The Bhutanese Leading the way.
One of the three contestants for the Gup’s post in Chapcha gewog, Chukha, is Jamtsho, 34, who believes that he represents youth in the upcoming second local government election.
“Youth today think that being unemployed is better than taking part in LG election because they have a wrong notion of being part of the election. I encourage them to step forward and be the part of the election,” said the businessman from Shemagangkha.
Jamtsho completed his high school in 2005 and worked in the private sector for two years and then with finance for the two years. He started his own business in 2011.
“I stood as a candidate to represent youth and to encourage them to grab the opportunity given by His Majesty the King,” he said.
He said that competing against experienced candidates is tough but it does not mean that the youth will fail on their part. “What we need is skill and it’s known to everyone that youth are capable of being local leaders as they are educated and energetic,” he said.
He competed with the former Chapcha gup, who served the gewog since 2004, and made it through the preliminary round. He will now contest with two other gup candidates from Chapcha gewog.
“I hope that I can make it through the final round as well,” Jamtsho said. “I must try my best to get through and to encourage youth participation in future elections.”
Jamtsho said development is the responsibility of every individual in the gewog and not something that will be brought in only by the local leaders.
“If I get elected my first pledge is to make the Tshogpa strong so that every message reaches every individual in the community,” he said. “My second pledge would be to come up with the life insurance in the gewog.” (there is already a life insurance policy for rural people, so is this s different one???)
He also said that he would enhance agriculture production and bring in poultry and mushroom production so that the people of his chiwog are not solely dependent on the potato crop for a living.
This story was made possible with gracious fund support from Bhutan Media Foundation and SDC under the Local Government Election grant.
