The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Political parties are all on a campaigning spree, and they must convincingly sell to the electorate to put themselves in good light, for votes are what will determine the results.
That way, every party is putting forward what they believe is their own USP (unique selling proposition) to woo village voters and the urban ones alike.
For the Druk Chirwang Tshogpa (DCT) president currently in the east, the party’s USP that was highly promoted was, ‘big plans to develop four regional hubs that will serve as social, economic and cultural centers in the east’.
Highlighting the importance of balanced socio-economic development during her campaign in Lhuentse and Mongar, DCT president Lily Wangchhuk shared her party’s plans to get eastern Bhutan on the national mainstream.
In an e-mailed update of the DCT president’s campaign to the gathering of party supporters in Autsho in Lhuentse and Mongar town, the president said, “Balanced development hasn’t happened at all. That’s for all of us to see. Our party has big plans to develop four regional hubs that will serve as social, economic and cultural centers in the east.”
Lily Wangchhuk said one of the top priorities of DCT is to pursue a policy of socio-economic development that takes into account all regions in the country. “We will explore all possible opportunities to enable the poor and backward areas to enjoy the benefits of development,” she said.
To achieve balanced regional development, DCT plans to prioritize budget allocation according to the needs of each dzongkhag. In addition to investments in infrastructure development, DCT will emphasize on economic plans and activities for each dzongkhags.
The DCT also plans to focus on wealth creation, in order to create an economy that is self-reliant. “If we need to be fully independent, we must stop depending on external aid. Our country has the resources and human capacity to create our own wealth,” said Lily Wangchhuk.
To this end, DCT will try to spread government agencies to other areas to balance development and progress, and also to de-congest the urban towns.
Getting down to politics, the party president reminded people about the ‘need to vote for the right party’ and ‘one that is not corrupt’. DCT president also said the party will work towards the people’s wellbeing and ‘not their own vested interest.’
“We cannot afford to have corrupt leaders and government. Our party is committed to fight corruption and to this end, we will offer absolute political backing to Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC),” she told the gathering.
On her way to Mongar, the DCT president stopped at Ura, Bumthang, to interact with people. She explained the party’s 12-point manifesto and vision for a just, more prosperous and a happier Bhutan.
Lily Wangchhuk told the people that any political party that forms the government will have to undertake development. “That’s the responsibility of the government. The government will have to ensure that communities have farm roads, safe drinking water, electricity, and BHUs among others,” she said.
The DCT President talked about the numerous challenges faced by rural communities in Bhutan and what her party will do in order to solve those problems.
“DCT will make concerted efforts to solve human-wildlife conflict. We will ensure that our farmers are not troubled by wild animals, and that they can sleep peacefully after a day’s hard work,” she said.
Lily Wangchhuk further explained that Chirwang Tshogpa would consult with the people to collaboratively to find solutions to the problem of wildlife encroachment, and explore new technologies that can be used to ward off the wild animals from invading the farms.
“In addition, in an event where people lose crops and domestic animals to wildlife, we will put in place a system that offers swift compensation for the loss,” said the DCT President.
