The Bhutanese Leading the way.
His Majesty the King graced the opening session of the fifth session of the second Parliament yesterday. His Majesty was accompanied by Her Majesty the Gyaltsuen and Members of the Royal Family.
His Majesty and Her Majesty were received in traditional chipdrel ceremony by the Prime Minister, National Council Chairperson, Cabinet Members and the Members of Parliament. The opening session began with the administering of the Zhu Phunsum Tshogpa.
The National Assembly Speaker, Jigme Zangpo, on behalf of the Parliamentarians, thanked His Majesty the King for gracing the ceremony.
The Speaker shared his grief, on behalf of the Parliament, for those who lost their lives in 7.8 magnitude earthquake disaster in Nepal on April 25.
The Speaker, on behalf of Parliament, expressed gratitude to His Majesty the Druk Gyalpo and the government for the great compassionate action of His Majesty the Druk Gyalpo, commanding a team of 63 personnel comprising of medical experts, Desuups and Royal Bhutan Army lead by Prime Minister and Health Minister, sent to provide relief support to the disaster stricken Nepal.
An additional group of 15 Dessups, Royal Bhutan Army personnel and doctors were also dispatched on May 4 as requested.
Also upon the command of His Majesty the Druk Gyalpo, Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay handing a cheque of USD1 mn to Prime Minister of Nepal, Sushil Koirala, as aid to buy food and medicines for the victims.
A special flight also saw home 231 Bhutanese stranded in Nepal, and other 70 Bhutanese safely reaching home in buses via Kankarvita.
The Speaker said that such support, granted by His Majesty the Druk Gyalpo with compassion would benefit the victims of earthquake in getting the much needed medical services.
It will also help the Bhutanese team to gain the experience to deal with such a situation, and it will further strengthen the existing good relations between the two countries.
The Speaker also expressed gratitude to His Majesty the Druk Gyalpo and Her Majesty the Gyaltsuen for offering a thousand butter lamps along with the senior government officials, representatives of the international community and the Nepalese community in Bhutan for the victims of earthquake in Tashichhodzong and Dechenphug.
He also highlighted on the the Chunipai losar celebration made brighter with the compassion and wisdom of His Majesty the Druk Gyalpo with the people of six eastern dzongkhags in Mongar last year, and this year at Autsho in Lhuentse.
The Speaker, on behalf of the people of Bhutan, also expressed the deepest gratitude to His Majesty Druk Gyalpo, His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo and Members of Royal Family for granting their audience to the people during the commemoration of the celebration of the 107th National Day in Kanglung, Trashigang.
The Speaker also offered his gratitude to His Majesty for recognizing the dedicated service of the civil servants and farmers by granting medals in the 107th National Day. Further, he said Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay was conferred the Lungmar scarf in recognition of his service.
On behalf of Parliament, the Speaker expressed gratitude to His Majesty for the noble and historic initiatives towards international cooperation and sending three armed forces to serve in the UN Peace Keeping Missions.
He also thanked Holiness the Je Khenpo, spiritual leaders and other religious bodies for conducting various rituals and religious activities for the wellbeing of the country, and in particular, to commemorate the 60th Birth Anniversary of His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo.
He also expressed gratitude to Their Majesties the Queen Mothers and the Royal Family for initiating various programmes to pay tribute to His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo.
He highlighted on renovation of the stupas and other religious structures requiring renovation and those vandalized to be restored by the government and people of concerned villages collaboratively, as gesture towards the commemoration of the 60th Birth Anniversary of His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo.
He also said Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay’s visit to the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit on Economic Development had further strengthened the relations between Bhutan and India, and with the international community.
He highlighted the Prime Minister’s visit to Sri Lanka and United States of America. On behalf of Parliament, the Speaker also expressed gratitude to the government, Armed Forces, and Dessung for the support rendered towards the people affected by windstorm in some of the dzongkhags as per the command of His Majesty the Druk Gyalpo.
