The Foreign Minister Lyonpo (Dr) Tandi Dorji said that more than 5,000 Bhutanese want to come back to Bhutan and the government is working on the logistics around it. The largest group is from the Middle-East where of the around 6,000 Bhutanese there around 4,000 want to come back, said …
Read More »Govt ensuring stocks for up to 6 months: MoEA Minister
Following the slogan of ‘hoping for the best and preparing for the worst,’ the government is in the midst of ensuring stocks of up to 6 months according to the Minister for Economic Affairs Lyonpo Loknath Sharma. The minister said that the worse case scenario would be if the numbers …
Read More »His Majesty The King is in Phuentsholing
His Majesty The King is in Phuentsholing to inspect the plans put in place to ensure uninterrupted supply of essential goods from India, in light of the closure of our borders, and the 21-day lockdown in India. While in Phuentsholing, His Majesty also inspected the Amochu Land Development and Township …
Read More »{Step 1} Govt stops vegetable import on March 24, Minister announces it (Step 2) Faces panic buying, price rise and strong public backlash [Step 3] Issues circular on March 26 saying there never was a ‘ban’
The common English Dictionary says that the words ‘Stop’ and ‘Put a Stop to’ are similar to the word ‘Ban’ At a time when clear and well though out decisions and transparent communication is the need of the hour, The Bhutanese has found that the government first tried ramming in …
Read More »Restrictions on public gathering, travel, entertainment and sports
This is not a lockdown but it comes close to it as the Prime Minister (Dr) Lotay Tshering announced a slew of measures all aimed at avoiding mass public gathering and minimizing contact among people. The measures come this week after Bhutan got two scares. The first was on Wednesday …
Read More »BIT and CIT payment to be extended as Contingency Plan is underway
The state of the industries impacted by COVID-19 has escalated to the point where employers are laying off their staff either unpaid or on half-paid leave. The Prime Minister, at the meet-the-press held yesterday, said that the government has been informed of such affected industries. PM explained the scenario from …
Read More »Civil Servants to contribute 5 to 10% of salary for COVID-19 fund
The RCSC has initiated a proposal for voluntary contributions from the salary of Civil Servants and after its acceptance from agencies will be deducting between 5 to 10% of the salary of civil servants. In response to questions from The Bhutanese the RCSC said that it as the central personnel agency, …
Read More »Agriculture Minister’s order on stoppage of import of vegetables, fruits and betel nuts and leaves leads to panic buying
The Agriculture Minister Lyonpo Yeshey Penjor, today evening, reiterated that the import of vegetables, fruits and betel nut and leaves has been stopped as a control measure for various reasons. Lyonpo said the same in a Facebook post yesterday morning and confirmed it with The Bhutanese this morning too. He …
Read More »54-year-old tourist who was in Bhutan from 3rd to 12th March tests positive for COVID-19 in Hong Kong but his two Bhutanese first contacts test negative
The Ministry of Health has placed a guide and driver under quarantine and has conducted tests after it emerged that a 54-year-old Hong Kong tourist who was in Bhutan from 3rd to 12th March tested positive for the virus on 22rd March and is currently hospitalized in Hong Kong. The …
Read More »English translation of His Majesty’s Address to the Nation on 22 March 2020
Starting tomorrow, our land borders will be sealed. We are compelled to take this drastic measure in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. As you have been made aware through various government bulletins, the virus is spreading, causing immense disruption worldwide, and drawing closer to us each day. At such a …
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The Bhutanese Leading the way.