Ex-Education Minister’s wife bought land near Education City site while Ex-PM Jigmi Y Thinley, Yeshey Zimba’s wife and Ex-Speaker Jigme Tshultim own land nearby

The Bhutanese, in an investigation has found that the former Education Minister Thakur Singh Powdyel’s wife Bhakti Maya Powdyel had bought 50 decimals of land right next to the Education City site in June 2012.

The Education Ministry is one of the key stakeholders in the Education City project responsible for helping to facilitate and get foreign Institutes and also ensure a quality check on the institutes coming in.

The paper has also found that the former Prime Minister Jigmi Y Thinley owns around seven acres of dry land in Selekha which is opposite the Education City site.  He had brought the land in 1978 from a local farmer.

A few meters below the Ex-Prime Minister’s land, the former Works and Human Settlement Minister Yeshey Zimba’s wife Thuji Zam owns 14 acres of apple orchard land. The land in question is her own ancestral property inherited from her parents who were a prominent family in the area.

The former Speaker Jigme Tshultim owns 7.40 acres of dry land next to the Education City site which he had bought in 1978.

The Education Secretary Sangay Zam owns 2.70 acres of land right opposite the site with the bridge to the City starting from near her land. In her case too as the sister of Lyonpo Zimba’s wife the Education Secretary inherited the property from her parents.

 

Increasing land prices

Land prices in and around the Education City site have been shooting up over the last few months with the start of the project commencing with the ongoing construction of the access road and bridge.

Local landowners said that in the area where the Education Minister’s wife brought the land the initial prices of Nu 20,000 to 25,000 per decimal a year ago is now up to Nu 40,000 per decimal. Prices are expected to shoot up dramatically over the years in all surrounding areas due to the huge size of the project.

 

Ex-Education Minister’s wife admits to buying land

In an interview with the paper the Education Minister’s wife admitted that they had bought the land at Nu 25,000 per decimal in around June 2012. She said that due to restriction from the National Land Commission on transaction of Thrams until the final Thrams are issued she had signed a legal agreement with a local farmer Tshering buying the land. “We have already paid Nu 400,000 is advance which is around half the amount.”

She said that her husband knew that she was buying the land and he had gone and taken a Nu 500,000 loan from Druk-PNB for this purpose for which they were still paying the installments.

She said that a cousin of hers told her about land being available there. She also said that both her family and the former Minister did not own any other property in Thimphu and Paro and there were concerns on what they would do after his retirement.

When contacted by the paper on Friday afternoon the former Education Minister initially said that neither he nor his wife owned land at the site. However, when he was informed of his wife’s discussion with the paper the former minister said that his wife and her friends had gone to see a site looking at the possibility of buying land but all he knew was that the transaction was not complete.

 

Denials made Earlier

A day earlier on Thursday the Education Minister Thakur Singh Powdyel in a common forum debate broadcast live from his constituency denied that either he or any other minister’s owned land anywhere near the Education City site.

Prior to this the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa also declared that no minister owned land in and around the Education City site. This was in response to an unverified and anonymous social media website Bhutanomics alleging that some ministers and a few others owned huge tracts of land right next to the Education City.

The Bhutanese, found that though ministers do own land near the site Bhutanomics had exaggerated the size of private land, its location and had also named individuals who did not own land there.

At the start of the DPT’s political campaign the Party President Jigme Y Thinley referring to the website had refuted allegations that he and some of his colleagues owned land around the Education City site. He had said, “We’ll willingly give away the land we’ve been alleged to have to people if it were true.”

 

Landowners role in the Education City Project and Site Selection

The Bhutanese, has found that except in the case of the Speaker all other landowners in the site have had major roles in approving the project, finalizing the Education City site and also the Nu 479 mn government budget for infrastructure works.

The Ex-Prime Minister, Ex-MOWHS Minister and Ex-Education Minister’s as members of the cabinet gave the green light on the entire Education City project.

Yeshey Zimba was the Chairman of the initial Empowered Group set up for the project with government secretaries including the Education Secretary Sangay Zam as its member.  This group had approved the joint bid of ILFS and Infinity for the Education City.

This Empowered group based on a set of options and recommendations from DHI Infra had also selected the final site as the current site.

DHI Infra’s General Manager of project, Dr Karma  said that DHI had looked at several sites based on factors like  distance from the airport, distance from Thimphu and slope of the land.  He said many of these requirements were those expressed by potential investors in the project.

DHI Infra’s Kapil said, “The Education City Project office was under DHI at the time lead by Project Director Kinga Tshering (now DPT MP from North Thimphu) and we did an initial study with the National Land Commission looking at where land was available across the country.”

The Education City project discussion in the Parliament saw many MPs saying the project should be in an area away from Thimphu which was already developed. Many MPs in fact wanted the project in their own Dzongkhags.

DHI’s Education City Project office looked at feasible areas in Punakha, Wangdue Phodrang, Bumthang, Paro, Thimphu Dzongkhag and Tsirang.

In Bumthang the project looked at a beautiful spot in Shingkhar followed by another area in Wobthang. In Wangdiphodrang the Khotokha area 30 km from Wangdi Dzong, which at one time had been identified for a possible airport was looked at.

In Punakha both Kabjisa and Limbukha were looked at as potential sites. In Tsirang the Tsirangtoe area was looked at as a potential site.

Kapil said that though all of them were potential sites in some cases the areas were either too far off or a lot of trees would have to be cut down. He said that given the requirements the two most viable options, which were Khotokha area with a nice lay of land not very far from the airport and the current site in Chuzom were presented along with all others sites. The Empowered group settled with the Chuzom site.

The Empowered Group after the passing of the Education City Bill was turned into the Bhutan Education City  (BEC) Board with Yeshey Zimba as Chairman and several secretaries including the Education Secretary as a member.

The BEC board as per the Education City Bill is the government’s representative to deal with the project and its owners. The Board has extensive financial, regulatory and other powers given to it by the Bill.

 

Issues and Controversy with the project

The Education City project first came to light in December 2009 when the Infinity Group’s then representative in Bhutan Palden Tshering and also nephew to the PM said that a Calcutta based company Infinity wanted to start a USD 1 bn Education City project in Bhutan. In the interview with the same reporter in response to a question Palden revealed that the Prime Minister’s son Palden Thinley was also working in the project .

He said that in June 2009 the company had already approached the Ministry of Economic Affairs. The government had already authorized the setting up of an inter-ministerial committee under the MoEA Secretary Dasho Sonam Tshering.

On February 17, 2010 a cabinet website press release said, “The cabinet has approved giving about 1,000 acres of land to DHI to be used as equity grant in the proposal to build a knowledge city in Bhutan by the Indian-based company, Infinity Techno Parks.”

Soon after controversies followed the project as questions were raised over transparency in the project, the inherent conflict of interests, the capacity of the Infinity and the potential impact of the project.

Infinity was found to be just a Nu 10b company and their experience was is in information technology with no experience in education city or even colleges. Infinity’s 12 commercial projects mostly comprised of single or double multistory buildings in different locations mainly in and around Kolkata.

The government then announced that DHI would go on a ‘road show’ to attract possible bidders for the project. Ultimately the bid was taken by a sole partnership of ILFS and Infinity bidding together as a Consortium.

After the bid the government was no longer taking a 30 percent equity stake in return for 1,000 acres as originally planned. Instead a 2.01 percent of the revenue and a Nu 10 mn annual land lease fee were agreed too along with 50 acres of land to be given to the government as space.

In the midst of the rupee and credit crisis when the government was slashing expenditure everywhere the project was allocated around Nu 470 mn to be spent over the next three years in providing facilities like road connectivity and water facility for the project.

The project and the institutions in it have been granted a 100 percent tax holiday till 2030. By contrast Special Economic Zones in India give only a five year complete tax holiday with a 50% tax holiday for the next 10 years.

The Jigmeling Industrial Estate is planned on the similar lines as a SEZ like Education City. However in Jigmeling of the 733 acres the developer has to hand back around 300 acres to the government for free.

A key reason why many bidders did not come for the Education City bid was because of the refusal to change the 30% commercial and 70% institutional ratio of the project. Potential bidders wanted a higher commercial space of 40% to 50% and more to make shops, hotels etc but were refused.

However, the latest agreement signed between the ILFS/ Infinity consortium and the government gives space to the Bhutan Education City Board comprising of government secretaries, local government and headed by Lyonpo Yeshey Zimba to increase the commercial space in the future.

The failure of the IT Park, a project similar to the Education City, to attract investors and generate profit has renewed fresh concerns on the viability of the Education City project.

The project which is aimed at attracting numerous top notch universities and schools till date has not even been able to attract a medium grade college or school to the project.

A few non-bindings MoU’s that focus mainly in establishing short term courses have only been signed with no commitment to bring in whole institutes.

Tenzing Lamsang/ Thimphu

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155 comments

  1. Please do vote this time, vote for DPT.

    There already are thousands od hidden alligators and crocodile in the social websites such as Twitter and facebook who say PDP should be voted.

    I fall in another group, why vote for a party which promises good things and practices rule of law. How will i become richer than others if i am not free to misuse my powers and public resources, this is not possible with PDP in power.

    • You vote for them yourself. You are a blind

    • I salute you Mr. Tenzing Lamsang for being a true journalist.!..you are the true son of Pelden Drukpa. A journalist should inform the people the truth not just narrate the stories of events. . I have stop reading  other news papers like Kuensel and BBS…they never bring forth the real stories. They just bring to the notice that where a minister is and what he spoke. They never do the research like The Bhutanese. It’s because these media are afraid of being jobless.They are paid by govt. and if they write bad about the govt. or minister these media won’t get public advertisements. Haha!.. who wants to read the biased stories??. We want the truth not the fake stories!!!!>>…! now i knew what kind of people i have voted in 2008! Won’t make the same mistake again..all the best PDP!..DPT u r gone from my heart!..sorry!

    • this is another blind follower! we are living in an age of science and technology.

    • Never mind DPT is fully exposed now. shame on them. so much for equity, dranam and drangdhen hype!

    • Please dig up on the involvement of people in the Education city project: The contractor: consultant: vacancy and post occupied : that should shed more light 

    • Some people here do not even understand your sarcasm and they boast themselves that they live in the era of science and technology. Now you can see, who are the blind followers to which party. 

    • Seems like you are a ardent DPT supporter, you cannot take the right away from the public, you are one of those who wants to misuse the power for your own benefits.
       

  2. DPT President and his Ministers flatly denied having land around the Education City. Then what is this then. Whether the land is in their or spouse name, what is the difference.

    Please don’t lie to the people of Bhutan.

    • you do not seem to know about the so called policy corruption and conflict of interest. bhutanese weldone! keep it up. you are bold.

    • hello why cant  the education minister own 50 dec land? Is not he a human being who needs to think of a shelter after his retirement? There is no basis to accuse him of owning land near the education city.If one has the means one should have the right to purchase any property legally.So why are you making such a big fuss about someone owning a small piece of land?
      By the way I am a PDP supporter.

  3. The Bhutanese! stop this land issue. they buy becus they have money. its not illegal. many others have bought lands around BEC and you have not mentioned their names in the fore. 

    • Ya Ya every body can buy land,but misusing authority and they cannot approved where ever they have land,this is called real corruption.it is really serious for future of our country,all big university and town are approved near by their land.dont be fool now

      • Who said they slected the site ? Does it say anywhere? Don’t assume things. It very clearly mentions that the technical team selected the location. Why don’t you talk to the technical team and find out who were the main people involved at that time instead of slandering DPT just to make them look bad.
        You are the fool if you really believe what you are saying.

        • Technical team? I cannot believe! what is govt responsible for? They only take credits for thing going on well but blames every one for the wrong doing like RMA! Waht a leaders we ahve. Shame JYT and team.

        • we will know sooner or later. we need thorough investigation and bring out the truth. Something is wrong here. We smell the fish here. JYT is cunning and can do anything. they blames other for everything but themselves. Accountability is totally missing in DPT. wE DO NOT WANT SUCH A GOVT AGAIN.

        • mr politics. head of the technical team you are blabbering about is ex-PM JYT and head of edn city board is yeshey zimba marey

    • its not about buying land coz they have money,,,,   thats true – they have money,they have power,   but its the method in which how the education city was planned and designed specially to benefit those land owners around the area – and who are the land owners? our very own lyonpos,,,, thanks to the bhutanese for bringing this out ,,,, keep up

      • exactly. so find out how it was planned and who did the planning before assuming that it was the lyonpos who did it, because it was not. ask DHI.

      • chencho thinlay

        thank you Bhutanese for loading this page.

      • IT clearly says that JYT bought land in 1978 from a local farmer. How could u say he misused the authority as PM of Bhutan. get your brain checked.

  4. Why are so mean? Why can’t Education minister own small plot of land?

  5. TSP ex.edu.minister lies

    TSP exEducation minister said minister owning land near controversial education city was not true in the last common forum, you have lied to the nation n these greedy ministers will whatever they get chance to take. It is well planned daylight robbery.  So sad they lie to people to woo voters…m not with dpt….

    • Thats so true.. he lied to everyone on TV.. along with all other lies..

      • DPT govt is a lier. their leaders are caught lying on many occasion. how they rule us. let us vote them out this time. Liers are not fit to be leaders.

    • No. TSP did not know that his wife was owning a land near the Education city.

      • wow its great idea. do you think TSP and his lovely wife is like DPT and PDP???? I dont think so???? in the most of the common forum, DPT talks democracy is new in bhutan and most dont understand the democracy. Yes its sure, people dont have idea but our lyonpos are wise, before maturing the democracy, they are planned to get into set>….

        • So TSP bought 50 dis land, why would he not buy more if you think he wanted to profit from it, these PDP jokers, if he had bought like 5 acres than I would agree with you about the conflict of interest part.

          • the question is not on buying how much but it is of him lying to the nation when he was asked if he has land there.

  6. if what is reported / rumored is true, I could only summarize the power abusers in these few words :

    ” Suckers, goondas and Choor babus”

  7. So just because you are a minister now you cannot own or purchase properties? Of all the people why is the Education minister’s name being prominently mentioned when he owns the least amount of land ….

    • its coz the education city is his brainchild…  which the other witty ministers have converted into a project capable of generating gold of which the first and the biggest benefits will go to the land owners nearby,,, and who are the land owners?  our very own witty ministers….and also interestingly ex- lyonpo thakur singh has brought the land only in 2012 in the name of his wife,,,,,  whereas the rest had their lands for decades

    • BECAUSE THEY ARE LEADERS AND THEY MUST LIVE BY EXAMPLES AND SHOULD NOT LIE TO THE NATION.

  8. So what..anyone will buy looking at future scopes…if u as an author had the opportunity…you will do the same….after all everyone needs happiness…be it lynpo or an ordinary person like me.

    • yes many will buy infact …..  there is no problem with anyone buying….. but who are the ones selling the land????  out very own witty ex ministers,,,,,  they haves acres…   its a gold field for them now,,,,,    by locating the education city there it has surely made those lands around a gold field,,,,        why wasnt it located elsewhere???  let other people and other areas get developed,,,,  why was it specifically located in the area which was bordered by the lands of our ex ministers

  9. tenzin lamzang chamcha of PDP will face the ………if DPT comes to power again,why he is bringing personal issues to media,

    • Tenzing Lamzang either Chamcha of PDP or eye opener to the Bhutanese peoples the corrupt practices of Ministers and high level officials. Even if DPT comes to power He will remain as Tenzing Lamzang because he remained as  Tenzing Lamsang with The Bhutanese Paper with out add. and support from DPT govt. for last few Years. He is the only a Journalist who have guts to explore Ministers hidden corruption to the people of Bhutan. Other Print medias like kuensel and Telecast Media like BBS is being sole dominated by DPT.
      We Must actually Thank Him.

    • if anything happens to Tenzin Lamsang from a ruling government, people will not leave that ruling government in peace.

    • it is because of people like you Bhutan is not improving. pl think twice before you post such vindictive tainted statement.

  10. I would like to see what DPT president and ministers got to say about this. It look likes they moved heaven and earth for this project to get through despite lot of controversies and lot of people against it. Now it looks like they selected the very place and pushed the project mainly to suit their desires and fulfill their wishes. I can imagine what benefits and values it brings to their land and properties when the mega project is completed.

    I am sick of such double standards. And rather more worried is what example it sets and teaches me is that in order to climb the ladder of richness and success I have to be a cunning fox and sly wolf. Otherwise I ll remain poor and die poorer. INTEGRITY HAS NO PLACE IN TODAY’S WORLD.

    • why don’t you ask the CEO and Chairman of DHI about this? get it in writing and print it in the papers. see if DPT moved heaven and earth to get this approved or who actually initiated and approved it.

      • “politics” please see today’s news (26 June 2013) in “The Bhutanese”. Your doubts will be amply clarified.

  11. DPT, blood sucker…………….. enuf

  12. Now i could reason myself why DPT govt is flatly insisting education city must be build. That too particular at present location. There are so many reasons why education city can be flopped, but still, it seems, DPT ministers wants to try their luck at the stake of so much resources of the country. Alas! poor citizens do not know this.
    As a ordinary citizen, i can do nothing but watch the drama of DPT unfolding. If this is what every politician who come to power wants to do, future of Bhutan is at stake. If another party comes to power with so many promises & play same game like DPT govt, i don’t see any future of poor people. I am seeing in reality how dirty politics can be & how selfish politicians can be. 

  13. JYT JYT Yes Papa Eating Bhutan No Papa Telling Lies YES PAPA !!!

  14. that is why dasho jigme zangpo of pdp candidate from mongar pointed out during recent debate, education city can be opened at youngphula where there are about 2000/- acres of govt. land beside it can bring balanced development in the region.

    • Dasho Jigme Zangpo proved with this statement that he does not know what he is talking about, the Education city is a huge project and it would be impossible to attract FDI to a place like Yonphula which has no infrastructure or any other enabling factors which would aid the project. So please stop praising someone even when he talks a lot of nonsense.

      • if you are asking someone to stop talking nonsense ,then what  are you talking ….bullshit… .. if government really want to establishment in yonphula…. all the required infrastructure will be in place ( airport  which is there now) ..this is how places or country  gets developed…… with times… just that opportunity need to come along the way……  ..we dont have anything to say on who is owing land and how much ( they have right to owe land in the country)… we are concerned about why all the best , good things is always on their plates.  

  15. i too want a plot of land in Thimphu.. whom shall i contact? 

  16. Why are the names of Ex-Prime Minister, Ex- MoWHS Minister and Ex Speakers name been mention here in this map. The land owned by these people are not even in the close vicinity of the project site.

    Why is the paper “The Bhutanese” trying so hard giving anti- DPT reports.

  17. DPT this people lining in BHUTAN thief…..because India currency all taken to education city.maybe there wife also ex-Chang IC from RAM and ex-Chang in jaigaong.in 1core they get 12 lake profit.how get puplice ic.why happen in bhutan

  18. I am very disgusted with this forum -some buying land legally or illegally, I dont know and others crying foul justifying for purchase. What is this?
    Anyway, if all the powerful, paisahwalla & influential buy lot of good land, where our children will buy land in future. Poor people will not have a space to keep its legs after 50-100 years. 
    I think our national ceiling of 25 acres should be reduced to 5 acres. In this way we may be able to keep some space for future children & grandchildren. Why 5 acres -we poor people cannot buy even 1 plot(4686sqft) whereas the wealthy and the healthy can afford to buy even 100’s of acres. 
    When it is 25 acres ceiling -father will buy 25, his sons if say 3 will buy 75 acres, 2 daughters can buy 50 cares. So a single family can buy 150 acres. This way bhutan’s land will be grabbed by the powerful, influential and paishawallas -even many villagers possess money. Therfore sons and daughters of poor family (real namchung) will have nothing after 50-100yrs.
    Therefore, next Govt whether Dpt or Pdp should review on this. Fervent request.

  19. Thakur always was talking about greeners in the schools. Lol what happened to him at this moment , y the hell did he lie . 

  20. Hi Lamsang,
    Even if u want, u can also buy a land nearby education city.No body will bar u from buying. Don’t write one sided news.We know how to judge and analyse what your trying to do

    • Ligpa.. anyone can buy land anywhere.. but only few of them have the power to make decision.. That is the problem man… If JYT and Jimba had such big land also in TRashigang.. they would have taken the project there no matter what the explanation is from DHI Infra.. that is the issue here man,,

      • SAME HERE IN BUMTHANG… THE GROSS NATIONAL HAPPINESS CENTER AND THE WANGCHUK PARK  HEADQUATER ARE COMMING AT HE ADJECENT OF THE JIGME Y THINLEY LAND AT CHOKHORTOE…….IT IS REALLY DISGUSTING

    • Ligpa,
      This journalist has written the fact. Its for the reader to judge. Don’t blame the reporter. Tenzing Lamsang did a great service to this country by exposing corruption. If you think this is one sided news, why don’t you give counter arguments?

    • buying land  is no problem la. but Ministers having land and make project near by it is the roblem. this is policy corruption. this cancer should be nibbed in the bud or our democracy will be in danger. Ligpa pl thin deeply.

  21. what is happening to my peaceful nation?

  22. Y investigate this? Y only investigate only for this people? There are 1001 individuals who have purchased. Y din’t you investigate so many other personalities who have simply grabbed the country’s wealth. There are plenty……….

  23. What a silly story is this? What’s wrong when a Bhutanese buys land in Bhutan? If Bhutanese are not allowed to own land in Bhutan, who should own? If I have the money and opportunity, I will also buy some land. I did not understand the intention of this article. Are we saying that no PDP candidates own land in Bhutan? Where do they live?

  24. F*##** up all these useless EX- Ministers…….leave us bit relax… by leaving the country soon…..you goondas……or  wana have simple peolple’s war against these sucking ex-ministers…..Jehda…I am terrible angry. 

  25. These suckers are misusing their powers to take everything. They should be a

  26. I am numb and senseless!!! How can our so called ‘ LEADERS’, ‘way makers’ and ” examples” can example like this? Oh! my God!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Citizen of Bhutan, lets throw these rags and ruts out of the Leadership posts this year. I will not vote for dpt government this time and I will tell all my villagers, friends and families to vote for PDP till these sleazy monkeys are out of the party. Remember, I curse myself for voting DPT in the Primary Round. I am ashamed and feel guilty now. I should have voted for DNT!!! DNT was much better and citizen centric party . Except few, all other candidates were good and worth forming the best and historic cabinet in Bhutan! I was and am hard core supporter of DPT, but I am now dead against the candidates of DPT. I have no other choice, but to support the candidate of PDP in my constituency and other constituencies where ever I have good connections. Please forgive me, DPT, your mission and visions are very good, but your deep intension are very bad and evil!!! You are a wolf in a sheep’s cloth. Good bye!!!!

    • Ai Sam Nai Sam

      Yes Chiney you are right, during Primary round i was full supporter of DPT as like you but this general election i have to think carefully and vote. I am now feed up seeing these corrupted politicians and try to cheat the innocent people like us.

    • lET US SEND DPT TO HELL THIS TIME. tHEY DO NOT DESERVE TO RULE US. THEY CHEAT, THEY DECEIVE.

  27. Thakur Singh Powdyel has duped the Bhutanese public & some of his ex-minister colleagues with his oily tongue. He is no better than a sly crook with cunning mind. I dont understand why bhutanese students talk high of him while in truth he was nothing but a sly spy in kanglung spying on students.
    In the forum this man categorically denied he bought land next to Education city. How he changed his story now saying his wife may have done the deal. How can he not know his buying the land when he himself took the bank loan to buy the land. What a lier he is. He is no better than rest of the DPT crooks.

  28. uncouth and uncool

    Obviously these ministers were aware that the Education City would come up and so bought land aroud the area. As more and more instances of greed get unearthed we see our trusted leaders for what they really are, just ordinary beings with human failings of wanting more. I am thoroughly sick of these hasbeens that I do not even want to see them or hear them on tv anymore. Would the readers and other citizens now still want them for another 5 years?

  29. I understand the IT Park is doing well for now. Yes, the BEC site should have been in Bumthang, for a number of viable reasons, which I don’t need to elaborate here.

  30. So,the reason behind approving this education city at this place is because all those jackass has land there.So,pathetic Bhutanese politicians and big shots are.

  31. there are still many acres of land for sale. every body is welcomed. lets not share baseless talks.

  32. Hi Tenzin, 
    Really appreciate for your task, which made clear to the nation. Anyway, i have found that, you are always focusing on DPT candidates. So, my request to is that, please dig out all history of high official people.  

  33. To my understanding the big fishes has consumed the whole solid small fishes. took advantages of those poor people having not known the actual intention why those ministers are buying their land……..that was even wat made minister to buy land at gyelposhing in mongar.

  34. Sirs,
    why blame pdp. There are only 2 of them while there are 45 of them. the 2 do not have. If they have, Lamsang should have written. Lamsang Please do not spare pdp also if they are involved in any scams. Because corruption is coruption even if it is Nu100 or million, even if it is 1decimal or 100 acres. Since many in the forum are talking of your 1sided storey which I don’t think. However if it is tre you must not be biased.
    Please start investigation and don’t spare pdp and therefore dpt. Bad actions must be exposed to people.
    As recommedded by froum, you shoul also buy 7-14 acres near education city. If this is not given land commision, then again expose the storey why you don’t get and others get.
    Please write unbiased storey. One thing is to be clarified, if only 2 pdp candidates have no illegal land at gyalpoishing, denchi or education city, how can Lamsang write false storey. If Lamsang write false storey then he should be punisabe by law.

    • He is going to be punished this time, just let the elections get over. What is wrong in owning land in Bhutan and DHI is in charge of the Education City and not the RGOB. So he will have to prove a case of conflict of interest which will be next to impossible.

      • Ligpa,
        i dont think u can buy TL so easily. He really is far above you in these characteristics-patriotisn/nationalism/welfare of common people/giving true info to the mass….m hoping for more TLs to come to fight the corrupt people,,,,but even with his few friends and supporters he is doing the mega works.

  35. pelden drukpa

    yes truly stated bhutanese,,,his speech and his action were totally opposite…he said he dont have any land around education city and  now wen proved with proof his wife has a land nearby education city, now he is saying dat he was not aware of this wen he himself asked for the loan in BNB???? such an cruel person….DPT need to be careful with the people of bhutan, if not ur dead will be like a dogs death….

    • Our Benevolent King to ordinary people like us have hard time to trust our political leaders. I wish our leaders have a willingness to gain trust from King and people.

  36. Dear lingpa,
    Don’t harrass the journalist. Journalists have right to inform the nation. Moreso, lamsang earns by legal basis. He cannot effort land in thimphu with his honest earnings.
    He is not a dpt politician to rob the poor nation.

  37. Please go to the site and see where the project is and where the land owned by the ministers are. The ministers’d land are several kms away from Education City. All the land near the  Education site are government land.

  38. DPT are the virus, they spread everywhere and infect the nation. Before its too late, give them the high dose of medicine by not voting for them this time.
    We want change this time….

  39. what makes you to make this as News. What is there in buying Land. You want to stop buying and selling of Land in the country? What is the basis of making this as a news?

    • Totally Frustrated

      This story makes a news because there is an element of corruption here. The ministers and people that have land here are also the very people who oversees the Education City Project. As a result, there is conflict of interest. Had it not been for them having land there, the project might have been proposed and approved in some other places, like Bumthang and Tsirang. If it not for the project, their land would become useless because I learned that there is no water there. Now, because of the project, the water is pumped up to the location with sophisticated technology; roads and bridges of great quality are being built there therefore increasing the value of their land.
      Everybody can buy land in Bhutan but the leaders of our nation cannot lie to the people by saying that they don’t own land there in the national TV. From these dubious acts, we can conclude that they were guilty of their intentions of proposing and approving the education project in the current location.
      Yeah, we can buy land anywhere if we have wealth but don’t lie of not owning land- especially if you are a leader of the country.

  40. people…its not about buying land….. people or ministers can buy land wherever they want to buy.  But those people have land long before the bill for education city was passed. DPT govt was so adamant that education city be built in that particular place….otherwise it could have been in any other place in Bhutan. But it didn’t. this is but corruption!!!

  41. DHI-please open your mouth and clarify the situation. The project was started by DHI way before any of the people mentioned were involved.

    The top brass at DHI should clarify things instead of sitting pretty and letting the names of innocent people get dragged through the mud. DHI also must be having something to gain – perhaps they need to protect their own backs too -which must be why they are keeping shut. Or, being corporate people, they don’t see any profit in clearing things up, so why bother to speak on behalf of other people, even if its the truth. And if you want dirt on PDP people, everyone knows the baggage they (including the present candidates) carry along.

  42. concerned Bhutanese

    Good job “the Bhutanese”

  43. This is a very disturbing news if at all even 50% of the information are truth. if they are as leaders deceives the citizen, time will come like “Gyelposhig Land case”. Instead of doing Tsham, they will be in prison. The cause- condition – effect is the value ingrain in us. Day Will come they have to face the effect.

    On another aspect, certain level of policy corruption has begin. I think this the another side effect of democracy. We have to live with it. Influential leaders will also use to a advantages of the system. Very disturbing news infact…… May God save us …

  44. If PDP wins the election and forms the government, can PDP stop and cancel Education City project? This project will not benefit our country. This project is doomed to fail.
    DPT hired Mckinsey and paid about Nu. 550,000,000. Who benefitted from the services of Mckinsey?

    • In that very failure lies the benefits for the people who owned land in the vicinity of the Edn City. By the time we realize it, a billions of the government money would have already been pumped into the project. But how ironic, we are ready to waste billions of ngultrum in a single ambitious project when our folks in the rural areas still do not have access to “clean and safe” drinking water (which is the basic human right indeed), and in the age of mega-hydroelectricity still a significant percentage of our people have to use kerosine lantern.

    • i believe that this project can be cancelled. but the land owners there are already benefited because road has been constructed and bridge has been constructed at the cost of government money. 

  45. Bhutanese are fool…they bark but still vote for the corrupted government.

    • Including you! Bhutan is a unique country, Bhutanese are unique.
      Bhutan is a poor country but the bhutanese are rich. That is why we kinow whom to vote for and against.

    • @ pala where are you from? from Syria I see! You did not know that, bhutan is a unique country, bhutanese are very unique and of all Bhutan is a poor country and the bhutanese are very rich.

  46. Firstly, the deal is not legally done so technically TSP does not own any land in the vicinity as of now. Secondly, he wants to buy after the decision of Edu City is made so what is the problem if the owner wants to sell. You can go and buy yourself a piece if landowners there want to sell. The plots mentioned for JYT, YZ, Aum Sangay are on the other side of the river and specially JYT and YZ are very far, high up above the national highway. YZ and Aum sangay have inherited the plots. JYT and JT bought the lands around 40 years ago.

    • Owning or buying land is not the concern here. The very decision those ministers made to set up a multi-billion project in an area that seems to directly benefit them is a clear indication of a conflict of interest. It seems to us that the decision for the location of the project is based more on their self-interests than for the cause that would bring a greater good for the general population. Of all the potential places in Bhutan, why have they chosen this one? And, this area is a way sloppy for construction which may have a bearing on the budget.

    • Ai Sam Nai Sam

      Dear Inna
      I respect your judgement, yes some have purchased the land more than 40 years and buying of land in Bhutan is our right. But why Education City should be located there in that place to their land, why not other places like Kothaka, Bumthang and Yongphula which is also quite near to the domestic airport? it is located there because the land was owned by Am Sangay, Education minister, etc. Do you think that Aum Sangay is good person ? No, she is not a good person, she has no quality how to deal with the people especially to teachers, if there is some problem to the teachers she will not solve the problem. So i feel she is good in decision making for her own perpose

    • Yes true any one of us as Bhutanese can buy or own land in our country. But few things of my openion. Education EX minister should have accepted that he has a land that in the first place but instead flatly denied in the common foram and people are the best judge. When he lied even after having land there which means inside him he already know he has a guilt and conflict of interest so to hide it he said lie that is the question here. second on the other ministers yes the land was owned by their spouse long time back. But the question here is two of them are the main person behind in framing the project of education city and made it near by their property knowing that this will rise the value of their property. They should have decleared stayed away from the decision making due to conflict of interest.

  47. Lamzang, the lands beyond the education city boundary.. u dont have to worry..

  48. Those who can afford will buy anything, not only land. Those who cannot afford will only shout. I did not know that buying land is illegal. Prosecute the land buyers if that’s the case. Everyone will buy land in the most urban centre. Who will buy lan on the mountain top?

  49. The problem is that our land is being finished by the powerful, influential and paishawallas. What will our children will buy after many years.  So Govt (Dpt or Pdp) should review land ceiling and fix to 5 acres or less if possible.

  50. If this land deal is true, then my vote is definitely not for DPT, because Ex-minister lied not only to his constituents, but also the nation at large. It appears that land grabbing by the DPT ex-ministers is a case of: The rich getting richer and poor getting poorer. I wonder why all the DPT people are land and landys only. 

    I am going to think twice before casting my vote….

  51. No worry and stay free of all such ill comments. Every citizens of this nation have the right to own property anywhere and anytime. Being a Bhutanese citizen she can even buy a City itself if she can.

  52. very sad thing happening in Bhutan. to get out of such a situation, we need change. let us vote for a change. Shame shame dpt!

  53. This paper will start writing DPT MPs have one wife each and three children each. They get up early in the morning everyday. After breakfast they take a small nape and again drink tea and go to office etc. What is this paper after. DPT should slaughter a big Pig and appease the Bhutanese so that it do not haunt them any more. Drive away the spirit of the Bhutanese by burning the DOLO KHORSANI like we do to drive away the DHEN and GAG.

    • Home away from home

      Hope DPT will work hard and shut down this new paper permanently otherwise it is posing threat to our nation and especially our peacefull nation. Many problems at the moment regarding political differences are soley due to thebhutanese news. All the best DPT and don’t forget to fix thebhutanese the very next day you resume officies.

  54. We have seen people buying land every day but for some people the process of even transferring the 13 decimals they have purchased by shedding blood is killing them. Some families own more than 25 acres, which is the land ceiling. I also heard people say that some have land registered even in their pet’s name to avoid the 25 acre ceiling. I only hope that it is a rumor during election time. if not, how can this happen? I also heard people say that some powerful people register even govt. land in the their name. I cannot imagine how that can happen. I hope the Land Commission is doing their work efficiently as per the Land Act and other laws. I also heard that people in the Land Commission work under huge pressure and there is also corruption. I hope this is not true. But then why many Engineers have resigned? The forest cover in Thimphu is decreasing each year. Is the land area growing? I think, we should now list down the map and show who owns what area. Buying land as such is not a crime as long as it is done legally but even the poor farmers can be cheated. people who have knowledge of the future plans know how to exploit the opportunity. Make hay when the sun shines. Education Minister owning land near the site is peanuts. he worked hard for 30 years and he deserves. But there are many other real land lords, who even own mountains, people say. It is surprising to hear that the building of offices hired are actually owned by the powerful people working in the Ministry under which organization falls. Could there be a chance of conflict in the hiring process?? Food for thought.

  55. I think each and every one of us should be more concerned with all this informations. I am sure without fire there may not be a smoke. Till date what ever said and done, the report brought up by this media could not be challange in the court of law. People simple acuse this media report being lies and fabricated to bring down the past government. If so why could not any of them take a legal stand against this paper and this paper should be made responsible. But the fact is this paper carried some facts which is based on documents and evidence. What ever it is it is so frastrating to see how policy are changed in order to favour them. I know that the first proposal place for education city was at Khodakha but this was changed not by the technical members but by the pressure from the government and members in that who are connected to favour. I think those reflected groups of people if correct are the most greediest people on this earth. They have land and properties every where because one way they make policy such a way that their properties can have better price by framing some better projects near their property. OR they already know what is comming in those arear and buy or procure land and property beforehand. This people should be put behind the bars for ever. How long are they going to lie to this Nation and the people. Please save this country and people.

  56. The group formed by HM some time before 2008 to work on the education city projects either resigned or got transfered due to pressure on the modality of the project and place of the project once the DPT government came to power.

  57. Send these parasites to Dobji for 100 years each

  58. The Bhutanese has come out with another earth shattering report which smacks of insider trading (of information) which by the way is a serious offense in most countries and some top CEOs in the US have been jailed for it.

    Also how come all the influential people took out housing loans or imported cars before the parliament raised the import or vehicles, imposed Green Tax etc. They must have known it was going to happen. Something is rotten in Thimphu (to borrow a phrase by William Shakespeare) . I think the only way to put an end to all these controversial at best and corruption at worst – if for HM to institute a non-partisan committee to investigate. Not RCSC please which is part of the problems we face today. They could not even handle Dr Lotay’c case properly and as thanks to them and the Health Ministry one of the best surgeons was compelled to join politics. he is dead right about our a cancer spreading in our small, peaceful and once truly happy nation. Before ‘democracy” we could build houses, buy cars through loan and know that through merit you would rise in the government because of HM the King. Perhaps it time for HM to intervene and bring our country to its former glory.

    Nado

  59. let the people have their own way of living but do not cheat the people by way of corrupt policy. though they have purchase long time back but why to establish education city in this particular are when you have in yonphula and khotakha

  60. Lamsang is a nice investigator …. 
    Y don’t you lead a investigation department.. seriously.. m not criticizing .. 

  61. Ai Sam Nai Sam

    Dear The Bhutanese
    We the Bhutanese people are confused about what DPT is doing, if you have full judgement on this case, please bring justice to our Bhutanese people who are still in the darkness and if you are not able to bring truth about this case then we no more believe you as the Bhutanese news. We are confident that you will fight with this Corrupted politicians..

  62. Piece of the Pie

    I want a piece of the pie too. Our leaders are only human. But they should also know that now they should give everyone else an opportunity to make some nice juicy money sitting on their chairs instead of clinging onto their old seats for dear life.

  63. What’s wrong with that? Who decided the project site? Is there any harm with that site selection to communities or others? Is it accessible to users/beneficiaries? What conditions/factors limited to arriving decision of current location. This paper or other social media need to research more rather than just targeting personally. Just my take.

  64. People, you think Bhutanomics is tenzing lamzang ! let me tell you he is not ! He donot waste time writing infos anonymously. He would rather research and bring it to this news paper. 
    And he knows he can’t lie, he can’t bring false info to his paper, cuz if he does, the concerned person will sue him. So I believe this report. 

  65. Why not concerned lyonpos come forward and clarify the doubts point by point to the nation.
    Just saying no..no.. allegation if false and fabricated, Mr.Lamsang is Anti Royal Govt and and Anti DPT. will create more doubts in the mind of Bhutanese people at this stage.

  66. I see there’s policy corruption here. The Bhutanese had done its part. We should now draw wisdom from the facts and figures provided. I simply pray that let the best political party form the next government – I have no favourites. May Guru Rinpoche guide the voters of Bhutan. Am sure our collective wisdom and luck will not make us form a wrong govt.
    DPT surely deserved to be reprimanded and kept on hold for some serious mistakes made during their tenure. Best wishes to deserving party.

  67. Y bhutanese is always against DPT party. Bhutanese too can buy the land as it is allowed by Law of the land

    • looks you have one plot there too and you are part of this policy corruption.

      i respect the legality of personal business taken between the two parties, but i cannot understand the viability of the Education City only in a place where there are lots of land owned by the big ruling DPT party stakeholders. if we as a proud citizen of Bhutan start tolerating this kind of corruption, remember we are wrong and we are part of these corrupted bands.

      i am the hardcore supporter of dpt, but dead against these corrupted candidates including the president. because he said in one of his press conference that he bought land in gyelposing, because to develop the place in gyelposing, there should be a land owned by the influential person like JYT. The fallow land opposite to wang sisina was selected for Education city, out of many other places in Bumthang and Trashigang, because these corrupted policy makers knew that they have acres of land near the education city. these people are smearing the name of the noble party. voters of bhutan, lets not elect these corrupted, influential, rich and powerful candidates of dpt, who are smearing the name of the party, but lets try and vote for those candidates who are good and genuinely felt for the party, country and the people of bhutan. these corrupted will sell bhutan. they have no ethics and guilty conscience.

      yesterday jyt came to the tv and telling lies to the people of bhutan without any guilt in his face and informing that other party is backed by powerful and rich, as if dpt is not supported by powerful and rich. what a liar our dpt president is. i think, now he is very old to analyze the people of Bhutan and missing the main purpose of democracy and the path of GNH. jyt sir please do not throw stones on others sitting yourself in the glass house. you know the truths. i voted for dpt and i will vote for dpt, but i will not vote for these corrupted leaders including jyt.

      • That is true i ahve also tirelessly helped to get DPT to power in 2008 and my ideal person was JYT. He was put into corner by Lyonpo Sangay Nidup, Ex speaker ugyen dorji sha sigay for the failure of chukhha dzong and simtokha dzong. They all gang up to disqualify JYT from participating in 2008 democracy. Some how Lyonpo JYT came to form a party at the last moment by request from many well wishers. That was the time every bhutanese belive that JYT is a man of integrety and knowledge. Now 5 year down the line many of the bhutanese people knows what JYT is about . He lies many time on National TV. Without any guilt in his mind. shame for such act.

    • pl do not support corruption.

  68. We trusted you more than ever.Had a fear you all would that.You are manipulative people.

  69. you are manipulative people.

  70. It’s the right of every citizens to own land and I don’t think owing a land through lawful means is anything illegal. I don’t find any substances in this news coverage. The land some ministers owned were their ancestral land while some land were procured more than 30 years back. There’s no co-relation between these two. And there’s no strong justification to proof that the selection of site for education city was for the interest of few individual as supposedly claim by the paper. What the The Bhutanese is trying to prove through this article? A sales man can sale refrigerator to an Eskimo but he cannot sale to all Eskimos. your article may fooled someone but you cannot fool the whole country.  

  71. We live in a peaceful and beautiful country. We believed in our Ministers and upper ruling parties and respected them a lot. But now the saddest thing is some people in the politics keep on misusing their power and the country’s resources. Because of which ULFA and Bodo settled in Southern Bhutan, which resulted our King and the people suffer for almost 3-5 years. And now Bhutan had lots of Border dispute in the North with China which nobody is bothered about the Dispute. It is very disheartening to know from many international sources that Bhutan doesn’t have a proper maps because of which we have to two threads from South and North, meaning India and China. I am not happy to see the recent changes in Bhutanese Map which no Political leaders are worried about. We want peace and security in the Nation. So please research on it. Thanks. By concerned Citizen

  72. DPT should summon courage and stop this project immediatedly if they are to do well in the election. Otherwise they deserve to be voted out unceremoniously.

  73. Tenzing Lamsang deserves a Medal for good journalism. Will he ever get it?

  74. Why are other papers silent about it? They maintained silence on the PRADO issue as well. Does this mean that they are pro-DPT? Am also not against DPT, I respect their work. But when certain actions especially intended to benefit them such as approving Edn.City site, if at all the ministers are involved, they should be taken to task. Media is the fourth arm of the govt. and The Bhutanese of Tenzin Lamsang is really doing his job. But to some it might not sound good when issues like these are brought to light. Mr. Lamsang has the courage and ability to shade light on corrupt issues where other papers dare not to poke their noses. Shame to them. I think it’s time we protect and preserve people like Lamsang for the greater interest of the nation. The concerned authorities should provide some security for him. I believe we would have missed him had he been in some other countries doing this kind of job. But at least in Bhutan people are god scaring and fairly know that taking life of a another human being is unthinkable. We mustn’t do this. We are true Buddhist, at least in this respect. Long live Lamsang! Go ahead with your work. We appreciate you. Guru Rinpoche will protect you. Don’t forget to remember him and start reciting BAZAGURU if you are not doing. I know you intentions are right. Gook Luck!

  75. I am with Nado.

  76. “The Bhutanese” paper is doing good research trying its best to inform the people of Bhutan about the activities of the powerful and influential people in the  country. This is what the citizen of Bhutan expects from every newspaper. I just hope, the concerned and relevant legal institute like Anti-corruption do their own share. We the citizen of Bhutan would like “The Bhutanese” paper to keep up with the same spirit no irrespective of Govt. of the Day. We sincerely salute this paper for making the realization of the freedom of press.

  77. Thank you to all DPT supporters for propping DPT in the primary round. So that we can continue to have endless topics to talk about: Khotokha, Trowa Theatre, Gylaposhing, IT Park, Edn City, Rupee shortage, army worms, snails, flash floods, earthquakes, no import of cars, china buses, slashing armed forces fund, no loans, Ministers cave, sale of GNH (still half of globe is not done yet), take-home Prado business, many benefits for MPs, jobless youths, creation of relentless party Tshogpas, etc. Can someone make videogame out of this so that I can atleast shoot and kill them virtually in a video.  

  78. its high time not to vote for PDP.as all your land and property will be in the hand of old ministers la.its true.

  79. peopledear!!! y to worry abt this?let them buy whatever they want,is not you who should pay for this……..vote for dpt anywaz la

  80. those who dont hve even a 3 dis land they r leaving in the cave so present lyanpos
    plz select land where u lke u dont bother fr poor people most of the people in remote area staying by bananas leaf on their head. Still they r happy so y our lyanpos r not satisfy by their property.haaaaaa

  81. its all bullshit………..pdp how can they fullfill their manefistos…..its for the benefits of Zimdra and Damchen….not for the benefit of futre citizens… so think…

  82. Is it really important for us to know all about it…whats is the impact of the whole story on the general public…is the thebhutanese scope limited within the geographic boundary of Thimphu Dzongkhag…Anywayz my time wasted here…honestly…

  83. 1. Indian government will never ever agree to imposing SDF to it’s citizens visiting Bhutan, just as our government would be reluctant to agree to Indian Visa requirement for Bhutanese entering Indian territory.

    Bhutanese people have not asked government to find solution to regional tourism problem overnight. We have been asking our government find a solution for decades.

    Just lower SDF to other tourists. Make it $10 per night hold per person. Immediately, all hotels will be booked in advance by $-quality tourists and therefore, our hoteliers will stop marketing to regional tourists at cheap rates.

  84. Why did the ex-Education Minister’s wife buy land near the Education City site, when other high-profile individuals such as the ex-PM and the ex-Speaker also own land nearby?

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