Update: Economic affairs minister Norbu Wangchuk yesterday said the post of Chief Environment Officer for Puntsangchhu I hydroelectric power project was re-advertised to have the best candidate and at least three candidates to select from.
While the need of three candidates for the selection ‘is not in the rules, it is what we think, the minister said. “We needed a critical pool to select the best and at least it should be three candidates,” he said.
Lyonpo Norbu Wangchuk said that PHPA I informed him that there were two civil servants shortlisted for the post. Four applied for the post.
“I suggested opening up for the private sector and those working in the corporations as well,” he said, adding that they were looking for one more.
He said the selection would continue if there were no candidates applying, as the two shortlisted candidates remain valid.
Of the four candidates, two were shortlisted for the post in September last year.
They said it was unnecessary or might even be illegal to re-advertise the post after the shortlisting.
The candidates applying for the post had to have a minimum qualification of master or bachelors in forestry environment or management with at least 15 years of experience at P1 level.
The first vacancy announcement was advertised through the economic affairs ministry’s human resource division in the first week of September. The project authority re-advertised the post in the first week this month.
The economic affairs ministry’s vacancy was for in-service civil servants only, the project authority’s advertisement earlier this month extended to private employees who would be employed on contract. This has made some to doubt if a candidate is already identified for the post.
This time even the civil servants are asked to submit their applications directly to the personnel section of the project authority and not to the ministry, which does the shortlisting for civil servants for such posts.
The recent advertisement asks applicants to submit their applications directly to the authority’s senior personnel officer, not following this process. Candidates are contesting the decision saying that the previous chief environment officer was appointed from two shortlisted candidates.
The RCSC recruitment rules also say that the post would be re-advertised if there were only one candidate applying.
“Wasn’t the rule in place when the economic affairs ministry HR division shortlisted candidates?” a candidate said.
Tshering Palden

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