EDITORIAL

Quality jobs

The unemployment debate in Bhutan, for a long time, has been focused on the number of jobs to be provided, but the debate must now switch to the quality of jobs. The rush to provide youth jobs for the sake of providing jobs or filling up employment numbers will not …

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Understanding Bhutan

Bhutan is at an important juncture as we stand ready to graduate from our least developed country status in 2023 and become a middle income country, albeit at the lower end of the scale. This graduation will mean that we have achieved or are close to achieving our main and …

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A water crisis

Thimphu, and for that matter Bhutan, is learning an important lesson in water management with record low temperatures leading to the freezing of Thromde and household pipelines. The conversation can no longer be just about tapping water sources and building tanks, but it has to now move to how we …

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Overseas employment case

The ACC’s investigation report into the overseas employment case in India and Japan makes for some very sad reading. The former Labour Minister and current Director General taking financial favors from the Indian overseas agent stinks to the high heavens and is a damning indictment of the Labour Ministry. It …

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Growing importance of National Day

It is no coincidence that this year’s National Day celebrations were the grandest ever as our National Day celebrations will only become more and more significant. Bhutan’s National Day celebrations are becoming more important in the National calendar and while each National Day stay’s true to its main purpose they …

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111th National Day

Even the most causal observer would note that Bhutan’s National Day is gathering only more importance and value with each year. It is not just a one-day celebration of Bhutan’s sovereign and united nationhood achieved under our Kings, but the one day has an important reverberation well beyond the event. …

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Decongest Thimphu

The main slogan of the current government is ‘Narrowing the gap,’ and one area where the gap needs to be narrowed is in the almost out of control construction boom and rapid development in Thimphu, compared to all other parts of the country. The construction boom in Thimphu is not …

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Projects must benefit locals

The Construction of hydro projects in Bhutan is essentially a government to government business, with the main beneficiary being big Indian contractors handling all the main works. The local communities are literally left in the dust as they either see only temporary or marginal benefits, which is outweighed by the …

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From aid to trade 

Donor aid or grants have played a vital role in Bhutan’s development and modernization, in the last five decades. Donor assistance allowed Bhutan to build its first motorable roads, its first modern schools and hospitals and various other important infrastructure. The Bhutanese government and every Bhutanese appreciate the important and …

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Quality projects

Bhutan is groaning with the huge cost overruns and delays in the Punatsangchu I and II projects. It is notable that in the first project the original dam location was changed to a new one without adequate studies, ignoring even the prior warning of a weakness in the right bank. …

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