Apr 29, 2013
The country will soon go to the polls again, this time for the National Assembly elections.
The polling for the primary round of the assembly elections, the first ever in the country, will be on May 31, following which general elections polling will be held on July 13.
The dates were announced through a royal decree His Majesty issued yesterday, setting the election process in motion.
To do so, His Majesty summoned the chief election commissioner and commissioners [... Read More]
Apr 29, 2013
His Majesty The King with members of the interim government and election commission officials at the courtyard of the Trashichhodzong yesterday after the royal decree was issued It will function to ensure the election commission may conduct a free and fair election
Seven advisors, including the chief justice of Bhutan as the chief advisor, will join office at 11:30am today to function as the interim government, with the elected cabinet formally resigning and handing over the reigns of government earlier in the morning.
The interim government, which will function from the prime minister’s office, will stay in office for a period not exceeding 90 [... Read More]
Apr 29, 2013
Even as a brand new set of representatives is all set to take the stage
In a small, yet significant ceremony, the first National Council of the country marked the completion of its five-year term yesterday.
The four elected members, who stayed back, including the chairperson, along with the five eminent members and the council secretariat officials, offered Tashi Moenlam and khadhar to the throne at the council hall.
The house, comprising 20 elected and five eminent members, [... Read More]
Apr 29, 2013
Introducing DPT’s candidates to its supporters from around the country
Outgoing prime minister reelected president of party
The outgoing prime minister of the first elected government, Jigmi Y Thinley, was reelected as the president of Druk Phuensum Tshogpa yesterday at the party convention, which was attended by about 1,500 supporters.
The outgoing prime minister secured 805 ‘yes’ votes and 32 “no” votes. Thanking the supporters, the outgoing PM Jigmi Y Thinley said that DPT is not about the ministers and representatives, but about each of them.
“ You’re [... Read More]
Apr 29, 2013
With two royal decrees announcing the interim government and assembly poll dates, the country is now well on its way to its second historic elections that will elect a new assembly and government for another five years.
As required by the Constitution, the formation of an interim government to carry out the routine functions of government is an essential in the transition, not only to allow the cabinet to resign and prepare for the upcoming elections, [... Read More]
Apr 29, 2013
What’s cooking? A traditional wood fed ovenBecause in the rural setup, it is still far more economical than electricity or gas
Parents of boarding students in a primary school in Lauri, a remote gewog in Samdrupjongkhar district, are required to contribute fuelwood to the school mess every year.
The 172 boarders use almost 250 cubic metres (m3) of wood a year, roughly around 200 trees, for cooking.
Besides boarding schools and institutions, such as the monastic community and the armed forces, many rural homes [... Read More]
Apr 29, 2013
PDP’s South Thimphu candidate Tandin Wangmo with the party president Tshering TobgayThe People’s Democratic party (PDP) launched one more woman candidate yesterday, taking its total candidates to 31.
Tandin Wangmo is pitched against Druk Phuensum tshogpa’s south Thimphu candidate Yeshey Zimba and Bhutan Kuen-Nyam party’s Ugyen Dema.
The 38-year-old said she decided to join politics to facilitate and contribute to youth and women’s empowerment, as it is vital to both sustainable development and happiness of any country. “I’m confident that, fired by my passion on such issues, I [... Read More]
Apr 29, 2013
His Majesty with the kidu recipients of Dagala communityHis Majesty the King granted land kidu to 25 households of Dagala gewog in Thimphu on April 27.
The kidu recipients are part of a nomadic community that migrates between Dagala and Chamgang with their yak. The Fourth Druk Gyalpo had granted land kidu to the community in 1982 and 1986.
The 25 households, who received 13 decimal plots each in Chamgang village on April 27, were the remaining members of the community, who had earlier opted [... Read More]
Apr 29, 2013
In high demand: No more land for sale at Khitsang, TrashiyangtseWith the new township and a hydropower project in the pipeline, it’s a bull market
Land prices in Khitsang, Trashiyangtse have shot up and are likely to skyrocket with the town planning and construction of the Kholongchu hydropower (KHP) project.
The 55.75 acres of Khitsang town’s residential and commercial plots have reached exorbitant prices, with 191 plots currently fetching Nu 180,000 each.
About a decade ago, about five to six decimals of land in Khitsang were available for [... Read More]
Apr 29, 2013
On April 29, 2008, the National Council elected member Namgye Penjore as chairperson of the House. With the council completing its term on April 28, Namgye Penjore spoke with Kuensel’s Kesang Dema on the five years of the first House of review.
Q How do you think the first council fared?
It discharged its parliamentary duties very well. The members and secretariat personnel performed a good teamwork. We were able to set some good precedents in fulfilling the [... Read More]
