EDITORIAL

Social Protection

The COVID-19 pandemic impact is widely seen as an opportunity to rebuild our economy in a new and more effective way. However, an economy is not just setting up a few factories or companies, but a really deep, effective and equitable economy is usually one of the results of long …

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The Chhoekhor-Tang message

The DNT candidate won the Chhoekhor-Tang seat by a landslide against his DPT opponent. The loss of the seat of the former Opposition Leader will come as a blow to the Opposition party especially since it was considered to be a stronghold seat since 2008. However, this result is in …

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Investing outside Bhutan

A set of old rules drafted all the way back in 1993 prohibits ordinary Bhutanese and Bhutanese companies from investing outside Bhutan. The logic at the time which still holds among some officials today is to prevent the flow of Bhutanese funds outside and also encourage people to keep their …

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A second wave and what is at stake

Given our extensive measures and preparations between March 2020 and August 2020, very few Bhutanese would have though that COVID-19 would spread by local transmission in Phuentsholing, Gelephu and Samdrupjongkhar. The detection of antibodies in the mass tests also showed that the virus had been circulating in these places. However, …

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Allow private healthcare

One of the reasons why it is so difficult to do business in Bhutan may be clear after reading the Health Policy 2011, EDP 2016 and FDI 2019 which all allow private investment in the health sector, but it has not taken off due to the MoH not drafting a …

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Elections and Freedom of Expression

The nation is eagerly anticipating the Chhoekhor-Tang by-election and so as both the DNT and DPT launched their candidates the media gave coverage, and most did some follow up stories on the two candidates. However, following that the ECB and BICMA sent out multiple notifications by email and post saying …

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A VIP project

The Multi Level Car Parks (MLCPs) has been in the news over the years with efforts by Thimphu Thromde to pedestrianize Norzin Lam to benefit it. This paper’s reporting and a recent RAA report shows the Thimphu Thromde going out of its way to financially benefit the private owners of …

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COVID Leadership

Last week we were witness to the leader of the world’s most powerful nation, and by extension the world’s most powerful man, the US President, come down with COVID-19. The US President had difficulty breathing and it was only special medical care and a cocktail of powerful and even some …

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Political Capital

Political Capital is hard earned and a political party has to be careful on how it spends it. The DNT came in with a lot of political capital as a party that was a break from the bitter DPT-PDP rivalry and as one that was different from either of them …

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A Golden Opportunity to serve

From day one of the COVID-19 crisis the nation has witnessed how His Majesty has led from the front in the fight against the pandemic. It is due to His Majesty’s leadership that Bhutan is one of the least affected countries in the world when it comes to the virus. …

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