Potential mothers in the civil service and their family members maybe overjoyed with the cabinet’s recent decision on maternity leave, but there are questions on what will happen in the corporate and private sector. The cabinet, this week, decided that civil servant mothers will get a fully paid six month …
Read More »USA congratulates Bhutan on National Day
The United States of America’s Secretary of State, John Kerry, sent his congratulations on behalf of President Barack Obama to Bhutan for its 108th National Day celebrations. The public statement, which is the first of its kind from this level, was sent as a press release to media houses in …
Read More »Skyrocketing regional tourist numbers threaten Bhutan’s tourism USP
A dramatic increase in the number of regional tourists in the last few years has not only caught Bhutan’s tourism sector by surprise, but it now threatens Bhutan’s unique selling proposition (USP) of being an exclusive destination if nothing is done. 2011 saw 16,418 regional tourists compared to 47,610 dollar …
Read More »Horror on Thimphu’s streets with multiple cases of drunk and destitute HIV positive women being exploited by unsuspecting youth
Earlier this week the Chithuen Phendey Executive Director, Tshewang Tenzin put up a letter on the social media that talked about a HIV positive alcoholic woman sleeping on the streets and being exploited sexually by up to 50 youth and men unaware of her HIV status. It has now been …
Read More »BCCI President steps down after submitting resignation
The Bhutan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) no longer has a President as of 1st December after the current President Ugen Tsechup Dorji, put up his resignation on 30th November 2015 and stepped down. The BCCI Executive Committee is expected to meet soon to appoint an interim-President. After this …
Read More »TCB in final stages of a Tourism Policy that will also decide tourism tariff issue
The National Council’s (NC) review of the Tourism sector and particularly its observations on possibly reforming the current tariff structure has generated a lot of discussions both inside and outside the Tourism sector. However, the NC’s review and recommendations, while generating debate and new ideas will not be legally binding …
Read More »Bhutan to ask India for more LPG quota
Faced with an increasing shortage of subsidized LPG cylinders across the country, the government is in the process of asking the Government of India (GoI) to allot more subsidized LPG cylinders quota for Bhutan. The Minister for Economic Affairs, Lyonpo Norbu Wangchuk said, “We are requesting the GoI to increase …
Read More »State ownership of hydro projects to ensure equity and prevent ‘hydro-fronting’
The National Council in one of its eight recommendations on the review of the hydropower sector recommended that hydropower projects be owned only by the state and not private companies and individuals. This NC recommendation comes in the backdrop of increasing lobbying over the years by some private companies, both …
Read More »Eminent Dungtsho now allowed to practice
The Bhutan Medical and Health Council (BMHC) has reversed its earlier decision to bar eminent Dungtsho Sherab Jorden and has asked him to continue with his traditional healing practices. The BMHC in a 13th November 2015 letter addressed to the Dungtsho said that last time around the council had stopped …
Read More »21 charges with 70 counts filed against Gelephu Dungpa Pema Wangdi for multiple corruption cases
The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) filed multiple charges coming to around 199 counts against multiple individuals in what is popularly known as the ‘Gelephu Losel Cinema case’. Gelephu Dungpa, Pema Wangdi, who is the main accused and at the center of the case faces the maximum charges, coming …
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