensure that DPT rules Bhutan for generations to come.
I think the best way to resolve this impass is to request RCSC commissioners to come forward and say whether or not it is lawful/correct or unlawful/incorrect procedure for PM office to hire officials without following civil service rules.
Cheers
If what you say is true about Bhutan Times being pro DPT before the elections, then I am all confused. My confusion stems from the mystery as to how a newspaper owned by PDP supporters was actually allowed to be pro DPT in their reporting.
If Tenzin Rigden has been hired as the PMs press officer, that is the PMs prerogative, however, I for one cannot understand how the PM can hire a person who has serious flaws in his character.
Thinlay, since it’s beyond the domain of the civil service, RCSC will not have any comment on this issue.
But if it is outside the jurisdiction of RCSC then my question is why OL is unnecessarily raising the issue. If direct recruitment is allowed based on certain established norm then i think we should respect that. personally, i feel that PM office is staffed by officials selected by PM and we should live with that. As head of elected government PM should at least have that privelage to work with people he wants to work with. The staff position is there as long as PM stays in the office. In other words, it is a temporary post and the next PM may decide not to hire the present staffs.
Cheers
i am just wondering why the media is not covering this issue. is it becasue TR is using his influence not to?????????? i dont know
Aha, Sonam Ongmo speaks with such authority of the DPT government. Judge my comments for facts. I am not for PDP but I am for democracy in Bhutan.
I agree with Phuntsho. If JYT is serious about zero tolerance to corruption, it must start with him at the helm.
If he believes in strong foundation for democracy, he is at the driver’s seat now. Why send his wife and wives of other MPs and ministers to villages at the expense of public money to campaign. Be good, do good, and DPT will rule the land and we will have no objections. It does not matter whether DPT forms the government or other party forms the government with good intentions for the people of this country, but don’t say one thing and do opposite.
Zero tolerance to corruption?
Reviewing PCS?
Banning live media?
gagging the civil liberties of the civil servants by legislating no criticism of the government?
CDG (2 million per year) and discretionary funds ( 1 lakh per MP, 2 lakh per minister and 3 lakhs for the PM)?
State funding for the parties?
….
… and so on.
True but the argument is is there a conflict of interest. Yes, PM has absolute majority in the NA and he can do almost anything. It is scary. Pl think media, politics, conflict of interests, democracy, political corruption, nexus between media as the 4th estate and the government. The issue is not simply our PM hiring T.R.
Media is theoretically independent. Practically – they have to get advertisments from government, they have to be paid, they have make money for their shareholders.
good for me and bad for nation. anything is possible in bhutan…. even pigs can fly in bhutan said by dasho kinley Dorji.
i am hopping within DPT’s tenure i may hold the post of secretary, though i am class 12 dropout. what a position to hold due to the luck and grace of DPT.no interview, no announcement of post…only after my appointment they will announced that 10000eyes have been appointed as seceretary of such ministry and he have done master from oxford….. wow…. what a qualification and post to hold…..
RCSC please announce the post of caretaker openly… other you do in darkness.. what a nice to progress… result- many potholes road, house cracked after a day of handtaking ETC……. and nice and well maintained office.
I see people who are debating on this tropic are highly educated people. But it’s not difficult even for a half educated man like me to understand the character of the person we are discussing here. To me Mr. Rigden, appears to be fickle,opportunistic,unreliable and spineless because he said that he disagreed on many core issues of the JYT administration like CDG etc. and yet willing to work with PM as his PO. How can someone who has such huge difference in fundamental issues and idealogy work work together without compromising your voice and opinion. I think, the moment Mr Rigden accepts the post of PO, his own voice and opinion,if he had any, is gone of supressed for good. This is truly unfortunate that such brillent man had to trade his freedom of thoughts and believe to somebody else for power,money or whatever. Forgive me,my English is very limitted.
My guess is that TR may not have traded his principle for fame or fortune. But it must be his desire to streamline the media-public-politician linkage. If this is the case, then it is good that PM has chosen someone with experience in media.
Individuals may have differences of opinion but it does not mean that we can not work together. Infact, system becomes dynamic and transparent if there are opposing views in a system. Thorough debate can take place on issue, if there is conflicting views in a same party or office, before such issue is put up into public domain.
Cheers
Our media is still very weak and they have not been asking tough questions to the government. Yet, it seems the government wants our media to write what it wangts to and skip what it does not want to. If that is what T.R is delegated to write, it is going to cut a sorry face for our democracy. Let us be the agent of positive change that we want to be.
Yes, Pema. Before trying to change the world, remember you should change yourself first, in other words (My favourite Buddhist saying)
BE THE CHANGE YOU WISH TO SEE IN THE WORLD.
mr. Ringden, Press officer of honourable P.M. what a name. he is the bell of the government and his job is just to ring the bell near the public ears.
mr. drups, if the bellman of P>M had disagreed to the core issue….it is nice for him so that he can ring the bell before to alarm the people…. or he will keep his disagreement hidden in his mind…. if he hide than he is cheating himself…. good for him…. he is in the middle of self and dtp….what a story… first he disagree with DPT’s core issue and now he accepted their offer wholeheartedly….i could have done same- out of fear, opportunity…. but educated man could never dare to do……anyway bell ring in time….
Why in the world should I change? If I do, I will end up selling my soul to the devil and supporting a regime I do not believe in.
Haggling over petty matters and that what Bhutanese are known for starting with this blog. Go and do some work that will rather justify your salary at the end of the month. Democracy in Bhutan has taken roots and will surely grow strong and dynamic. It will one day achieve the goals of GNH.
Thats true. Let the government do their work including the Hon’ble PM and his media. Lets not waste our time in this blog discussing things not worth the discussions. For God’s sake they have three more years in office and when the next elections come let the people decide whom to vote for DPT, PDP or any other party. For now, lets do our own bit for the betterment of this country. Lets not waste our valuable time browsing such web sites thats all evil minded.
Thinlay, if diversity of views and opinions are important, T.R. had the best opportunity to contribute, most meaningfully, to our nation and our young democracy as a good journalist and executive of Bhutan’s first private newspaper. As you know, for everyday citizens, print and TV media provides the most effective forum to participate in national debates.
Also, I don’t think a Press Officer (PO) will be invited to weigh in his opinions and views in the National Assembly hall and cabinet meetings where important debates take place and important decisions are made. As a PO, he will be government’s mouthpiece to convey what’s already decided. And as a part of the team, I don’t think it will be possible for T.R. to express his differing opinions and views publicly. He’ll not have that freedom and independence anymore.
Furthermore, now T.R. cannot go back to join any media organization. He has clearly made his choice and has publicly joined the DPT side. He has lost the credibility and people’s trust as a free and independent thinker and writer. What a shame and a big loss. T.R. is a great writer and he could have played an important role as a national leader (possibly earning a national award) in our media sector that has a crucial role to play in strengthening our democracy at this important juncture.
Hon’ble OL: What happened to the earlier comments? Please restore them. This is a hot topic and has generated a lot of comments.
Thank you, Hon’ble OL. I found the earlier comments.
karma 1,
That was exactly what I wanted say but couldn’t form words. I too think Mr Rigden’s career as a free and indepentent thinker journalist is gone for good,unless he comes out with a some kind of book like President Bush’s ex PO did by resigning from the post, and writing a book disagreeing Bush’s policy. Even if he did that,I see a slime chance of resurrecting his career as a free and independent journalist,that he was once, in the future.
Someone from the earlier comment said that he can still be a PO and yet be independent thinker. Well, I don’t think so-going by what other PO do in other countries they just parrot whatever the the president or prmie minister say. I think PO just don’t have the liberty to opine on any of the policies passed by pm and his cabinet.
I just wonder how an intelligent man like Mr Rigden got duped into destroying his own bright future. What’s so facinating about PO,anyway? With his,intelligence,knowledge and influence,he could have become anything he wanted in Bhutan,if only he had little patience. PM may not have done it deliberately, but I think he completely destroyed the bright future of Mr Rigden. Other people may disagree but I even think that by appointing Mr Rigden as his PO, he has undermined the freedom of press as well,because Mr Rigden in his comment on this post says that he has cousins,brothers and good friends running and heading the other media organizations like BTimes,BToday etc. So I don’t think journalists and press from those papers will feel free to express their opinions without comprising their free thinking for so many reasons. For one Mr Rigden is a senior journalists and most of the journalists are young,who at one point worked under Mr Rigden, and some may consider him even their guru or mentor. And not many dare to go against the words and advice of gurus,specially in Bhutan where we give undue respect to elders ,regardless of whether they deserve it or not.
hi, sonam tshering and thinley tshering,
i respect your comments,we and you are not just debating on the issue, with self-motive. i am not right person to comment on you, however i feel that it is my duty to speak out that black is black.. not black is white.
i just want to ask…did you vote in 2008? if so you have every right to speak to them.
do you think three years is three days? what could happened if DPT continue these trend? how can you say that democracy is rooted firmly in our nation?
we won’t interfere DPT government if they do democratically?
they appointed PO in darkness? now a days even post of sweeper is done through open competition why not P>O. something is there… what no one knows???????
mr.rigden… keep your opinion or difference inside your mind, after 10 years publish your opinion and difference by then it is finished. i respected you,now lost everything.
speak lies of DPT truly/sincerely….after than laugh inside yourself….
For the benefit of others, I copy and paste Tenzin Rigden’s comments here. He disagrees with the policies of the government, he was one of the organisers of solidarity walk (a strike calling Bhutanese people over government’s handling of deaths of six boys in Chhukha), he questioned the legality of CDG, banning of live BBS from NA hall, state funding of parties, and now he has accepted the role of being a P.O for the very government(whose policy he disgarees with) and many of his cousins, friends and colleagues are owners and practioners of media in Bhutan.
Please think and tell me this is a petty case. Isn’t T.R prostituting? Isn’t our government buuying off the media sector in Bhutan?
With due respect to all the views expressed here, let me try to set the record straight – not so much to exonerate myself as it is to ensure that other people, along the way, are not undeservedly hurt.
• A month or so after leaving Bhutan Times, I was asked if I could help establish an effective communication system between the government and the people by proactively engaging the news media. I was told the rationale was to make the government machinery and its functioning as transparent as possible. It was also made explicitly clear that my responsibility was not to “spin” things but to report events as they transpire so that Bhutanese people get nothing but the truth. To reinforce this standpoint, I was even told that if I, while discharging my functions, in anyway felt my own principles and integrity were compromised I could walk out any time.
• I could not take an instant decision. To be frank, I was in a Catch-22. By then I had started a small publishing firm, manned by seven writers and designers. I could not possibly walk out and make them fend for themselves. But, then, if I had my hands in both, it possibly could give rise to conflict of interest (even if not now, eventually).
• An even bigger dilemma I had to grapple with was my own reservations. I questioned if I had the capability – and the capacity – to shoulder such a huge responsibility. By my reckoning, the job wasn’t simple enough – in many ways, it was about ensuring transparency and accountability in a democracy. What if I failed? What if I let the expectations down? The consequences of inefficiency were frightening!
• Given these reasons plus my fragile health, I kept on sidestepping the proposition for so long that the procrastination wasn’t helping anybody. So, a month ago, I suggested that I might, through a short stint of a few months or at the most up to a year, try HELP establish a system in which the government can positively, proactively and transparently inform the nation through the media. The PM clearly said, and rightfully so, that my appointment should be announced through the media. But I was not ready yet – I needed to OBSERVE various situations firsthand to make up my mind.
• As to my background, I started my career in Kuensel in 1993 and resigned in 2002 end, after 10 years. In 2003, I started Bhutan Media Services (BMS), a small advertising firm, the assets of which were merged with Bhutan Times after the formation of the newspaper company in 2006. BT surrendered the BMS license in 2007. With due permission from the BT management, a former BT staff revived BMS (in the latter half of 2008 or early 2009, I am not sure) but I have no stake, financial or otherwise, there. In 2008 I invested Nu 200,000 (a portion of the money that I received as dividend from BT) as share in the Institute for Management Studies (IMS). Two months ago, I relinquished this ownership in favour of my elder brother. As far as my latest venture is concerned I, along with some friends, started a small publishing firm, known as Thinley Pelbar.
• Regarding bias in executing the responsibility as press officer, it is up to you to judge. But here are the facts – worked in Kuensel for 10 years; started and ran BT for three years (yes, I still own 10% BT shares if there is any value at all now); the owner of Bhutan Today is my first cousin and its CEO my nephew; the editors of Business Bhutan are friends and former BT employees; the entire news team of The Journalist, as you know, comprises former BT news team (by the way, I have no ownership or control there); and, finally, the MD of Bhutan Observer is one of my closest friends (you can check if you don’t believe.)
• Now, my political inclinations. I am accused of having used the BT newspaper to run anti-PDP and pro-DPT stories. On this, a) Please check the report of a European Union team which did an independent analysis of media reporting of political stories in Bhutan on the eve of elections; and , b) Talk to BT editors and reporters how huge a sway, if at all, I had in deciding the editorial content of the paper.
If I recall well, BT was the first paper to raise the issue of the constitutionality of state funding for political parties, and BT’s voice against Constituency Development Grant was one of the loudest among the media circles. Similarly, BT was the first to write on the black-out of the live TV coverage of National Assembly and adopt an editorial position against the decision. Finally, please don’t forget that I am one of those who supposedly attained infamy for the Solidarity Walk.
Citing these points, of course, is not intended to portray myself as a PDP supporter; all I am saying is that we must all be discerning and not follow political leaders and political ideologues blindly.
• Lastly, some factual corrections. 1) The machine in BT press in Jemina which did not work was not bought for Nu 2 crores but for Nu 55 lakhs. As the supplier did not make it functional, we withheld the payment and eventually sold it for Nu 12.5 lakhs (not 15 lakhs). BT did not incur any loss from this machine. Further, the whole press has been leased out at a very profitable rate of Nu 20 lakhs a year.
In the first six months of 2009, our unaudited internal accounts reflected a loss of about Nu 52 lakhs which I presented to the board. That was the loss during that period (January to June, 2009.) As of September 30, 2009 – the day I left BT – the company’s books showed an overall positive balance to the tune of Nu 70 to Nu 80 lakhs. We also paid a dividend of Nu 80 lakhs to the shareholders in 2008.
Please feel free to contact me if any of you have further doubts at:
Tenzin Rigden
17110695
bhutanmedia@gmail.com
Thimphu
he has also given his phone nos…. who can call?..17110695. he is DP T’s man! not a bhutantimes CEO…..call him in this nos one could be in big trouble
Someone told me that he is afraid of writing in this forum because he believes that PO and powerful DPT are trying to find the identity of us, so much for freedom of media and speech.
Do we need a media person for the opposition Leader? Well time for me to join you. When are you calling me OL? I will assure you that the nation knows about what you do, intend to do and much more. ANd if you intend to adverttise the job, I will ensure I get it.
Dear “Dorji from Haa”: Unfortunately, the opposition leader’s office will not be recruiting a media person. Thank you for your interest though. Tshering