Apr 23, 2013
Polling officials on election duty board a truck in Tsirang yesterdayWith polling officials and security personnel already planted at their respective 42 polling stations of the dzongkhag’s twelve gewogs, Tsirang is all set for the election today, at least in terms of logistics.
All 152 polling officials and security personnel hitched a ride on government vehicles and some hired private ones to their designated stations.
Tongshing under Phuentenchhu gewog and Semdhenjong under Sergithang gewogs, which are three-hour walk from the gewog centre are the farthest polling stations [... Read More]
Apr 23, 2013
By Nirmala Pokhrel, PemagatshelIt took three heavy machines three hours to clear the block of massive boulders that almost pushed a jeep off the road
It took three heavy machineries, excavators and bulldozer, almost three hours to clear this year’s first and major roadblock on the eastern highway yesterday.
The road block stranded more than 200 vehicles for about six hours between Narphung and Shegpasing, 52km away from Samdrupjongkhar.
About 10-metre of the road that was being widended, was buried under [... Read More]
Apr 23, 2013
Off to vote: Dema’s family ready to go to Tshanglajong“Atoro bugeymey dani (what do we do)?” exclaimed Ap Tawla, a 45-year-old shopper in Zhemgang, raindrops dripping from his face.
He had waited for some time for the rain to stop, which had the small township of Zhemgang drenched since morning.
Tawla needs to reach Kikhar to vote for his candidate tomorrow. The polling station in Kikhar is about 27km from Zhemgang. It is a 15km smooth ride over paved road until Dakpai and another 12km of [... Read More]
Apr 23, 2013
Due to affordability, in the main, finds the Bhutan Living Standard Survey, 2012
Affordability is the main reason why children of school going age in urban and rural Bhutan are not in school, according to the Bhutan Living Standard Survey, 2012.
According to the survey, one in four children (26 percent) in urban areas and one in five children (20 percent) in rural areas are not in school.
In urban areas, 19 percent of children between 6-16 years, [... Read More]
Apr 23, 2013
In what should provide better access to aviation experts required in Bhutan, the director of the department of civil aviation (DCA) has assumed chairmanship of the cooperative development of operational safety and continuing airworthiness programme – South Asia (COSCAP-SA).
The programme, which was initiated in 1998, is a cooperative agreement signed between the civil administrations of the region for aviation safety and efficiency.
DCA has been facing critical human resource shortages in key areas required for auditing [... Read More]
Apr 23, 2013
Good health, income, and good family relationships are the three priority needs for a happy life, respectively, according to the findings of the Bhutan Living Standards Survey (BLSS) 2012.
The findings are identical to the top three most important factors that lead to a happy and content life, found by the Centre for Bhutan Studies (CBS).
However, in the CBS findings, ‘financial security’ exchanges places with ‘good health’ as the most frequent response.
The next three priority needs [... Read More]
Apr 23, 2013
Is how the met dept. describes the weather that has put a cloud over the NC elections
The rainy weather and overcast skies of the past few days, which foiled four attempts to drop, by chopper, polling officials to Lunana gewog for the council election today, could last another week, according to weather forecasters.
“This is nothing unusual at this time of the year,” senior meteorologist with the department of hydromet services, Tayba Buddha, said. “But there [... Read More]
Apr 22, 2013
A third attempt : Fourth one will be made todayIf the weather condition remain the same, over 480 voters in Lunana might not go to polls on April 23, unlike the rest of the country.
The two helicopters that have been trying to drop some election officials and electronic voting machines to Lunana, officially an eight-day walk from Gasa, have been making several unsuccessful attempts since April 18 because of bad weather.
If the situation persists, and with the passes covered in snow, cutting off the [... Read More]
Apr 22, 2013
The executive will, however, stay in office until an interim government is instated
It is amid the progress in planned activities and hydropower projects, which also brought with it subsequent challenges to the country’s economy, that the National Assembly dissolved.
The assembly, comprising 45 elected members of the ruling Druk Phuensum Tshogpa government, and the two opposition ones, completed its five-year term on April 20.
One Parliament member, following the ceremonial closing held at the National Assembly hall, [... Read More]
Apr 22, 2013
The prime minister, cabinet ministers and members of the opposition party offered Chawang to His Majesty the King on April 20 on the completion of the National Assembly’s five year term
