News

The government’s pledge on airport infrastructure development, improvement of public transport, and to provide online service delivery have been partially fulfilled. The government had pledged to improve safety standards and expand the infrastructure at the Paro international airport and the domestic airports. “People’s Democratic Party (PDP) will look into the …

Thimphu police are investigating a case of larceny of cordyceps by deception. The incident happened on the morning of July 27 when three men, all from Wangduephodrang who brought five kilograms of cordyceps were in an apartment in Langjophakh, Thimphu with a customer. According to their statements to police, the …

Kuensel’s Chief Reporter Tshering Palden caught up with the Speaker Jigme Zangpo for a conversation on his term in the Parliament and hereafter. Looking back over your five years in the Parliament, what were some of the accomplishments? Although this is the second parliament after introduction of parliamentary democracy, the …

With the completion of the widening and blacktopping works at the Kanglung-Trashigang highway, over-speeding along the stretch is on the rise, according to officials from the Road Safety and Transport Authority (RSTA). Officials said despite regular inspections and awareness programmes on traffic regulations, drink driving and over speeding are the …

Although the Bhutan Civil Service Rule incorporated the extension of the maternity leave by three more months in 2016, most organisations in the private and corporate sector are yet to implement it. Through the Cabinet’s directives, the maternity leave programme was implemented in most of the state owned corporations. According …

Coinciding with the 727th national day celebrations of Switzerland, the office of the Honorary Consul of Switzerland was opened in Thimphu yesterday. Former minister Kinzang Dorji, who has been serving as the president of the Bhutan-Switzerland Society, was appointed the first Honorary Consul. The relationship between the two countries flourished …

Although the country saw an increase in total foreign currency reserve, the Opposition claims that convertible currency reserve (CC) declined by USD 200M today compared to that of 2013. The government claimed otherwise, indicating that both rupee and CC reserve increased. This could be attributed to ambiguous data. According to …

Opposition Leader Pema Gyamtsho (PhD) has said that he was disheartened with the Prime Minister’s statement about the former ministers’ inability to vacate Ministers’ Enclave even after the completion of their tenure in 2013. Speaking at the Opposition’s last press conference yesterday in Thimphu, the opposition leader said, “We were …

The new 150-bed Gelephu Central Regional Referral Hospital (GCRRH) was inaugurated yesterday. The much-awaited 40-bed Tsirang district hospital was also inaugurated yesterday. During the inaugural session, health minister Tandin Wangchuk said the two hospitals hold a major significance to the overall framework of the health system in the country. “Gelephu …

Although the Damchu-Chukha bypass roadblock below the Youth Development & Rehabilitation Centre (YDRC) in Tsimasham was cleared and vehicles were allowed to ply since yesterday morning, commuters were advised to use the old route from Dam site and Tsimasham to reach Chukha in the evening. Tsimasham police officials confirmed that …