The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The Bhutanese: What were your feelings after being elected as the Speaker of the National Assembly?
Speaker Tempa Dorji: The moment the election results were announced, and I was elected Speaker with the support of 24 Members of Parliament (MPs), I was both shocked and overwhelmed by the immense responsibility entrusted to me.
At the same time, I became acutely aware of the expectations that come with this office. As Speaker, I will be responsible for presiding over the proceedings of Parliament and ensuring that deliberations on policies, legislation, national laws and other important issues are conducted in a fair, orderly and effective manner.
It is a responsibility that I accept with humility and a strong sense of duty.
TB: What will be your priorities as Speaker?
Speaker: I have had the privilege of serving the people, especially of Kurtoe, for more than a decade with their trust and support. During this time, I have gained valuable insight into the realities and challenges faced by people from different sections of society.
I have also developed a deeper understanding of long-standing issues affecting ordinary citizens, as well as concerns relating to the civil service, particularly human resource issues.
This experience will be an important strength in my new role as Speaker.
Having remained closely connected with the people for many years, I understand many of these issues from both grassroots and parliamentary perspectives. I hope to use this experience to ensure that important national issues receive meaningful attention and constructive discussion in Parliament.
I also intend to work closely with the nine parliamentary committees, recognizing that addressing national issues requires collective effort, consultation and collaboration.
TB: There has been speculation that eight MPs of the ruling party voted for the Opposition candidate during the Speaker’s election. What are your views?
Speaker: There has been considerable discussion suggesting that eight MPs from the ruling party may have voted for the Opposition candidate.
However, it would not be appropriate to draw such a conclusion because the election was conducted through a secret ballot.
It is equally possible that more than eight MPs from the ruling party voted for me, or that some Opposition Members exercised their votes differently.
Since the voting was secret, no one can know how individual Members cast their ballots.
The secret ballot is an important democratic safeguard and one of the invaluable democratic principles bestowed upon the people by His Majesty The King. It exists to ensure fairness, independence and freedom of choice in the electoral process.
Therefore, without any evidence of how individual Members voted, it is neither fair nor appropriate to speculate about cross-voting by any particular side.
The outcome should simply be respected as the collective result of a free, fair and democratic process.
TB: As a Speaker elected from the Opposition, how will you ensure neutrality?
Speaker: Although I come from the Opposition, my role as Speaker is to serve Parliament, the Constitution and the people of Bhutan.
I will work collaboratively with both the Government and the Opposition, with the shared objective of serving the nation.
The primary responsibility of Parliament is to deliberate on and enact laws that are in the best interests of the country and its people.
Once Members are inside Parliament, the focus should not be on whether they belong to the Government or the Opposition, but on advancing the national interest.
Parliamentary committees already function on this principle, with members from both sides working together through consultation and deliberation.
As Speaker, I will discharge my responsibilities in accordance with the Constitution and the relevant laws, ensuring that parliamentary proceedings are conducted fairly, impartially and with dignity.
Therefore, my role in the Opposition should not give rise to any concerns about bias.
My responsibility is to the Parliament and the people, not to any political party.
