Jan 24, 2013
Article 35
Amendment & Authoritative Text
The Constitution must solve the difficulties of the present and future dangers. It must identify the difficulties and think of the welfare of the people, safeguard the sovereignty and independence of the country.205 Therefore, with changing times and situation, the Constitution may require certain amendments. His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo explained that there were two ways to amend any of the Articles, including Article 2, which deals with the institution [... Read More]
Jan 23, 2013
Dasho Karma Ura and Dr U MyintBigger than France in size, Myanmar is a magnificently rich country in our neighbourhood. Perhaps nothing can reflect this fact more aptly than the Shwedagon pagoda. The pagoda sits in the middle of Rangon, a sprawling city of five million people, on the only hill for miles around.
According to its origin myth, the structure is said to contain eight miraculous strands of Buddha’s hair that was given to two merchant brothers from Myanmar just days [... Read More]
Jan 21, 2013
Article 33
Emergency
continued
During the public consultation their Majesties explained that:
(a) If there is no serious threat in our country, the Government will not declare an emergency. Even if so declared, our Parliament has to approve it within 21 days. Therefore, we need not have any doubt on this.198
(b) An emergency would not be proclaimed in our country unless there is a great national crisis affecting the country. Even if such emergency is proclaimed in the country, [... Read More]
Jan 19, 2013
This qualification cannot be taken at face value, as the writer found out
Bilingual has its etymological root in Latin’s “bilinguis”, which denotes “two-tongued”. Simply put, if a person speaks two languages, then that person is bilingual.
When someone asks me what my mother tongue is, I often get confused. My father is a Sharchokp and my late mother, a Kurtoep. Of course, when I realised, everyone at home used to speak Shorchokp. Naturally I, too, spoke [... Read More]
Jan 19, 2013
Article 32
Impeachment
Bhutan established a vibrant Constitution to ensure the freedom and rights of the Bhutanese people based on natural justice and the rule of law. His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the Fourth Druk Gyalpo, emphasized that the need for a Constitution is to establish a dynamic system of governance, which would uphold the true principles of democracy. To translate this vision, besides the empowerment of people through political process, the holders of the constitutional offices [... Read More]
Jan 17, 2013
Article 31
Holders of Constitutional Offices
continued
The holders of constitutional offices must receive adequate powers to enable them to function independently without fear or favor. Without such power, they will be unable to perform their duties as required. The holders of the constitutional offices are answerable only to Parliament, which has the sole power to impeach them for misbehavior or criminal acts as defined in supporting legislation and Acts.
Their Majesties during the public consultation informed that:
(a) We [... Read More]
Jan 14, 2013
Article 29
The Attorney General
This Article covers the Attorney General and the responsibilities of the office. The predecessor of the Attorney General’s Office was the Office of Legal Affairs. The Office of the Attorney General has inherited the functions and duties of the Office of Legal Affairs. The Attorney General’s Office was set up in August 2006.
The Attorney General has to carry out the responsibilities arising within the domain and authority of the Government and such [... Read More]
Jan 12, 2013
Article 28
Defence
A standing army is a symbol of sovereignty. Pazap, a form of militia was a part of our heritage. In the past, Bhutan has successfully repelled successive invasions from Tibet and by the British from India. The Duars wars were fought valiantly led by Gongsa Jigme Namgyel himself.
The Army of Bhutan transitioned to a modern army from 1927 by sending two educated boys for training in India under the second King. The Defense Force [... Read More]
Jan 11, 2013
Private sector development is at the heart of Bhutan’s Economic Development Policy (EDP) – 2010. For a long time now, the government has touted the private sector as the ‘engine’ of the economy. On its part, the private sector has made it clear that the government needs to address several bottlenecks if the so-called ‘engine’ must function efficiently.
The EDP points out the country’s licensing regime as a possible burden to business. It, therefore, calls for [... Read More]
Jan 10, 2013
Article 27
The Anti-Corruption Commission
Corruption is the silent public enemy and a chronic virus that produces poverty and inequality, and endangers civil society. Corruption will undermine Their Majesties’ vision of the unfolding democracy in Bhutan, impede socio-economic development and contribute to instability in future. Corruption is an unrelenting assault against the very foundation of democratic institutions, which hijacks electoral processes, emasculates the rule of law and creates bureaucratic labyrinth for the solicitation of bribes. [... Read More]
